My new car just broke down. What are my legal options?

Learn about the Motor Vehicle Disputes Tribunal, and how it operates under New Zealand law.

The Motor Vehicle Disputes Tribunal was established by the Motor Vehicle Sales Act 2003, and its procedures governed by Schedule 1 of that Act. You can find copies of Acts at legislation.govt.nz Continue reading My new car just broke down. What are my legal options?

Problems with my landlord or tenant…

Find information about procedures for resolving disputes between landlords and residential tenants. 

The Tenancy Tribunal was established by the Residential Tenancies Act 1986. Some procedural matters are governed by that Act, and others governed by the Residential Tenancies Rules 2010. You can find copies of Acts and Rules at legislation.govt.nz Continue reading Problems with my landlord or tenant…

Could the Disputes Tribunal help me?

Find information about the New Zealand Disputes Tribunal.

The Disputes Tribunal was established by the Disputes Tribunals Act 1988, and its processes governed by Disputes Tribunals Rules 1989. You may know it as the ‘small claims court’. You can find copies of Acts and Rules at legislation.govt.nz Continue reading Could the Disputes Tribunal help me?

How are employment issues dealt with?

Find information about personal grievances and dispute resolution processes concerning employment law.

The government has set up three separate forums that deal exclusively with employment issues. There is the employment mediation service operated by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Then there is the Employment Relations Authority and the Employment Court. This text deals with mediation first, then the Employment Relations Authority and then the Employment Court. An employment problem may not progress through the different forums in that order though. The most appropriate starting point very much depends on the particular facts of each problem.  Continue reading How are employment issues dealt with?

What to expect in the District Court

Find information on civil disputes and claims filed in the District Court of New Zealand.

The District Courts were established by the District Courts Act 1947, and their processes are governed by the District Court Rules 2014. You can find copies of Acts and Rules at legislation.govt.nz Continue reading What to expect in the District Court

What happens in a High Court case?

Find information on civil disputes and claims filed in the High Court of New Zealand.

The High Court has unlimited jurisdiction. That means it can hear any claim unless there is a specific law saying a particular court or tribunal has ‘exclusive jurisdiction’ to hear a particular kind of claim.  Continue reading What happens in a High Court case?