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Child Support Act 1991

General provisions - Miscellaneous provisions

227: Vexatious proceedings

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"Courts can stop cases that are unfair or a waste of time"

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The Family Court or District Court can stop a case if they think it is frivolous or vexatious or an abuse of the court's procedure. You might be stopped from starting a new case under this Act if you have already started many vexatious cases, but you will be given a chance to say something first. Nothing in this section affects section 12B of the Family Court Act 1980 or section 216A of the District Court Act 2016.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM257339.

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Part 14General provisions
Miscellaneous provisions

227Vexatious proceedings

  1. The Family Court or District Court may dismiss any proceeding before it under this Act if it is satisfied that it is frivolous or vexatious or an abuse of the procedure of the court.

  2. The Family Court or District Court may, if it is satisfied that a person has persistently instituted vexatious proceedings under this Act or any former Act (whether against the same person or against different persons), after giving the first-mentioned person an opportunity of being heard, order that no proceeding under this Act, or no such proceeding of any specified kind or against any specified person, shall be commenced by the first-mentioned person without the leave of the court.

  3. Nothing in this section limits section 12B of the Family Court Act 1980 or section 216A of the District Court Act 2016.

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Notes
  • Section 227(1): amended, on , by section 261 of the District Court Act 2016 (2016 No 49).
  • Section 227(2): amended, on , by section 261 of the District Court Act 2016 (2016 No 49).
  • Section 227(3): inserted, on , by section 16 of the Victims of Family Violence (Strengthening Legal Protections) Legislation Act 2025 (2025 No 2).