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Disputes Tribunal

Resolving small civil disputes in New Zealand

This section provides general information about the New Zealand Disputes Tribunal. It is intended to assist readers in understanding how claims are made, heard, and resolved in the Tribunal.

The Disputes Tribunal is a specialist forum designed to resolve lower-value civil disputes in a relatively informal way. It is sometimes referred to as the “small claims court”, although that is not its formal name.

The Tribunal was established under the Disputes Tribunal Act 1988, and its procedures are governed by the Disputes Tribunal Rules 1989.

Nature of the Disputes Tribunal

Proceedings in the Disputes Tribunal are intended to be simpler and less formal than court proceedings. In most cases:

Lawyers are not permitted to appear for parties
The focus is on practical resolution rather than strict legal formality
A referee takes an active role in questioning parties and exploring issues

Despite its informality, the Tribunal makes binding decisions, and those decisions can be enforced in the courts if necessary.

Timeframes

Timeframes in any court or tribunal can vary significantly depending on location, workload, and the nature of the dispute. It is therefore not possible to give firm estimates.

As a very general guide only, many Disputes Tribunal claims are resolved within a few months of a claim being filed. Some matters may be resolved more quickly, while others may take longer.

Important note on currency

Many of the articles in this section were originally published as part of the CourtKeys public legal education project in 2015. While the material remains useful for understanding general structure and process, some information may now be out of date. Updated and revised material is included in Civil Litigation for Non-Lawyers.

Topics covered

The articles in this section address key aspects of Disputes Tribunal proceedings, including:

Select a topic to view further information about that aspect of the Tribunal process.

Disclaimer

All legal information published on this website is general information about New Zealand law only. It is not legal advice or a substitute for legal advice. It does not address specific circumstances of any particular individual or entity. It may not reflect current law, practice or legal requirements. No warranty, guarantee or undertaking is made about the accuracy or completeness of the information, or about results that may be obtained from the information. No responsibility or liability is assumed or accepted for any actions taken or not taken based on use of the information, or for any direct or indirect losses or damage of any kind arising from use of the information. Specific legal advice should be obtained from a lawyer about any circumstances.