Inquiries Act 2013

Duties, powers, immunities, and privileges - Evidential matters

24: Service of summons to witnesses

You could also call this:

"How a witness gets a summons to attend an inquiry"

If you are a witness, you will usually get a summons in person. This means someone will give you a sealed copy of the summons. They must give it to you at least 24 hours before you have to go to the inquiry. You can agree to get the summons in a different way, but if you don't, it has to be given to you in person. The inquiry can also decide that the summons is given to you in a different way, which is explained in the High Court Rules 2016.

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This page was last updated on 30 July 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM1566164.

Topics:

Crime and justice > Courts and legal helpGovernment and voting > Government departments

23: Power to summon witnesses, or

"Asking someone to come to an inquiry to share information and what they must do"

25: Expenses of witnesses and other participants, or

"Getting paid for costs when you're a witness or take part in an inquiry"

Part 3Duties, powers, immunities, and privileges
Evidential matters

24Service of summons to witnesses

Unless a witness has consented to service by another means, a summons must be served personally on that witness by delivering a sealed copy of the summons to the witness not later than 24 hours before the witness must attend the inquiry.
Despite subsection (1), an inquiry may direct substituted service in accordance with the High Court Rules 2016.

Notes

Section 24(2): amended, on 18 October 2016, by section 183(c) of the Senior Courts Act 2016 (2016 No 48).