Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Crimes Act 1961

Crimes affecting the administration of law and justice - Misleading justice

116: Conspiring to defeat justice

You could also call this:

“Working together to stop someone from getting a fair trial or being treated fairly by the law”

If you agree with someone else to stop justice from happening properly in New Zealand or in another country, you are breaking the law. This is called ‘conspiring to defeat justice’. It means you try to block, stop, change, or ruin the way justice works. If you do this, you could go to prison for up to 7 years.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM329005.

Topics:

Crime and justice > Criminal law

Crime and justice > Courts and legal help

115: Conspiring to bring false accusation, or

“Making a plan to falsely accuse someone of a crime they didn't do is against the law.”

117: Corrupting juries and witnesses, or

“This law makes it illegal to trick or bribe people involved in court cases, like jury members or witnesses.”

Part 6 Crimes affecting the administration of law and justice
Misleading justice

116Conspiring to defeat justice

Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 7 years who conspires to obstruct, prevent, pervert, or defeat the course of justice in New Zealand or the course of justice in an overseas jurisdiction.

Compare

1908 No 32 s 137

Notes

Section 116: amended, on 18 June 2002, by section 6(1) of the Crimes Amendment Act 2002 (2002 No 20).