Resources
District Court Civil Procedure
Civil disputes and claims in the District Court of New Zealand
This section provides general information about civil proceedings in the District Court of New Zealand. It is intended to assist readers in understanding how civil claims are commenced, managed, and resolved in that court.
The District Court deals with a wide range of civil disputes and is often the forum in which individuals and small-to-medium businesses encounter formal litigation. Its procedures are governed primarily by the District Court Rules 2014.
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 While the material remains useful for understanding general procedure and structure, some information may now be out of date.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 stages and processes in District Court civil proceedings, including:
- Jurisdiction
- Commencing a claim
- Statements of claim
- Service of documents
- Statements of defence
- Judgment by default
- Defences and counterclaims
- Judicial conferences
- Discovery
- Preparing evidence
- Preparing submissions
- Attending a trial
- Making submissions at trial
- Witnesses at trial
- Judgment, appeals, and enforcement
Select a topic to view detailed information about that aspect of District Court procedure.
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.