This project considered whether there is a need to establish a Sentencing Council in New Zealand, and whether parole should be reformed to ensure a closer relationship between the prison sentence imposed and time served.
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 Courts and Dispute Resolution filter Courts and Dispute Resolution
- (-) Remove Property/Trusts filter Property/Trusts
- (-) Remove International Law filter International Law
- Public (50) Apply Public filter
- Criminal (39) Apply Criminal filter
- Civil (36) Apply Civil filter
- Other (33) Apply Other filter
- Human Rights (28) Apply Human Rights filter
- Family (23) Apply Family filter
- Social (22) Apply Social filter
- Commercial (18) Apply Commercial filter
- Evidence (15) Apply Evidence filter
- Customary and Treaty Settlements Law (10) Apply Customary and Treaty Settlements Law filter
- Consumer (5) Apply Consumer filter
Project status: Closed
Start date 01 February 2005
Last updated 11 May 2015
This project explores the interaction between custom and human rights in the Pacific, including New Zealand, by articulating some of the issues arising from this interaction and how the two can inform each other.
Project status: Closed
Start date 01 July 2004
Last updated 11 May 2015
This project reviewed the forfeiture provisions under Part XIV of the Customs and Excise Act 1996, having regard to any analogous border control practices in comparable jurisdictions.
Project status: Closed
Start date 13 May 2004
Last updated 11 May 2015
This project reviews existing rules providing access to Court records and developing principles to govern access to Court records, the retention and archiving of records. It considers the appropriateness of a single code providing rules for all...
Project status: Closed
Start date 04 April 2003
Last updated 11 May 2015
A joint project with the Ministry of Justice describing and evaluating status hearings in the District Court. The study considers the purposes of status hearings, whether there is compliance with those purposes, whether there should be statutory...
Project status: Closed
Start date 09 November 2001
Last updated 11 May 2015
This project considers what changes, if any, are necessary and desirable in the administration, management and procedure of the Family Court in order to facilitate the early resolution of disputes. The Commission was requested to consider:...
Project status: Closed
Start date 13 September 2001
Last updated 11 May 2015
This project discusses nine current trust law problems and makes recommendations thereon. One proposal is to authorise trustees to delegate to agents their powers to administer the trust, including powers of investment and management, but...
Project status: Closed
Start date 25 July 2001
Last updated 11 May 2015
The purpose of this project is to undertake a review of the structure and operation of all state-based adjudicative bodies in New Zealand, including all courts and tribunals except the top tier of the appellate system.
Project status: Closed
Start date 01 July 2001
Last updated 11 May 2015
This project considers and reports on: whether taking subsequent law changes into account there remains a need for the continued existence of the Joint Family Homes Act 1964; and if there is a need for its continued existence, whether the Act...
Project status: Closed
Start date 23 May 2001
Last updated 11 May 2015
In NZLC R73 : Some Criminal Defences with Particular Reference to Battered Defendants we stated that we would issue a supplementary report on the onus and standard of proof as to disputed facts on sentence; in particular, as these might relate to...