If you do something wrong, you can still be sued even if what you did is also a crime. This means that just because something is against the law, it does not stop someone from taking you to court for the same action. You can face both criminal charges and a civil lawsuit for the same thing you did.

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This page was last updated on 4 August 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM332182.

Topics:

Crime and justice > Criminal lawCrime and justice > Courts and legal help

404: Restitution of property, or

"Giving back things that were taken away unfairly"

406: Prerogative of mercy, or

"The special power to forgive or reduce punishments for crimes"

Part 14Miscellaneous provisions

405Civil remedy not suspended

No civil remedy for any act or omission shall be suspended by reason that such act or omission amounts to an offence.

Compare

1908 No 32 s 355