All courts will reopen by 19 January 2026
The justice ministry has released the holiday schedule for New Zealand courts and tribunals.
Per the chief justice, the Supreme Court will close for the year on 23 December at 5:00pm, reopening on 5 January 2026 at 9:00am. The Court of Appeal will follow the same schedule, according to the court’s president.
This shutdown schedule will also be in place for the High Courts in Auckland, Blenheim, Christchurch, Dunedin, Gisborne, Greymouth, Hamilton, Invercargill, Masterton, Napier, Nelson, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Rotorua, Tauranga, Timaru, Wellington, Whanganui and Whangārei, under rule 3.2 of the High Court Rules 2016.
The District Courts in Auckland, Blenheim, Christchurch, Dunedin, Gisborne, Greymouth, Hamilton, Hastings, Hutt Valley, Invercargill, Levin, Manukau, Masterton, Napier, Nelson, New Plymouth, North Shore, Papakura, Palmerston North, Porirua, Queenstown, Rotorua, Tauranga, Timaru, Waitakere, Wellington, Whakatane, Whanganui and Whangārei will close on 24 December at 3:00pm and reopen on 5 January 2026 at 9:00am.
Meanwhile, the District Courts in Ashburton, Dannevirke, Hāwera, Huntly, Kaikohe, Kaitāia, Morrinsville, Pukekohe, Taihape, Taumarunui, Taupō, Thames, Tokoroa and Wairoa will also close on 24 December, reopening at 9:00am on 12 January 2026 unless gazette otherwise. The District Courts in Alexandra, Gore and Westport will close on 24 December and reopen on 19 January 2026 unless gazetted otherwise.
The hearing courts in Chatham Islands, Dargaville, Kaikōura, Marton, Newmarket, Oamaru, Ohakune, Ōpōtiki, Ruatōria, Te Awamutu, Te Kūiti, Waihi and Waipukurau will be closed over the Christmas and New Year period, with hearings resuming as rostered next year.
The Employment, Environment, and Coroners Courts will close on 24 December at 5:00pm, reopening on 5 January 2026 at 9:00am. The Māori Land Courts will close at 3:00pm on 24 December and reopen on 5 January 2026 at 10:00am.
The tribunals in Auckland and Wellington will close at 3:00pm on 24 December and reopen on 5 January 2026 at 9:00am.
Urgent Family Court applications will be handled in line with a previous advisory from chief District Court judge Heemi Taumaunu.
