The law of succession is the system of rules that determines who gets people’s property when they die. Succession law covers many matters, such as:
- the rights of a will maker to dispose of their property as they wish;
- who...
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 Family filter Family
- (-) Remove Social filter Social
- Public (47) Apply Public filter
- Courts and Dispute Resolution (40) Apply Courts and Dispute Resolution filter
- Criminal (37) Apply Criminal filter
- Civil (33) Apply Civil filter
- Other (30) Apply Other filter
- Human Rights (23) Apply Human Rights filter
- Commercial (18) Apply Commercial filter
- Property/Trusts (15) Apply Property/Trusts filter
- Evidence (14) Apply Evidence filter
- Customary and Treaty Settlements Law (10) Apply Customary and Treaty Settlements Law filter
- International Law (6) Apply International Law filter
- Consumer (5) Apply Consumer filter
Project status: Open
Start date
Last updated 03 September 2019
Project status: Closed
Start date 10 March 1987
Last updated 11 May 2015
This project examines and reviews that part of the Accident Compensation Act 1982 which recognises and is intended to promote the general principles of community responsibility, comprehensive entitlement, complete rehabilitation, real...
Project status: Closed
Start date 01 March 1994
Last updated 11 May 2015
This project proposes a draft Property Law Act to replace the Property Law Act 1952. One of the most important objectives of the new Act is to set forth rules of property law accessibly and in a manner which, allowing for the subject matter, can...
Project status: Closed
Start date 01 May 1994
Last updated 11 May 2015
The purpose of this project is to protect members of the public from substantial risk of harm from individuals whose release into the community would pose that risk. The project considers: relevant provisions in the Mental Health (Compulsory...
Project status: Closed
Start date 01 July 1996
Last updated 11 May 2015
This project reviews the law of succession. This is the law which governs how a person's property is to be dealt with when they die.
Project status: Closed
Start date 17 November 1997
Last updated 11 May 2015
This project examines the response of the legal system to the experiences of women in New Zealand, recognising the importance of the Treaty of Waitangi in the examination of Maori women's experiences.
Project status: Closed
Start date 01 July 1998
Last updated 11 May 2015
In 1997, the Law Commission was approached by the Securities Commission and invited to consider the law relating to retirement villages, as part of a wider project relating to the marketing of undivided interests in land, which would have the...
Project status: Closed
Start date 09 November 1998
Last updated 11 May 2015
This project draws together the major themes of reconciling the public interest in effective determination of the cause of death with the particular cultural, religious and personal beliefs of many New Zealanders, and enabling systematic...
Project status: Closed
Start date 05 May 1999
Last updated 11 May 2015
The purpose of this project is to examine how the existing New Zealand law applies to those who commit criminal acts in circumstances where they are victims of domestic violence, in particular, the defences of self-defence, provocation, duress...
Project status: Closed
Start date 01 July 1999
Last updated 11 May 2015
The purpose of this project is to review the legal framework for adoption in New Zealand as set out in the Adoption Act 1955 and the Adult Adoption Information Act 1985, and to recommend whether and how the framework should be modified to better...