Latest COVID-19 updates

IMPORTANT: All the key information relating to our Ministry's response to COVID-19 is in our COVID-19 information hub

This page was last updated on 28 February 2021 at 1.49 pm.

Latest updates on our website relating to the Ministry's response to COVID-19 are listed below:

28 February 2021

The Chief Justice released a media statement(external link) regarding the move to COVID-19 Alert Levels 3 and 2
Health and Safety factsheets for COVID-19 Alert Level 3 and Alert Level 2 have been added to the top of our main COVID-19 Hub page
Auckland has moved into COVID-19 Alert Level 3 and the rest of New Zealand has moved to Alert Level 2, for a period of 7 days

27 February 2021

The Prime Minister announced that from midnight tonight, Auckland will be moving to COVID-19 Alert Level 3 and the rest of New Zealand will move to Alert Level 2. Please keep an eye out for updated court protocols on the Courts of New Zealand website(external link)

22 February 2021

The Prime Minister announced that from midnight tonight, all of New Zealand will be moving to COVID-19 Alert Level 1. Please keep an eye out for updated court protocols on the Courts of New Zealand website(external link)

18 February 2021

Health and Safety factsheets for COVID-19 Alert Level 2 and Alert Level 1 have been added to the top of our main COVID-19 Hub page

17 February 2021

The Chief Justice released a media statement(external link) regarding the move to COVID-19 Alert Levels 2 and 1
The Prime Minister announced that from midnight tonight, Auckland will be moving to COVID-19 Alert Level 2 and the rest of New Zealand will move to Alert Level 1. Please keep an eye out for updated court protocols on the Courts of New Zealand website(external link)

14 February 2021

The Chief Justice released a media statement(external link) regarding the move to COVID-19 Alert Levels 3 and 2
Health and Safety factsheets for COVID-19 Alert Level 3 and Alert Level 2 have been added to the top of our main COVID-19 Hub page
Following the Prime Minister's announcement that Auckland will be moving to COVID-19 Alert Level 3 from midnight tonight and the rest of the country will move to Alert Level 2, the Chief Justice has prepared updated court protocols(external link)

7 January 2021

The Factsheet for Health and Safety Measures During COVID-19 Alert Level 1 [PDF, 65 KB] has been updated
Hamilton District and High Courts re-opened to the public

6 January 2021

Hamilton District and High Courts were closed today as a precautionary measure after a person awaiting the outcome of a COVID-19 test attended court. That person later tested negative, but both courts will undergo a deep clean tonight before re-opening to the public tomorrow.

16 November 2020

The Factsheet for Health and Safety Measures During COVID-19 Alert Level 1 has been updated.

12 November 2020

Central Auckland (CBD) is operating in a heightened health and safety environment. All courts remain open. Please see our COVID news story for further information.

25 September 2020

A new section about COVID-19 commercial lease dispute services has been added. It has information about streamlined arbitration and mediation services to resolve commercial lease disputes arising from COVID-19.

21 September 2020

Information for all court users and other court pages updated regarding how courts will operate as of 22 September

7 September 2020

Microsoft Teams Guest User Quick Reference Guide for participating in a remote court hearing updated

4 September 2020

COVID-19 information page and related court pages updated regarding jury trials in the Auckland region resuming 7 September 2020

3 September 2020

Factsheet about health and safety in the courts has been updated

2 September 2020

Factsheet about health and safety in the courts has been updated.

1 September 2020

Coroners Court COVID-19 Alert Level 2 protocols (external link)has been updated
COVID-19 Information for lawyers and service providers has been updated

31 August 2020

Guidance for managing shared parenting during COVID-19 alert levels has been updated.

Our Courts and related pages have been updated with new content explaining how courts are operating at COVID-19 Alert Level 2
Information on participating in a virtual meeting room court hearing has been updated
Disputes Tribunal (external link)updated with latest protocols for COVID-19 Alert Level 2

28 August 2020

Information on justice services and programmes has been updated with new information to reflect different COVID-19 Alert Levels
Information for service providers on the COVID-19: Information for lawyers and service providers has been updated

27 August 2020

COVID-19 information page and related court pages updated with new jury trial suspension information
Information for all court users page updated with new jury trial suspension information
Video training resource YouTube link for remote participation in court hearings has been published

26 August 2020

Guidance for property sales and settlements during COVID-19 has been published
Property sales and settlements guidance for lawyers during COVID-19 has been published
Information on a subsidised arbitration service for lease disputes has been published

25 August 2020

COVID-19 protocol for the Immigration & Protection Tribunal has been updated.

24 August 2020

Information for all court users page has been updated.

21 August 2020

Guidance for managing shared parenting during COVID-19 alert levels has been updated.

20 August 2020

COVID-19 information hub webpage updated to include link to information for people in managed isolation needing to acess the District Court.

19 August 2020

News Story - Between Monday 24 August - Thursday 27 August 2020, public access to the Christchurch Law Courts will be limited. These include all Christchurch Courts held at the Justice & Emergency Services Precinct.

18 August 2020

The Chief Victims Advisor website(external link) was updated with current COVID-19 information.
The Tokoroa courthouse (including services for the District Court, Family Court, Youth Court, Disputes Tribunal, Tenancy Tribunal and counter services) will be closed today, Tuesday 18 August, but will re-open tomorrow. Call 0800 COURTS for more information.
Guidance for managing shared parenting during COVID-19 alert levels has been updated.
Jury service pages for various courts have been updated with attendance requirements given the current COVID-19 Alert Levels.

