Improving timeliness of jury trials

Overview

The Ministry of Justice is undertaking work to reduce delays and improve timeliness of jury trials. We are consulting on two options for change: increasing the jury trial threshold; and enabling flexibility in the timing of jury election.

Why your views matter

The right to a jury trial is enshrined in the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990. We are interested in your views on our proposals that involve this right.

The discussion document and survey ask a series of questions about the proposed changes to improve jury trial timeliness You may wish to comment on some or all sections or questions.

To give feedback, you can go straight to the public online survey [link to come] on this page, where each set of questions follows the relevant parts of the discussion document

OR:

read the discussion document on its own before you start the online survey

OR:

make a written submission separately:

• by email to courtspolicy@justice.govt.nz
• by post to:

Courts System Policy
Ministry of Justice – National Office
DX SX10088
Wellington

You may wish to read the discussion document alongside the Ministry of Justice Interim Regulatory Impact Statement.

There is also summary version and a te reo Māori version available of the discussion document.

The closing date for submissions and completed online surveys is 5pm, 31 October 2024.

What will happen to your feedback?

The Ministry of Justice will use your feedback to help inform our advice to the Minister of Justice and Government on changes to jury trials.

Once the Government has made decisions the Ministry will publish a summary of feedback on our website. The summary will not include information that could identify individuals.

Your feedback may be subject to release after an Official Information Act request. The Ministry can withhold personal details under the Act, including your name and address. If you do not want any information in your feedback to be released, please state this clearly and explain why. For example, some information may be commercially sensitive or personal. The Ministry will take your views into account when responding to such requests.

The Privacy Act 2020 governs how the Ministry collects and uses the personal information about you and your submission. You have the right to access and correct personal information.