Application for 
access to court documents
When to use this form
Fill in this form if you want access to court documents in a New Zealand court.
Sending in your application
You can email, post or hand this form in to the court that holds the records you want to access.  
If you’re emailing, you’ll need to print out step 3 (which needs your signature), sign it, then scan it.
Contact details for courts are on our website at justice.govt.nz/contact-us/find-us
Getting more information
Contact the court you have sent your application to by calling 0800 268 787 (if you’re in New Zealand) 
or +64 9 583 1900 (if you’re not in New Zealand).
Information about access to court information can be found in section 6 of the Media guide for reporting the 
courts and tribunals (edition 3.1, July 2013). The media guide is available on our website at   
justice.govt.nz/about/news-and-media/media-centre/media-information/media-guide/  
 
MOJ0148.2_V7_DEC17. APPLICATION FOR ACCESS TO COURT DOCUMENTS 
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Step 1  Write down your details
Your name and organisation (if applicable)  
Lawyer (if used)  
Contact details
Your address
 
Postal address, if different from above
 
Email  
Contact phone numbers 
business  
 mobile  
MOJ0148.2_V7_DEC17. APPLICATION FOR ACCESS TO COURT DOCUMENTS 
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Step 2  Write down what documents  
you want to look at
You might not know all the information asked in this step. Please tell us as much as you can.
We want to access court documents about:
Case name  
Case number  
Case type:
  Civil (we are asking for access to the documents under the District Court (Access to Court Documents) Rules 
or Senior Courts (Access to Court Documents) Rules)
  Family (we are asking for access to the documents under the Family Court Rules)
  Criminal (we are asking for access to the documents under the District Court (Access to Court Documents) 
Rules or Senior Courts (Access to Court Documents) Rules)
Defendant  
Prosecutor  
Defendant’s lawyer  
The documents we want to access are:
We want to look at these documents because: 
MOJ0148.2_V7_DEC17. APPLICATION FOR ACCESS TO COURT DOCUMENTS 
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Step 3  Sign and date the form
If you’re emailing in this form, you’ll need to print out this page, sign it, then scan it.
Your name  
Your job title  
  
   
Signature Date
Step 4  Send in your application
Send in this form
You can email, post or hand this form in to the court that holds the records you want to access.  
If you’re emailing this form, you’ll need to print out step 3 (which needs your signature), sign it, then scan it.
Contact details for courts are on our website at justice.govt.nz/contact-us/find-us
What happens next?
A judge (or a registrar in some matters) at the relevant court will review your application.
You will be contacted as soon as possible with their decision.
MOJ0148.2_V7_DEC17. APPLICATION FOR ACCESS TO COURT DOCUMENTS 
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Court use only
Received by 
NAME & POSITION
  COURT NAME
Date  
 
DATE FORM RECEIVED
Forwarded to 
for action.
JUDGE/REGISTRAR 
 
Judge/Registrar use only
 Approved  
 Declined
Date 
 
Signed 
 
 
Name 
 
Notes 
 
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OUR
S 
T DOCUMENTS 
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