Judges explain some of their work

• Suppression orders — balancing individual and public interests

  By Judge Sanjay Patel The public has a right to know what happens in our courts. In most circumstances, court hearings are open to the public…

• Changing young lives through a focus on the underlying causes of offending

  By Judge Tony FitzGerald The vast majority of young people who come to police attention are unlikely to go on to be adult offenders.  Their behaviour…

• Discharge without conviction: An option not widely understood

  By Judge Lance Rowe If a person pleads guilty to, or is found guilty of, an offence, usually they are convicted of that offence. However, a…

• Home Detention provides real alternative to prison

  Judge Stephen O’Driscoll Since 2007 the District Court has been able to impose a sentence of home detention. Now about 3000 offenders a year are being…

• Respecting victims in Health and Safety prosecutions

  By Judge Richard McIlraith For many years the District Court has dealt with prosecutions following workplace accidents. The law on workplace safety has been significantly reformed…

• Administering justice through a cultural lens

  Judge Frances Eivers — Tangata Whenua Judge  Ngā taonga tuku iho nō ngā tūpuna A core cultural value of Maori is to establish a connection or kinship — whanaungatanga. Tāngata…

• Ensuring a swift response to family violence allegations

  Judge Jacquelyn Moran — Principal Family Court Judge   Cases involving allegations of domestic violence are a significant part of the Family Court workload.  These allegations usually…

• Determining equality of outcome when relationships end

  By Judge Ian McHardy When relationships break up, separating couples can generally expect to get a half share of the property they owned together. However, a…

• Judicial monitoring provides reassurance for borderline cases

  By Judge Pippa Sinclair Judicial monitoring is a unique sentencing option for judges. It allows the court to actively manage and monitor compliance with a sentence. Judicial…

• The civil jurisdiction: a helping hand in resolving disputes

  By Judge Simon Menzies Most people associate the District Court with its criminal jurisdiction. However, it has a civil jurisdiction which is just as important and…

• The constructive role of the judge as a mediator

  Judge Tony Lendrum National Resource Judge for Family and Civil Settlement Conferences A judicial settlement conference is a type of mediation conference convened by a judge. It…

• The role of the jury in a democracy in action

  Judge Michael Crosbie Jury trials are a central part of my work in the District Court where I have been a judge for 16 years. I…

• The complexities of establishing fitness to stand trial

  By Judge Pippa Sinclair It is a basic tenet of our justice system that a person who is charged with a criminal offence is able to…

• Autism's unique challenges for the court

  Judge Chris McGuire — District Court Judge Those on the autism spectrum present a unique set of challenges for a judge. It is rare that these people commit…

• How a sentence indication can offer certainty

  By Judge Tom Gilbert Anyone charged with a criminal offence can ask a judge for a sentence indication. A sentence indication is exactly that — an…

• The value of communication assistants in sexual violence courts

  By Judge Eddie Paul   A communication assistant is available to participants in the sexual violence courts being piloted in Auckland and Whāngārei. Communication assistants are for defendants,…

• Root causes of family violence under judicial spotlight

  Judge Anna Skellern Working in the District Court, there is no escaping the fact that New Zealand has unacceptably high family violence rates. From 2009 to 2015,…

• Problem solving court: a community approach that works

  By Judge Barbara Morris   The Wairarapa has, as do many regions, a relatively high crime rate. There are many victims of those crimes. We in the…