Status: Completed
Terms of reference
The Law Commission will consider and report upon the structure of all state-based adjudicative bodies for New Zealand (apart from the Court of Appeal and Privy Council or institutions in substitution therefore) including:
(a) The volume and nature of work requiring attention.
(b) The appropriate form, nature, and operation of the Courts and Tribunals required to meet all current needs and expectations.
(c) The original jurisdiction of the District and High Courts and associated Tribunals.
(d) The appellate relationship between the District and High Courts, including the form of the appellate regime for appeals from specialist Courts and tribunals, particularly the Family Court and the Environment Court.
(e) The interrelationship of the Employment Court, the Māori Land Court and the Māori Appellate Court, with the District Court and the High Court.
(f) The relationship between the District Court and the High Court and administrative tribunals and other quasi-judicial bodies with regard to both appeal and review.
(g) The role and function of Masters and Registrars within the total Court structure.
(h) The overall structure of how less serious criminal and civil matters may be dealt within the District Courts.
(i) The rights of appeal from the District Court and the High Court to whatever appellate structure exists above them. The Commission will have particular regard to its statutory obligations to take account of te ao Māori (the Māori dimension) and the multi-cultural character of New Zealand society in this exercise.