17 August 2020

Information on remote court hearings was updated for current COVID-19 Alert Levels.
Disputes Tribunal(external link) home page has been updated with COVID-19 protocols for the Auckland region
Various Courts pages have been updated with attendance requirements given the current COVID-19 Alert Levels.

16 August 2020

New interim guidance for managing shared parenting during COVID-19 Alert levels was published to provide clearer advice for managing child arrangements between household bubbles during different COVID-19 Alert Levels

15 August 2020

Jury service pages were updated regarding jury trial suspensions in the Auckland region under COVID-19 Alert Level 3
Information for families and whānau was added for various COVID-19 Alert Levels

14 August 2020

Guidance for managing shared parenting during COVID-19 Alert levels was refreshed

13 August 2020

The Chief Justice issued a statement(external link) announcing that jury trials in the Auckland region are still suspended until Monday 17 August, but jury trials throughout the rest of the country will resume today, 13 August.

12 August 2020

Updated health and safety factsheets:

Health and Safety measures during COVID-19 Alert Level 3

Health and Safety measures during COVID-19 Alert Level 2
Business Continuity Plan (BCP) Remote Courts activated following the Prime Minister’s announcement last night.
The Chief Justice announced that jury trials in the Auckland region are suspended until Monday, 17 August(external link) and jury trials throughout the rest of the country are suspended for 24 hours.
Court protocols have been updated as a result of the Prime Minister's announcement last night.

29 July 2020

The Chief District Court Judge has issued a protocol for people who are in managed isolation or quarantine and wish to access the District Court. Read the District Court Protocol - Isolation or Quarantine(external link)

10 June 2020

Information for all court users has been updated in response to COVID-19 Alert Level 1.
Jury service has been updated in response to COVID-19 Alert Level 1.

4 June 2020

Arbitrating commercial lease disputes - New policy to support commercial landlords and tenants to reach agreement about rent disputes relating to COVID-19.

25 May 2020

The page about advice on the consistency of Bills with the Bill of Rights Act was updated with new guidance relating to the COVID-19 Public Health Response Bill and the Forests Amendment Bill

22 May 2020

The Chief District Court Judge has issued a practice note setting out the process for appeals to a public health order issued under section 11 of the COVID-19 Public Health Response Act 2020.
Updated Guidance for commercial leases and mortgages in response to COVID-19 Alert Level 2.
Updated Commercial property guidance for lawyers in response to COVID-19 Alert Level 2.
Advice on how to make a claim in the Disputes Tribunal(external link) was updated in light of COVID-19 Alert Level 2.
COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions were updated with information about Protection Orders.
The Māori Land Court site was updated with guidance for trusts, incorporations and land owners affected by COVID-19.(external link)
Guidance relating to the payment of fines during COVID-19 was updated.

19 May 2020

Information for families and whānau has been updated in response to COVID-19 Alert Level 2
Participating in a virtual meeting room court hearing has been updated
Court entry screening to change from Monday 18th May

18 May 2020

COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions were updated
Read the COVID-19 Alert Level 2 tribunal protocols on the individual tribunal pages

17 May 2020

Courts and tribunals continue to conduct as much of its usual business as it is safely able to in COVID-19 Alert Level 2.
Read the court protocols during COVID-19 Alert Level 2 on the Courts of New Zealand website.(external link)
Updated information for all court users in response to COVID-19 Alert Level 2.
Updated Guidance for Residential Property Settlements in response to COVID-19 Alert Level 2.
Updated Guidance for Lawyers about Property Settlements in response to COVID-19 Alert Level 2.

15 May 2020

Report 3 of the COVID-19 Justice Sector Survey was released
Our guidance for managing shared parenting during COVID-19 was updated in response to COVID-19 Alert Level 2.
The Accident Compensation Appeals District Court Registry updated their COVID-19 Alert Level 2 guidance

14 May 2020

As directed by the Chief Justice, courts and tribunals remain operating at COVID-19 Alert Level 3 protocols(external link) and will transition to Alert Level 2 protocols on Monday 18 May.
A factsheet about health and safety measures that will be in place in the courts for Alert Level 2 has been published
FAQs for Youth Court Professionals on COVID-19 Alert Level 2 published on the Youth Court page
Updated Guidance for Managing Shared Custody in light of COVID-19 Alert Level 2

12 May 2020

Ministry of Justice's Crime and Victims Survey Team results of Alert Level 4 lockdown survey has been published

8 May 2020

A factsheet about health and safety measures that are in place in the courts for Alert Level 3 has been published

7 May 2020

Reports from the COVID-19 Justice Sector Survey have been published

6 May 2020

Information about alcohol licensing has been updated

5 May 2020

Access to court locations updated with the latest status of all courts, including how to file documents at each location
FAQs for Youth Court Professionals on COVID-19 Alert Level 3 published on the Youth Court page

29 April 2020

Criminal Record Checks was updated with information about how the service is operating under COVID-19 Alert Level 3
Coronial Services(external link) was updated with information about how the service is operating under COVID-19 Alert Level 3
Information for the legal profession was updated with guidance for COVID-19 Alert Level 3
Information for all court users was updated with guidance for COVID-19 Alert Level 3
Information about oaths, affirmations and declarations was updated with guidance for COVID-19 Alert Level 3
Family court guidance was updated with information about COVID-19 Alert Level 3
The Private Security Personnel Licensing Authority was updated with information about how the service is operating under COVID-19 Alert Level 3
COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions were updated
Our Courts landing page was updated with information about how the courts are operating under COVID-19 Alert Level 3
The Family section of the website was updated with guidance about COVID-19 Alert Level 3.