Courts remain an essential service throughout all COVID-19 restrictions, but may operate differently.

For family-related guidance during COVID-19, please refer to our Information for families and whānau page.

For more information for court users, see: Information for all court and tribunal users.

Please do not come to the courthouse if you are feeling unwell. Contact 0800 COURTS (0800 268 787) if you cannot enter the courthouse or are not sure whether to attend. Find contact details for a court or tribunal.


The Family Court deals with lots of issues, from making orders for children not yet born right through to older people who are in need of care and protection.

The family justice system

People who have separated can get help outside of the court to help them agree on how they will care for their children. If they can't agree, they can apply to the Family Court to resolve things.

  • What to expect at Family Court

    Find out what to expect at Family Court.

  • Urgent help

    If you need help urgently, you can ask the Family Court to act immediately for most Court Orders.

  • File & serve your Family Court documents

    When you apply to the Family Court or respond to someone else’s application, you will need to give documents to the court. You’ll usually need to give a copy of the documents that you filed at court to the other people involved in the case.

  • Go to Family Court without a lawyer

    Find out how to represent yourself in Family Court.

  • Legal help for Family Court

    Find out what legal help is available for you in the Family Court.

  • Lawyer for the child

    When you go through the Family Court to sort out disputes about children, the judge often appoints an independent lawyer for the children. This lawyer is called the lawyer for the child.

  • Cost Contribution Order

    Find out what a Cost Contribution Order is and what situations it applies to.

  • Family Court fees and costs

    Find out what fees there are at Family Court and what costs you could be ordered to pay.

  • Specialist reports in the family court

    To better understand your case and your child’s background, the judge might ask an expert to write a specialist report.

  • Emotional support

    Find out ways to get help for a stressful time.

  • Restriction on publishing judgments

    These sections state that any person may publish a report of proceedings in the Family Court without leave of the Court but the report must not contain identifying information if a person under 18 years or a vulnerable person is involved in the case.

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