Evidence Act 2006

Trial process - Documentary evidence and evidence produced by machine, device, or technical process - General and special rules

141: New Zealand and foreign official documents

You could also call this:

"Official documents from New Zealand and other countries are believed to be genuine unless proven otherwise"

If you have a document that says it was printed in the Gazette, or by the New Zealand Government, or by the Government Printer, or by order of the House of Representatives, it is presumed to be genuine. This means it is believed to be what it says it is, and to have been published on the date it says it was published, unless a Judge decides otherwise. You can rely on this document unless someone proves it is not genuine.

If you have a document from a foreign country that says it was printed or published by the government or official printer of that country, or by an international organisation, it is also presumed to be genuine. This document is believed to be what it says it is, and to have been published on the date it says it was published, unless someone proves it is not genuine. The rules about hearsay evidence in Subpart 1 of Part 2 do not apply to documents used as evidence under this section.

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This page was last updated on 29 June 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM393984.

Topics:

Crime and justice > Courts and legal help

140: Proof of conviction by fingerprints, or

"How to prove someone was convicted of a crime using their fingerprints"

142: Notification of acts in official documents, or

"Notices of important actions are official if they are in government documents or gazettes"

Part 3Trial process
Documentary evidence and evidence produced by machine, device, or technical process: General and special rules

141New Zealand and foreign official documents

Subsection (2) applies to a document that purports—
to have been printed in the Gazette; or
to have been printed or published by authority of the New Zealand Government; or
to have been printed or published by the Government Printer; or
to have been printed or published by order of or under the authority of the House of Representatives.

If this subsection applies, the document is presumed, unless the Judge decides otherwise, to be what it purports to be and to have been so printed and published and to have been published on the date on which it purports to have been published.
Subsection (4) applies to a document that purports—
to have been printed or published in a government or official gazette (by whatever name called) of a foreign country; or
to have been printed or published by the government or official printer of a foreign country; or
to have been printed or published by the authority of the legislative, executive, or judicial branch of the government of a foreign country; or
to have been printed or published by an international organisation.

If this subsection applies, the document is presumed, unless the contrary is proved, to be what it purports to be and to have been printed or published in the manner provided in subsection (3) and to have been published on the date on which it purports to have been published.
Subpart 1 of Part 2 (which relates to hearsay evidence) does not apply to evidence offered under this section.