| District Court of New Zealand | |
|---|---|
| Te Kōti ā Rohe (Māori) | |
 | |
| Established | 1980 (Magistrates' courts in 1893) |
| Jurisdiction | New Zealand  |
| Composition method | Appointed by the Governor-General on the advice of the Attorney-General |
| Authorised by | District Court Act 2016 |
| Appeals to | High Court of New Zealand, Court of Appeal of New Zealand |
| Judge term length | until age 70 (District Court Act 2016, s 28) |
| Number of positions | 133 |
| Website | districtcourts.govt.nz |
| Chief District Court Judge | |
| Currently | Heemi Taumaunu[1] |
| Since | 25 September 2019 |
|
|---|
 New Zealand portal |
The District Court of New Zealand (Māori: Te Kōti ā Rohe) (formerly the district courts before 2016) is the primary court of first instance of New Zealand. There are 59 District Court locations throughout New Zealand (as of 2017[update]).[2] The court hears civil claims of up to $350,000 and most criminal cases.[3] It is governed by the District Court Act 2016, which replaced the earlier District Courts Act 1947 (formerly titled the Magistrates' Courts Act 1947) as well as the District Court Rules which are periodically revised by the Rules Committee.
The court was established in 1980 to replace magistrates' courts, which had dealt with minor criminal matters and civil claims since 1893. The establishment of the court was the result of the recommendations made in the 1978 report of the Royal Commission on the Courts. It was given an expanded jurisdiction and the Family Court was created as a division of the District Court in 1981.[4] The Youth Court is another specialist division of the District Court, dealing with people under the age of 17 who have been charged with criminal offending.
In 2011, the New Zealand Attorney-General stated that the District Court was "the largest court in Australasia".[5] The larger District Court locations operate on a daily basis, while others may only operate on a weekly or monthly basis, usually being serviced by judges from larger centres.[6]
- ^ "Chief District Court Judge appointed".
- ^ Joseph, Philip A.; Joseph, Thomas (20 June 2012). "Judicial system". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
- ^ Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (NZ) s 73 http://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2011/0081/latest/DLM3360137.html
- ^ "District Courts Act 1947" (PDF). New Zealand Legislation. Parliamentary Council Office, New Zealand. Retrieved 9 May 2011.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Darise Bennington, "Judiciary bereft at sudden loss of Chief District Court Judge", NZ Lawyer, 29 July 2011, p 1.
- ^ "History of the District Court". Courts of New Zealand. Ministry of Justice, New Zealand. Archived from the original on 10 May 2011. Retrieved 9 May 2011.