The Family Court is a part of Aotearoa New Zealand’s District Court. The Family Court can help you and your whānau work out issues relating to the following issues and topics.
Family violence
You can apply to the Family Court for a Protection Order against a family member or someone that you are in a domestic relationship with (for example, a current or past partner, spouse or flatmate).
Find out more about protection orders
Care and protection of children and young people
Including parenting arrangements and applications from Oranga Tamariki.
Read our articles about guardianship of children and young people
Read our articles about parenting after separation
Read our articles about child abuse and neglect
Read the Ministry of Justice information about keeping children safe
Paternity and child support
The Family Court deal with applications to establish the paternity of a child (this can also be decided by the High Court).
Find out more about paternity and how it is established
Find out more about child support
Separation and divorce
The Family Court can help if issues arise when couples separate or get a divorce.
Read our articles about relationship separations
Property and assets from a marriage, civil union, or de facto relationship (relationship property)
The Family Court can help apply the Property (Relationships) Act 1976 when a couple are separating.
Read our articles about issues relating to relationship property
Adoption and surrogacy
The Family Court deal with applications relating to adoption such as:
- adopting a child under the Adoption Act, or
- accessing Court records relating to an adoption.
Find out more about your rights when you want to adopt a child
Challenging a will
Depending on what grounds you are challenging the will, you apply to either the High Court or the Family Court.
Find out more about the process for challenging a will
Treatment for people with mental illness, intellectual disability and substance addictions held in compulsory care
The Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act applies to those situations where a person needs treatment for a mental disorder and they don't agree to it.
Find out more about the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act
Managing the property and welfare decisions for adults who have lost mental capacity
If a family member or close friend is losing their ability to make decisions about themselves, and they do not already have an Enduring Power of Attorney in place, you can protect them by applying to the Family Court.
Find out more about what to do if someone is losing their mental capacity to make decisions
Read our articles about powers of attorney