New Zealand · Courts
Court structure of New Zealand
Every tier of the judiciary, what it hears, and where an appeal goes next.
The hierarchy, top to bottom
- Final appellate — Supreme Court of New Zealand
- Established 2004; ended appeals to the Privy Council. Leave is required.
- Appellate — Court of Appeal
- The main intermediate appellate court for civil and criminal appeals.
- Superior first instance — High Court
- Inherent jurisdiction; hears serious crime, judicial review and high-value civil claims.
- First instance — District Court
- The busiest court; general civil jurisdiction to NZ$350,000 and most criminal cases.
- Specialist — Māori Land Court, Employment Court, Environment Court
- Te Kooti Whenua Māori administers Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993.
Every court in the hierarchy
- supremeWellingtonSupreme Court of New ZealandFinal appeals in all civil and criminal matters, by leave only, where the appeal involves a matter of general or public importance, a substantial miscarriage of justice, or a matter of general commercial significance.
- appellateWellingtonCourt of Appeal of New ZealandAppeals from the High Court in civil and criminal matters, and from some specialist courts and tribunals.
- first-instanceWellingtonHigh Court of New ZealandInherent jurisdiction: serious criminal trials, high-value civil claims, judicial review of administrative action, insolvency, admiralty, and appeals from the District Court.
- specialisedVarious (seven districts)Māori Land CourtJurisdiction over Māori freehold land under Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993: ownership, succession, trusts, incorporations, occupation orders and partitions.
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