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New Zealand law explained for everyone

Evidence Act 2006

Trial process - Questioning of witnesses

86: Restriction of publication

You could also call this:

"Don't share court information without permission"

Illustration for Evidence Act 2006

If you print or publish something in a court case without permission, you can get in trouble. You are not allowed to print or publish a question that the Judge says you cannot ask, or an answer to that question. The Judge might say a witness does not have to answer a question, and if that happens, you cannot print or publish that question or the witness's answer.

If the Judge makes one of these rules, you must follow it, or you will commit a contempt of court. This means you have disobeyed the court, and you can get in trouble for it. You have to be careful what you print or publish when you are reporting on a court case.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM393917.

Topics:
Crime and justice > Courts and legal help
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85: Unacceptable questions, or

"Questions a judge won't let you ask in court because they're unfair or confusing"

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87: Privacy as to witness’s precise address, or

"Keeping your home address private when you're a witness in court"

Part 3Trial process
Questioning of witnesses

86Restriction of publication

  1. A person commits a contempt of court who prints or publishes,—

  2. without the express permission of the Judge, any question that is disallowed by the Judge, or any evidence given in response to a question of that kind; or
    1. any question, or any evidence given in response to a question, that the Judge has informed a witness he or she is not obliged to answer and has ordered must not be published.