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Access to Court Records  e3193 June 2006, Wellington, New Zealand | R e p o R t 9 3 access to court records the Law commission is an independent, publicly funded, central advisory body established by statute to undertake the systematic review, reform and development of the law of New Zealand. Its purpose is to help achieve law that is just, principled, and accessible, and that reflects the heritage and aspirations of the peoples of New Zealand. The Commissioners are: Right Honourable sir Geoffrey palmer – President Dr Warren Young – Deputy President Honourable Justice eddie Durie Helen aikman qc the Manager of the Law commission is Brigid corcoran the office of the Law commission is at 89 the terrace, Wellington postal address: po Box 2590, Wellington 6001, New Zealand Document exchange Number: sp 23534 telephone: (04) 473–3453, Facsimile: (04) 914–4760 email: [email protected] Internet: www.lawcom.govt.nz National Library of New Zealand cataloguing-in-publication Data New Zealand. Law commission. access to court records. (Report, 0113-2334 ; 93) “e3193” Includes bibliographical references. IsBN 1-877316-22-9 1. court records—access control—New Zealand. I. title. II. series: New Zealand. Law commission. Report ; 93. III. series: parliamentary paper (presented to the House of Representatives of New Zealand) ; e3193. 347.93013—dc 22 Report/Law commission, Wellington, 2006 IssN 0113–2334 Isbn 1–877316–22–9 this report may be cited as: nzlc R93 this report is also available on the Internet at the commission’s website: www.lawcom.govt.nz Access to Court Records ConTenTs Letter of transmittal ........................................................................................................... 5 Foreword ............................................................................................................................ 6 acknowledgements ............................................................................................................ 7 terms of reference ............................................................................................................. 8 exeCuTive summary the need for change .......................................................................................................... 9 the new approach ............................................................................................................. 9 the new framework: the court Information act .......................................................... 10 court Information act: additional provisions ................................................................ 13 Records in electronic format ........................................................................................... 14 tribunals .......................................................................................................................... 14 ChapTer 1 current rules ................................................................................................................................ 15 Records in criminal cases ................................................................................................ 15 criminal Records (clean slate) act 2004 ...................................................................... 21 proposed changes to criminal proceedings (search of court Records) Rules 1974 .... 21 Youth court ...................................................................................................................... 22 access to criminal records – conclusions ....................................................................... 22 Records in civil cases ....................................................................................................... 23 civil search rules – conclusions ...................................................................................... 31 other legislation impinging on court records ................................................................. 31 access to court records in overseas jurisdictions .......................................................... 32 australia and the United Kingdom ................................................................................. 32 ChapTer 2 principles ...................................................................................................................................... 39 open justice ...................................................................................................................... 39 Freedom of expression ..................................................................................................... 47 the right to a fair trial and the proper administration of justice.................................. 48 Freedom of information ................................................................................................... 50 privacy .............................................................................................................................. 54 the public interest ........................................................................................................... 56 Retention and availability of historical records ............................................................. 58 Judicial independence ...................................................................................................... 58 Guiding principles for access to court records rules ...................................................... 61 ChapTer 3 “the court record” ...................................................................................................................... 63 courts of record and the court record ............................................................................ 63 the “court record” under search rules in New Zealand ............................................... 64 practices of New Zealand courts and tribunals.............................................................. 66 the court record in overseas jurisdictions ..................................................................... 68 areas of uncertainty ........................................................................................................ 72 Definition of the “court record” ..................................................................................... 77 AccesstoCourtRecords 3 ChapTer 4 Information held by courts .......................................................................................................... 80 categorising information ................................................................................................. 80 Disclosure of other information ..................................................................................... 84 ChapTer 5 court Information act and new rules of court .......................................................................... 87 court Information act .................................................................................................... 87 Framework of the court Information act ...................................................................... 92 time periods to be considered in formulation of rules .................................................. 97 content of the rules ......................................................................................................... 98 access during the four periods ...................................................................................... 102 Right of appeal ............................................................................................................... 113 court calendars .............................................................................................................. 113 Resource implications of proposed new regime ........................................................... 114 search rights subject to other legislation ...................................................................... 114 ChapTer 6 court records in electronic format ............................................................................................ 115 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 115 electronic recordings of hearings .................................................................................. 116 other electronic documents .......................................................................................... 116 status of electronic court records in New Zealand ...................................................... 117 International approaches to e-filing and e-access ......................................................... 120 protecting personal information – an approach for New Zealand ............................. 125 summary ........................................................................................................................ 130 ChapTer 7 Media access ............................................................................................................................... 131 the current situation ..................................................................................................... 131 Media concerns .............................................................................................................. 132 Media liaison .................................................................................................................. 137 access to electronic documents in court ...................................................................... 138 ChapTer 8 Researchers’ access
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