Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Serious Fraud Office Act 1990

Investigation of suspected offences involving serious or complex fraud

10: Power to obtain search warrant

You could also call this:

"Getting a warrant to search for important evidence"

Illustration for Serious Fraud Office Act 1990

You can ask a Judge for a search warrant if you think someone has given false information or not done what they were supposed to do. The Judge can give you a warrant if they believe you have a good reason to search a place for documents or things that might be important to an investigation. You must apply in writing and tell the truth when you ask for the warrant.

This text is automatically generated. It might be out of date or be missing some parts. Find out more about how we do this.

This page was last updated on

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM211435.

Topics:
Crime and justice > Courts and legal helpCrime and justice > Police and safety
Previous

9: Power to require attendance before Director, production of documents, etc, or

"The Director can ask you to talk to them and share documents to help with a fraud investigation."

Next

11: Power to assume from Police the responsibility for investigating certain cases of fraud, or

"The Director can take over fraud cases from the Police to investigate."

Part 2Investigation of suspected offences involving serious or complex fraud

10Power to obtain search warrant

  1. The Director may, on application in writing made on oath, apply for a warrant to search any place specified in the application.

  2. Any Judge who, on such an application, is satisfied—

  3. that there are reasonable grounds for believing—
    1. that any information supplied pursuant to section 9 is false or misleading in a material particular; or
      1. that a person has failed to comply with any obligation imposed pursuant to section 9; or
        1. that it is not practicable to serve a notice under section 9 by reason of the fact that the person cannot be located or is absent from New Zealand or other good cause; or
          1. that the service of a notice under section 9 might seriously prejudice the investigation; and
          2. that there are reasonable grounds for believing that there may be, at the place specified in the application, any documents or other thing that may be relevant to an investigation or may be evidence of any offence involving serious or complex fraud,—
              1. may issue a warrant in the prescribed form.

            1. Part 3 shall apply to any such warrant.