Copyright Act 1994

Enforcement officers - Other powers of enforcement officers

134X: Enforcement officer may apply for production order

You could also call this:

"Enforcement officers can ask to see documents to investigate a crime"

You can be asked to show documents if an enforcement officer thinks you have them. The officer must believe the documents are evidence of a crime against sections like 131, 198, or 226C. The officer applies to a District Court Judge for an order to see the documents. The officer's application must be in writing and in a certain form. It must also be made on oath and explain why the documents are needed. The application should say what documents the officer wants to see. The officer wants to inspect the documents to investigate a crime. You might have the documents in your possession or control. The officer needs to follow the rules to get the order.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM4127237.

This page was last updated on 3 December 2025 — View changes

Topics:

Crime and justice > Courts and legal helpCrime and justice > Police and safety

134W: Disposal of perishable things, or

"Getting rid of seized things that might rot or spoil"

134Y: Judge may order documents to be produced, or

"A judge can order someone to show important papers to help solve a crime."

Part 6AEnforcement officers
Other powers of enforcement officers

134XEnforcement officer may apply for production order

If an enforcement officer believes on reasonable grounds that a person has in his or her possession, custody, or control, 1 or more documents that are evidence of, or may be of significant relevance to the investigation of, an offence against any of sections 131, 198, or 226C, the enforcement officer may apply to a District Court Judge for an order requiring the person to produce the documents for inspection by an enforcement officer.
An application by an enforcement officer for an order under subsection (1) must—
be in writing; and
be in the prescribed form (if any); and
be made on oath; and
set out, in reasonable detail, the grounds for the application; and
provide details of the documents in respect of which the order is sought.

Notes

Section 134X: inserted, on 7 October 2011, by section 6 of the Copyright Amendment Act 2011 (2011 No 72).