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...
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
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Project status: Closed
Start date 24 May 2016
Last updated 28 November 2019
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 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 27 June 2000
Last updated 11 May 2015
The purpose of this project is to enquire into and report on the following issues:
- Is there a need for changes, whether administrative or legislative, to address problems which have arisen in the period leading up to and in the course...
Project status: Closed
Start date 05 September 1986
Last updated 11 May 2015
This project examines and reviews the law relating to bodies incorporated under the Companies Act 1955, and reports on the form and content of a new Companies Act.
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 01 September 1997
Last updated 11 May 2015
This project raises a question about a discrete aspect of the law of contract: whether or not to repeal the rules in the Contracts Enforcement Act 1956 that to be enforceable land contracts and guarantees must be in writing that is signed by the...
Project status: Closed
Start date 01 May 1990
Last updated 11 May 2015
This project reviews six contract statutes with the assistance of leading experts. The preparation and wider dissemination of these valuable accounts of the jurisprudence which has developed around the statutes is the major purpose of the review...
Project status: Closed
Start date 12 October 2007
Last updated 11 May 2015
The focus of this review is on the criteria and process for the registration and deregistration of private schools under section 35A of the Education Act 1989; the role of ERO in assessing and reviewing schools against those criteria; legislative...