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Senior Courts Act 2016

Preliminary provisions

3: Purposes

You could also call this:

"This law combines old laws and explains how New Zealand's top courts work."

Illustration for Senior Courts Act 2016

The purposes of this Act are to combine the laws from the Judicature Act 1908 and the Supreme Court Act 2003 into one statute. You will see that it continues the High Court, the Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court. It also provides for how these courts work and who can be a judge or officer. You need to know that this Act makes rules for the courts. It decides how they are set up and what they can do. The Act also talks about how judges and officers are chosen and appointed. This Act also aims to make court arrangements more transparent, which means easier to understand, while still keeping the independence of the judges. You should note that this Act does not change New Zealand's commitment to following the law and the power of Parliament.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM5759269.

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"When the Senior Courts Act 2016 starts to apply"

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"What special words mean in this law"

Part 1Preliminary provisions

3Purposes

  1. The purposes of this Act are to—

  2. consolidate in a single statute the provisions of the Judicature Act 1908 and the Supreme Court Act 2003; and
    1. continue the High Court, the Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court, and provide for their—
      1. constitution and jurisdiction; and
        1. practice and procedure; and
          1. judicial and other officers, including their—
            1. selection; and
              1. appointment and conditions; and
            2. make provision for any other related matters; and
              1. improve the transparency of court arrangements in a manner consistent with judicial independence.

                1. Nothing in this Act affects New Zealand's continuing commitment to the rule of law and the sovereignty of Parliament.