In this project, Te Aka Matua o te Ture | Law Commission will examine the protections in the Human Rights Act 1993 for people who are transgender, people who are non-binary and people with innate variations of sex characteristics.
The...
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: Researching issues
Start date 16 January 2023
Last updated 02 August 2023
Project status: Reviewing submissions
Start date 01 July 2022
Last updated 07 August 2023
Aotearoa New Zealand has laws aimed at protecting the public from reoffending risks posed by some offenders convicted of serious crimes. These laws enable the detention or supervision of those offenders beyond a fixed-term prison sentence (...
Project status: Closed
Start date 12 October 2021
Last updated 19 October 2023
Te Aka Matua o te Ture | Law Commission will produce a detailed study paper that examines tikanga Māori and its place in Aotearoa New Zealand’s legal landscape.
Tikanga Māori has been steadily gaining recognition in the courts and in...
Project status: Researching issues
Start date 06 October 2021
Last updated 01 September 2023
Te Aka Matua o te Ture | Law Commission is reviewing how the law should respond when an adult’s decision-making is affected.
...
Project status: Closed
Start date 01 July 2019
Last updated 27 March 2023
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...
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 01 December 2014
Last updated 22 February 2023
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...
Project status: Closed
Start date 12 July 2013
Last updated 21 July 2015
The Law Commission was asked by the Minister for Courts to undertake a first principles review of the statutory rules governing the media’s reporting of individual suicide deaths. In particular, it was asked to consider whether the current...
Project status: Closed
Start date 13 September 2011
Last updated 11 May 2015
This project reviews the joint and several liability rule, and considers alternatives. The Commission carries out a broad review of the effects of the rule across all sectors.
The joint and several liability rule determines the liability...
Project status: Closed
Start date 01 July 2011
Last updated 28 September 2016
The ability of citizens to bring civil legal proceedings against the Crown and its servants is an important part of New Zealand’s constitution, and is protected by the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990. The Crown Proceedings Act 1950 is the...