Court hearings take place at our sites in Whangārei, Hamilton, Rotorua, Gisborne, Hastings, Whanganui, and Christchurch. We also hold hearings at various venues away from our office sites across the country.
On this page
Speaking in court
Māori land matters are whānau matters. You can bring whānau with you to court to support you and your application. If you are a whānau or hapū member who did not submit the application but would like to speak in Court, you can file a ‘Notice of intention to appear upon application’. This lets us know how many people are planning to speak, although the final decision on who can speak will always be up to the judge.
Before speaking for the first time, you’ll be asked to take an oath (a declaration of truth sworn on The Bible) or an affirmation (a declaration of truth not sworn on The Bible). You are welcome to do this in te reo Māori, you will just need to let us know that you intend to do this.
The kōrero you have in a court hearing are with the judge, not with other people in the courtroom. It is a formal occasion, and you will need to address the judge as ‘Your Honour’ or ‘Judge’.
The kōrero during a court hearing forms the court minute. To make sure that the minute is accurate, court hearings are recorded. To help us accurately record the kōrero, please move to the front of the court room when speaking and speak as clearly as possible.
If there’s anything you don’t understand, don’t be afraid to ask the judge for clarification. It’s important that you leave a court hearing with a complete understanding of what has taken place.
Māori Land Court hearings are open to the public. However, if a sensitive matter is being discussed, the judge may decide to close the court sitting to the public.
Using te reo Māori
You have a right to speak and be heard in te reo Māori at Māori Land Court hearings. Use of te reo Māori is encouraged, and you are welcome to use a mixture of te reo Māori and English if you wish to.
If you’d like to have your application heard completely in te reo Māori, please let us know when you submit your application, so that we can arrange te reo Māori speakers and translators to attend your court hearing.
Legal representation
Generally, you will not need a lawyer to represent you at court hearings. Most people who submit an application with us choose to represent themselves. However, if you’d prefer to use legal representation, your lawyer can speak on your behalf at your court hearing.
Our kaimahi can help you fill in application forms and provide general advice about your application and the court processes, but we do not provide legal advice.
Te hono mamao ki te kōtitanga
Attending a court hearing remotely
Read our guidance for attending a court hearing remotely.