Judicial reforms in the Family Court of New Zealand von Dadelszen, Paul
Material type:
- 1746-8000
This journal article was originally a presentation made to the Symposium of Chief Judges of the Family Courts, Singapore, 23 July 2007. The author provides an overview of some of the legislative and process changes that have taken place in recent years that have changed and expanded the role of the Family Court. The Care of Children Act (2004) is of particular note in this regard. The author discusses some of the procedural reforms the Court is currently involved in, including a new hearing process for difficult childcare disputes and the Family Mediation Pilot. The author makes some suggestions for future reforms, such as counselling for children, the expansion of the role of the Registrar and a more robust appeals process. The author concludes that, although the Family Court has seen substantial changes since its establishment in 1980, further reform based upon lessons learned is necessary.
New Zealand Family Law Journal 5(11) September 2007 : 267-281