1. Apply for a court order to settle parenting arrangements

Ask the court to decide

Apply for a court order to settle parenting arrangements

Where to start
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Overview

Anyone can apply for a ‘Parenting Order’. You must be a guardian to apply for an ‘Order to Settle Disputes between Guardians’.

Before you apply

Usually, you’ll need to show that you’ve attended Family Dispute Resolution within the last 12 months. You’ll also need to show that you’ve tried a Parenting Through Separation course within the last two years if you’re applying for a ‘Parenting Order’.

You may not have to to attend these courses if:

  • you’re applying for an urgent order
  • you’re applying for a ‘Parenting Order’ when everyone agrees
  • your child is part of a proceeding that has already begun under Part 2 of the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989
  • you can provide evidence in an affidavit that you can’t participate effectively in one of these courses
  • you can provide evidence in an affidavit that you, or your child, has experienced family violence by one of the people named as a party in the application.

Urgent decision from the court

Parenting Through Separation course

Family Dispute Resolution mediation service

How to apply

1

Determine if you need an urgent decision from the court

When to apply for an urgent court order

If you think you need urgent help, you may find it helpful to talk to a lawyer.

Get legal advice and help

2

Understand what you need

The application pack includes your application, affidavit, and information sheet. You may find the following information useful when you complete these forms.

Care of Children - Applying for a Court Order guide [PDF, 3.9 MB]

Applications and information sheets

Affidavits

Everyone needs to swear or affirm the information in the affidavit is correct.

Sign, swear or affirm an affidavit

If your application is not urgent, you’ll need to make sure everyone named as a party in the application has an exact copy of the application. This is called service.

How to file and serve documents

You need to pay a filing fee for this application. You may be able to apply for a fee waiver if you need support to pay the filing fee.

Apply for a fee waiver

You need a BLUE or BLACK ballpoint pen if you choose to fill out the forms by hand.

A lawyer can help you apply for court orders and they may also represent you in court.

3

Complete an application form

Choose the form you need to complete.

Care of Children form generator

If you need an urgent decision, select ‘without notice’ in the ‘how you want to file’ field.

To have the forms sent to you, freephone the Ministry of Justice 0800 224 733. You can also pick them up from the court.

Find your nearest court

You must print the forms single sided.

If you're not the child's parent or guardian

You must ask the court's permission to apply for a ‘Parenting Order’ if you aren’t the child’s parent, guardian, or partner of their parent. To do this, you must tick the 'Eligibility (leave to apply)' box on page 1 when you complete the application form.

4

Get all your documents together

Your application must include:

  • a completed and signed application form, including the affidavit, and information sheet
  • a ‘Parenting Through Separation’ certificate confirming you went to the course within the last two years (you don’t need to do this for an urgent order or an ‘Order to Settle Disputes between Guardians’)
  • an ‘Outcome of Family Dispute Resolution’ form confirming you went to mediation within the last twelve months (you don’t need to do this for an urgent order)
  • a completed and signed fee waiver form (if you are asking to waive the application fee)
5

File your application

You can file your application electronically, by post, or in person. When you file your application, it must have the original signatures. You must file your application at the correct courthouse. If you file your application in person or by post, you’ll need to provide enough exact copies for everyone named as a party to your application and keep a copy for yourself.

How to file documents

Court staff will contact you if they need more information.

Fees when using the Family Court

There may be fees or costs involved when using the Family Court. This may include:

  • application filing fee
  • lawyers’ fees and charges
  • cost contribution orders

Family Court fees and funding

Costs you need to pay after your case

Options if you can’t pay the application fee

After you apply

If you filed an urgent application

If a judge agrees that your case is urgent, they may make an interim order without notice. This means the order will be made before the respondent is told. This is usually within 24-48 hours. If an interim order is made, your documents will be sent to the other people named as parties in your application to give them a chance to respond before a final order is made.

If you filed a non-urgent application or the judge doesn’t agree your case is urgent

The Court will try to give a copy of your application to the other people named as parties in your application. They’ll be given time to respond, which could be between 21-50 days, depending on if the person lives in Aotearoa New Zealand or overseas.

If they respond, you'll be given a copy of their response.


Before a judge makes a decision, they may:

  • want to hear from you in person
  • appoint a lawyer for child to understand the child's views and present them to the court
  • ask for a specialist, cultural, or social worker's report on your situation from a professional such as a psychologist or medical doctor
  • decide to hold a case conference or a hearing, or both.

Lawyer for child

Specialist, cultural, and social worker reports

Case conferences

Hearings

If you come to an agreement during the court process

If you and the other parties in the case come to an agreement at any time during the case, you may ask the Family Court to consider making what you’ve agreed into an order. You and the other people involved in the case will need to file a consent memorandum to the Family Court.

File a consent memorandum

When your case will be finalised

How long it takes to finalise your case in court depends on the following.

  • How long the other people named in your application take to respond
  • If a judge has asked for more information
  • How long you or other people take to give any extra information
  • How soon the Family Court can look at your case (especially if a conference or hearing is needed)
  • If a judge directs anyone involved in the case to attend out of court services (including Parenting Through Separation course, preparatory counselling, or Family Dispute Resolution mediation service)
  • The number of adjournments made by the judge.

If you want to know how long your case may take, talk to your lawyer.

Telling others about the new care arrangements

You may need to let other people or groups know about the new care arrangements, once the arrangements are in place.

Think about the people involved in your child’s life and what they might need to know. For example, if you have a 'Parenting Order' that says your child will be picked up by their grandparents from school every Friday, you may want to let the school or the child’s teacher know.

Other people or groups that may need to know about new parenting arrangements are:

  • Friends, whānau, babysitters
  • Your child’s school, early childhood centre or after school care
  • Out of school activities like sports, music, dance, cultural or religious groups
  • Your child’s doctor, dentist or other healthcare provider
  • Government agencies like Inland Revenue or Work and Income.

How long an order lasts

How long an order lasts depends on the type of order a judge makes.

If a judge makes an ‘Interim Parenting Order’, it will usually last until either:

  • a set date
  • a particular event happens (for example, a judge makes a new order)
  • a judge says the order stops.

A ‘Final Parenting Order’ means a judge has made a final decision and the court process has finished. A judge may make a ‘Final Parenting Order’ any time during a proceeding if everyone involved agrees. A ‘Final Parenting Order’ usually lasts until the child turns 16 years old, or until one of the people involved applies to the Family Court to change or cancel it.

Resources in other languages and alternate formats

We have resources available in different languages and alternate formats. Select the language or alternate format to get the resources relevant to this page.

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