Update replaces etiquette guidelines for counsel in court, published in 2009
The New Zealand courts have announced the release of updated guidelines for courtroom conduct for counsel, endorsed by the chief justice and heads of bench and replacing the etiquette guidelines for counsel in court, published in 2009.
In a media statement, the courts explained that the revised guidelines encompass various practical matters and state the expected standards for the courtroom behaviour of legal professionals and counsel, including police officers and other prosecutors who are not lawyers.
The courts noted that the updated courtroom conduct guidelines, intended for use as an educational resource, seek to:
Among other matters, the updated courtroom conduct guidelines cover or consider:
“The Guidelines are not intended to be comprehensive,” states the revised version. “They sit alongside, and do not replace, existing professional obligations under the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006 and the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act (Lawyers: Conduct and Client Care) Rules 2008.”
In the media statement, the courts acknowledged that the revision considered insights gleaned from a consultation between the judiciary and the legal profession.
The courts noted that they may formulate separate guidance for specific courts or forms of proceedings in the future. The courts added that they plan to share links to any future guidance upon its release.
Here are some other recent news stories revolving around the courts of New Zealand.
On 6 August 2026, Helen Winkelmann, New Zealand’s chief justice, announced the publication of her 2025 annual report, which discussed the efforts, roles, and responsibilities of the government’s judicial branch, the country’s courts, and their judges last year.
On 24 July 2026, Attorney-General Chris Bishop highlighted the appointment of Edward David (Ed) Crook, an Auckland-based barrister and solicitor, as a judge of the High Court of New Zealand sitting in Auckland as of 24 August 2026.
On 24 June 2026, Bishop announced the appointments of the following judges, effective 16 July 2026, following Justice Forrest Miller’s retirement from the Supreme Court of New Zealand: Neil Ross Campbell to the Supreme Court and David Gary Johnstone to the Court of Appeal of New Zealand.
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