In New Zealand, there is a national court system for formally determining disputes between commercial parties.  This document is a high-level and general guide to litigation in that national court system and covers the following: 

  • The New Zealand legal system

  • The New Zealand court system

  • Overview of a commercial proceeding

  • Relief

  • Costs and fees

  • Class actions and third party litigation funding

  • Commencing proceedings

  • Commencement of claims by or against foreign persons

  • Disclosure of documents

  • Pre-trial disposal

  • Non-dispositive applications

  • Written evidence and chronologies

  • Judicial issues conferences

  • Pre-trial settlement

  • Trial

  • Judgment and appeal rights

  • Enforcement of judgment

  • Enforcement of foreign judgments.

The guide is available in English and Simplified Chinese.

Download English guide

Download the Simplified Chinese guide