The following information on the hours of courts and tribunals has been supplied by the Ministry of Justice.

Supreme Court

The Chief Justice has determined the following:

Close: 5pm, Monday, 23 December 2019.
Open: 9am, Monday, 6 January 2020.

Emergency Contact: Kieron McCarron, 021 688 740.

Court of Appeal

The President of the Court of Appeal has determined the following:

Close: 5pm, Monday, 23 December 2019.
Open: 9am, Monday, 6 January 2020.

Emergency Contact: Maryanne McKennie, 027 277 7682.

High Court

As per rule 3.2 of the High Court Rules 2016, the High Court holiday period is as follows:

Close: 5pm, Monday, 23 December 2019.
Open: 9am, Monday, 6 January 2020.

Emergency Contacts: April Ng (027 516 3307) (24 December only) and Corrina MacDonald (027 204 2372) for Auckland, Hamilton, Rotorua, Tauranga, Whangārei; Jane Penney (027 509 3918) for Gisborne, Napier, New Plymouth, Whanganui, Palmerston North, Masterton, Wellington, Blenheim, Nelson; Ann Swarbrick (027 273 2679) for Greymouth, Christchurch, Timaru, Dunedin, Invercargill.

District Court

As per rule 2.1 of the District Court Rules 2014, the District Court holiday periods are as follows:

Close: 3pm, Tuesday, 24 December 2019.
Open: 9am, Friday, 3 January 2020. 
Auckland, Blenheim, Christchurch, Dunedin, Gisborne, Greymouth, Hamilton, Hastings, Hutt Valley, Invercargill, Levin, Manukau, Masterton, Napier, Nelson, New Plymouth, North Shore, Palmerston North, Porirua, Rotorua, Tauranga, Timaru, Waitakere, Wellington, Whakatane, Whanganui, Whangarei.

Close: 3pm, Tuesday, 24 December 2019.
Open: 9am, Monday, 6 January 2020. 
Hawera, Huntly, Kaikohe, Kaitaia, Morrinsville, Papakura, Pukekohe, Queenstown, Taupo, Thames, Tokoroa.

Close: 3pm, Tuesday, 24 December 2019.
Open: 9am, Monday, 13 January 2020.
Alexandra, Ashburton, Dannevirke, Gore,Taihape, Taumarunui, Wairoa, Westport.

The following Hearing Courts will not be open over the Christmas and New Year period, and will resume hearings as rostered in the New Year: Chatham Islands, Dargaville, Kaikoura, Marton, Oamaru, Opotiki, Ruatoria, Te Awamutu, Te Kuiti, Waihi, Waipukurau.

Urgent Family Court applications

Family Courts will provide a national service for urgent applications over the Christmas and New Year holiday period. Urgent applications will all be dealt with via the National eDuty platform. Court staff and duty judges have been allocated to deal with applications on the following days:

24 Dec 19: Applns close noon: Registries close 3pm
25 Dec 19: Closed
26 Dec 19: Closed
27 Dec 19: Applns close 2pm
30 Dec 19: Applns close 2pm
31 Dec 19: Applns close 2pm
1 Jan 20: Closed
2 Jan 20: Closed
3 Jan 20: Larger Courts reopen 9am
6 Jan 20: Applns close 2pm
7 Jan 20: Applns close 2pm
8 Jan 20: Applns close 2pm
9 Jan 20: Applns close 2pm
10 Jan 20: Applns close 2pm

Submission of urgent applications

All urgent Family Court applications are required to be submitted to the registry by 2pm (exception 12pm on 24 December) on the days above in order for them to be processed. Any applications received after that time will be considered the following day.

All Employment and Environment Courts

Close: 3pm, Tuesday, 24 December 2019.
Open: 9am, Friday, 3 January 2020.

Māori Land Courts

Close: 3pm, Tuesday, 24 December 2019.
Open: 10am, Friday, 3 January 2020.

The Auckland Information Office will observe the following hours. From 3 to 14 January phone calls will be diverted to Whangārei.

Close: 3pm, Tuesday, 24 December 2019.
Open: 9am, Monday, 13 January 2020.

Coronial Services

Close: 3pm, Tuesday, 24 December 2019.
Open: 9am, Friday, 3 January 2020.

The National Initial Investigation Office will remain open 24 hours a day.

Tribunals Unit

Close: 3pm, Tuesday, 24 December 2019.
Open: 9am, Friday, 3 January 2020.

Arrest Courts

Any persons arrested over this period will be brought to the nearest available court for the initial appearance before a judge, Community Magistrate or Justice of the Peace. “Arrested” includes those arrested on new charges, on warrant or for breach of bail.

If bail is sought and it is not within jurisdiction of the judicial officer presiding at the first appearance, then any remand in custody (unless there is consent otherwise) must be adjourned to the next working day. This will allow the bail application to be dealt with via AVL from the prison (or police station) to the nearest, or most convenient, court where a judge is rostered to sit.

Electronically monitored bail applications over the Christmas/New Year period

The Department of Corrections EM Bail Team has confirmed the dates for the filing and processing of EM Bail applications as follows:

Adult applications

Close: 5pm, 6 December 2019.
Last 2019 hearing: 23 December 2019. 
First 2020 hearing, existing applications: 6 January 2020.
New 2020 applications close for first hearing: 5pm, 6 January 2020. 
New 2020 applications first hearing: 20 January 2020.

Youth applications

Close: 5pm, 13 December 2019.
Last 2019 hearing: 23 December 2019. 
First 2020 hearing, existing applications: 6 January 2020.
New 2020 applications close for first hearing: 5pm, 6 January 2020. 
New 2020 applications first hearing: 13 January 2020.

2019 Application close off and last hearing date

Applications for hearing in the 2019 calendar year will need to be received by the EM Bail Team no later than 5pm Monday 6 December 2019 for adult applications and 5pm Monday 13 December 2019 for youth applications. The final date for EM Bail applications to be heard in 2019 will be Monday 23 December 2019.

2019 Applications adjourned for the New Year

The first date for hearings of any existing EM Bail applications adjourned from 2019 into the New Year will be from Monday 6 January 2020. Please ensure the EM Bail Team is advised of any such adjournments over the holiday period so arrangements can be made for potential installations of equipment as early as possible.

2020 Applications and first hearing dates

The first date for new applications filed for hearing in the New Year will be from Monday 20 January 2020 for adult applications and from Monday 13 January 2020 for youth applications. Applications for hearing on these dates will need to be received by the EM Bail Team by 5pm Monday 6 January 2020 (including the applications received after 9 and 16 December 2019).

If there are any queries regarding the above time frames, please don't hesitate to contact the Electronically Monitored Bail Team, on 0800EMBAIL or embail@corrections.govt.nz