Coming to Court
Coming to Court
If you are coming to the Family Court for the first time, you probably have a lot of questions, even concerns, about what it will be like. This is natural. But your image of a Courtroom and what goes on there might be causing you to worry unnecessarily. Our Family Court is pretty different from the dramatic legal proceedings you might have seen on television!
The Family Court of New Zealand is focused on helping you do what's best for you, your children and your family unit. In this section of the Family Court website, we provide a lot of basic information that you should find valuable before you come to Court. Hopefully this will put your mind at ease and make you better prepared for the experience.
What to expect
What you'll see and hear in Court, who will be there and what will happen. We cover the 'big' issues such as whether you can speak in your own language, to the 'little' things you might be wondering about, like what to wear or where to park...
How to make an application
If you apply to the Family Court for an order on a family matter, it will involve making an 'Application' on grounds relating to your case. What does this mean? We explain what documents you must file, where, and how...
How can I get help?
Where do you start if you want to make an application? What do you do if you need to defend or respond to an application or order? First, you should seek legal advice from one of several options available to you...
