The forensic analysis of DNA is a powerful tool in solving crime. However, the use of DNA in criminal investigations also raises important legal and ethical issues.
In New Zealand the Criminal Investigations (Bodily Samples) Act 1995...
Our projects
Each project is an area of law or subject matter that the Law Commission has agreed to review. The Commission works on several projects at a time. Together, these projects make up the Commission's annual work programme.
Use the search filters below to find particular projects. For more information on how we work see how we conduct projects.
Project status
Areas of law
- (-) Remove Criminal filter Criminal
- (-) Remove Human Rights filter Human Rights
- (-) Remove Commercial filter Commercial
- (-) Remove Property/Trusts filter Property/Trusts
- (-) Remove Customary and Treaty Settlements Law filter Customary and Treaty Settlements Law
- Public (44) Apply Public filter
- Courts and Dispute Resolution (38) Apply Courts and Dispute Resolution filter
- Civil (30) Apply Civil filter
- Other (30) Apply Other filter
- Social (20) Apply Social filter
- Family (19) Apply Family filter
- Evidence (12) Apply Evidence filter
- Consumer (5) Apply Consumer filter
- International Law (5) Apply International Law filter
Project status: Preparing report
Start date 27 July 2016
Last updated 26 May 2020
Project status: Closed
Start date 24 May 2016
Last updated 28 November 2019
This project examined New Zealand’s relationship property legislation.
The Property (Relationships) Act 1976 (PRA) sets out the rules for how property owned by either or both partners is divided when they separate or when one of them dies...
Project status: Closed
Start date 27 February 2018
Last updated 30 August 2019
On 27 February 2018 the Minister of Justice wrote to the Law Commission noting the Government was considering how best to ensure New Zealand’s abortion laws are consistent with treating abortion as a health issue.
The Minister asked the...
Project status: Closed
Start date 15 July 2015
Last updated 12 October 2016
An element of the revised Law Commission work programme 2014/15 issued by the Minister of Justice included creation of a separate crime of non-fatal strangulation.
In its fourth Annual Report the Family Violence Death Review Committee...
Project status: Closed
Start date 01 November 2013
Last updated 28 September 2016
This review covers the Extradition Act 1999 and Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act 1992. These Acts provide a framework for formal assistance between New Zealand and foreign governments in the investigation and prosecution of crime. They...
Project status: Closed
Start date 01 July 2010
Last updated 28 September 2016
On this project, the Law Commission undertook a first principles review of the Burial and Cremation Act 1964. The Act’s primary purpose is to ensure provision is made for the burial of the dead in a controlled and respectful manner...
Project status: Closed
Start date 01 July 2009
Last updated 15 June 2016
This project arose from the Commission’s recommendation in their Report, Disclosure to Court of Defendants’ Previous Convictions, Similar Offending, and Bad Character (R103, 2008). The Commission recommended that Government should...
Project status: Closed
Start date 06 May 1998
Last updated 21 August 2015
In October 1997 the Law Commission started a new project on the subject of international trade with the project’s first report, Electronic Commerce Part One: A Guide for the Legal and Business Community (NZLC R50) released a year later. This is...
Project status: Closed
Start date 14 March 2009
Last updated 27 May 2015
For this project, the Commission reviews the Trustee Act 1956 and trust law generally. In the first stage of this review, the Report, Review of the Law of Trusts: A Trusts Act for New Zealand (R130) is preceded by six Issues Papers. The...
Project status: Closed
Start date 01 April 2007
Last updated 11 May 2015
For this project, the Commission reviews existing rules of evidence around admissibility of previous convictions, similar offending and bad character. In particular, the extent to which the court is made aware of prior convictions of an accused,...