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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.
Project status
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Project status: Closed
Start date 12 October 2007
Last updated 11 May 2015
This project involves examining the possibility of simplifying the expression and content of the law of judicial review in the Judicature Amendment Act 1972 and Part 7 of the High Court Rules. The focus of this review will be procedural; it will...
Project status: Closed
Start date 01 July 2007
Last updated 11 May 2015
The Law Commission, in conjunction with Land Information New Zealand (LINZ), reviewed the Land Transfer Act 1952 and amendment Acts. An Issues Paper (IP10) was published in October 2008. The aim of the review was to modernise and streamline the...
Project status: Closed
Start date 01 July 2007
Last updated 11 May 2015
It has been more than 30 years since the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 was first enacted. The Act has been amended on numerous occasions and is complex and difficult to understand and navigate. The Act’s framework is based on the recommendations of...
Project status: Closed
Start date 01 July 2007
Last updated 11 May 2015
Part 8 of the Crimes Act 1961 deals with crimes against the person. The project reviewed the adequacy and coherence of the current offence provisions, considered whether there were any gaps in them and revised maximum penalty levels. The project...
Project status: Closed
Start date 01 July 2007
Last updated 11 May 2015
The Commission participated in work led by the Ministry of Justice and Police that related to legislative and other responses to organised crime.
Project status: Closed
Start date 01 July 2007
Last updated 11 May 2015
The Criminal Procedure (Simplification) project was a joint project between the Ministry of Justice and the Law Commission. It had two objectives: to reduce unnecessary court delays through legislative and operational change, and to create a...
Project status: Closed
Start date 27 June 2007
Last updated 11 May 2015
In 1997 the Law Commission recommended a simplified procedure for dealing with habeas corpus applications. Habeas Corpus: Procedure (NZLC R44, 1997) http://www.lawcom.govt.nz...
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,...
Project status: Closed
Start date 01 February 2007
Last updated 11 May 2015
A review of maximum penalties contained in the five major criminal statutes (Crimes Act 1961, Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, Land Transport Act 1998, Arms Act 1983, and Summary Offences Act 1981) was commenced by the Commission. Changes were to be...