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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.

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Ko ngā Hunga Take Whaipānga me ngā Pūtea Tautiringa | Class Actions and Litigation Funding

Project status: Closed Start date 01 July 2019 Last updated 05 December 2022

A class action is a court proceeding in which a group with similar interests collectively sues one or more defendants. The court proceeding is brought by a representative plaintiff on behalf of the class. We do not currently have class actions in...

Review of Succession Law

Project status: Closed Start date 18 December 2019 Last updated 27 June 2022

The Law Commission will review the law of succession. The law of succession is the system of rules that governs who gets a person’s property when they die.

In July 2019 the Minister Responsible for the Law Commission requested that the...

Protection of Classified and Security Sensitive Information

Project status: Awaiting Government Response Start date 01 December 2014 Last updated 20 October 2021

This project reviews the laws that determine how security sensitive information should be dealt with in court proceedings. The review looks at how to protect information that may prejudice New Zealand’s security. It also considers whether the...

Review of the Property (Relationships) Act 1976

Project status: Closed Start date 24 May 2016 Last updated 14 October 2021

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...

Review of the Law of Privacy

Project status: Closed Start date 12 October 2006 Last updated 20 September 2021

This project involves four stages, with publications at each stage.

Stage 1: Policy Overview was a high-level analysis to assess privacy values, changes in technology, international trends, and their implications for New Zealand law.  It...

The Use of DNA in Criminal Investigations

Project status: Closed Start date 27 July 2016 Last updated 25 May 2021

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...

Second Review of the Evidence Act 2006

Project status: Closed Start date 20 February 2017 Last updated 03 September 2019

For nearly 30 years the Law Commission has been engaged in reforming the law of evidence in New Zealand. 

In August 1989 the Minister of Justice asked the Commission to review all evidence law to make it as clear, simple and accessible as...

Alternative approaches to abortion law

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...

Search & Surveillance Act 2012

Project status: Awaiting Government Response Start date 28 June 2016 Last updated 15 October 2018

The Law Commission and the Ministry of Justice conducted a review of the Search and Surveillance Act 2012, as is required by section 357 of that Act. The review was referred to us by the then Minister of Justice on 28 June 2016 and we jointly...

Contempt of Court

Project status: Closed Start date 11 April 2013 Last updated 17 August 2017

The objective of the law of contempt of court is to protect the integrity of the justice system and a defendant’s right to a fair trial. However, the law is vague in scope, uses outdated language and concepts, and is inaccessible to the New...

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