Contempt of Court Act 2019

Preliminary provisions

4: Interpretation

You could also call this:

"What special words mean in the Contempt of Court Act 2019"

Illustration for Contempt of Court Act 2019

When you read the Contempt of Court Act 2019, you will see some words that have special meanings. A bailiff is someone who has the same role as described in section 4 of the District Court Act 2016. A category 3 or 4 offence is defined in section 6 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011.

You will also see the word "charged" which means a charging document has been filed under the Criminal Procedure Act 2011. A constable has the same meaning as in section 4 of the Policing Act 2008. The word "court" refers to the District Court, the High Court, the Court of Appeal, or the Supreme Court.

A judicial officer is a High Court Judge, a District Court Judge, a Community Magistrate, or a Justice of the Peace. An officer of the court can be someone who holds a certain office, as described in section 33 of the Senior Courts Act 2016, or someone defined in section 4 of the District Court Act 2016. An online content host is the person in charge of the website or online application where information is posted.

The word "person" can include a company, and a Police employee has the same meaning as in section 4 of the Policing Act 2008. To "publish" something means to share it with others, such as in a newspaper, by post, or on the Internet, as well as on the radio or TV, as defined in the Broadcasting Act 1989.

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This page was last updated on 17 August 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS24785.

Topics:

Crime and justice > Courts and legal help

3: Purposes, or

"What the Contempt of Court Act is trying to achieve"

5: Transitional, savings, and related provisions, or

"Special rules to help change to the new law"

Part 1Preliminary provisions

4Interpretation

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—
bailiff has the same meaning as in section 4 of the District Court Act 2016
category 3 offence and category 4 offence have the meanings given to them in section 6 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011
charged, in relation to an offence, means a charging document for the offence has been filed under the Criminal Procedure Act 2011
constable has the same meaning as in section 4 of the Policing Act 2008
court means any of the following courts:
1. the District Court:
2. the High Court:
3. the Court of Appeal:
4. the Supreme Court
judicial officer means—
1. a High Court Judge:
2. a District Court Judge:
3. a Community Magistrate:
4. a Justice of the Peace
officer of the court means—
1. a person who holds an office referred to in section 33 of the Senior Courts Act 2016:
2. a person who is an officer of the court as defined in section 4 of the District Court Act 2016
online content host, in relation to any information, means the person who has control over the part of the electronic retrieval system, such as an Internet site or an online application, on which the information is posted and accessible by the user
person, in relation to a defendant or other party in any proceedings, includes a body corporate
Police employee has the same meaning as in section 4 of the Policing Act 2008
publish includes—
insert in any newspaper or other periodical publication printed, published, or distributed in New Zealand; or
send to any person, by post or otherwise; or
deliver to any person or leave upon premises occupied by any person; or
broadcast within the meaning of the Broadcasting Act 1989; or
include in any film or video recording; or
disseminate by means of the Internet or any other electronic, digital, or similar medium; or
display by way of a sign, a notice, a poster, or other means.