Christchurch High Court operations under New Zealand COVID-19 alert levels
Due to the Government's announcement of new restrictions as a consequence of COVID-19, the Christchurch Bankruptcy, Liquidation and Chambers List scheduled on 2 April and 30 April will be adjourned to 14 May 2020.
The Dunedin and Invercargill Bankruptcy, Liquidation and Chambers List scheduled on 2 April and 7 May will be adjourned to 4 June 2020.
The Nelson and Blenheim Bankruptcy, Liquidation and Chambers List scheduled on 23 April will be adjourned to 28 May 2020.
In respect of any matter where counsel can agree directions, including those in the earthquake list, counsel may still email a joint memorandum to ChirstchurchHC@justice.govt.nz seeking directions or orders by consent.
If any truly time sensitive application arises then counsel are urged to agree interim holding arrangements and, if necessary, seek orders by consent. If agreement cannot be reached in respect of such an application then a telephone conference can be allocated. While formal memoranda are preferred, emails to ChirstchurchHC@justice.govt.nz will be accepted during this time.
If you have the contact details of any debtor or defendant party please pass this information on to them.
Associate Judge Dale Lester
Christchurch High Court
All civil matters set down for hearing in the Christchurch, Timaru, Dunedin, Invercargill and Greymouth High Courts are adjourned from the date of this email until Friday 15 May 2020. For the avoidance of doubt, the adjournment applies to judicial settlement conferences, civil lists, duty judge lists and telephone conferences.
The adjournment also applies to Associate Judge matters in the Nelson and Blenheim registries.
All matters are nominally adjourned to Friday 15 May 2020 to a telephone conference to be allocated before a judicial officer. That date is subject to further adjournment if the Level 4 virus alert remains in place as at the week beginning Monday 11 May 2020. If that is the case, a further communication from the High Court will be made that week.
In respect of any urgent matter where counsel can agree directions, including those in the earthquake list, counsel may still email a joint memorandum to ChristchurchHC@justice.govt.nz seeking directions or orders by consent.
If any truly time sensitive application arises then counsel are urged to agree interim holding arrangements and, if necessary, seek orders by consent. If agreement cannot be reached in respect of such an application then a telephone conference can be allocated. While formal memoranda are preferred, emails to ChristchurchHC@justice.govt.nz will be accepted during this time.
Associate Judge Dale Lester
Christchurch High Court