District Court Safety Measures in Level 3

Chief Judge Taumaunu has outlined extra safety measures to protect court participants when the courts reopen on Tuesday 28 April. While the move to Alert Level 3 gives the District Court an opportunity to do more work than it could under Alert Level 4, the court will still be operating at reduced capacity and there will be stringent measures in place.

These measures include screening at entrances to carefully control and limit numbers coming into District Court locations, physical distancing and hygiene protocols, extra cleaning and the provision of PPE to anyone who asks for it. People may also use their own PPE if they choose.

The Chief Judge notes that the number of people attending court on bail is not expected to be large. The Court is expecting fewer than 70 people staggered throughout the day to attend in response to their bail conditions at the two biggest courts, Auckland and Manukau. For the first week of Alert Level 3, the numbers of people expected to attend court on bail have been reduced through call-overs and other measures put in place by local Judges in consultation with court managers.

Judges will defer some cases if numbers attending turn out to be greater than anticipated. Few, if any, Judge Alone Trials are expected to be heard during the first week at Alert Level 3.

The court will also be sensitive to difficulties lawyers may experience in taking instructions from clients or briefing witnesses. The court accepts that this may result in some cases having to be adjourned.

Read the full statement