Courts of New Zealand
A single chain of general courts, plus specialised courts and tribunals for employment, environment and Māori land.
Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
General courts
Supreme CourtFinal court since 2004
Court of Appeal
High Court
District CourtIncludes the Family Court and Youth Court
Specialised courts
Employment Court
Environment Court
Māori Land CourtWith the Māori Appellate Court
Stands apart from the chain of appeals
Waitangi TribunalLooks into Treaty of Waitangi claims; it is not a court
Worth knowing
- There is no constitutional court. Courts cannot strike down Acts of Parliament.
Compare New Zealand with another country →
Read the New Zealand profile in the Legal Families Atlas →
Sources
Other systems
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TheLawToKnow Tools’s court-structure diagrams are simplified on purpose and are not legal advice. Report a mistake.
