Our Contact Centre will be closed from 5pm on 24 December 2024, reopening at 8am on 3 January 2025. National Office (Aitken Street, Wellington) reception will be closed from 5pm on Friday 20 December, reopening at 8am on Monday 6 January 2025. For more information, see Court and Tribunal hours
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You may find it helpful to talk to a lawyer when applying to, or going through, the Family Court. A lawyer can also help you fill out forms and apply for court orders. Some lawyers can also represent you in court.
Community Law helps with all kinds of legal problems – from employment, family and housing issues to criminal matters, human rights, and Māori land. Community law centres are located throughout the country.
Family Legal Advice Service provides free legal advice for people who qualify for the service. A Family Legal Advice Service lawyer can only give you initial advice to help you understand your rights, responsibilities, and options both in and out of court. They can also help you fill out any application forms if you’re applying for, or responding to, a Parenting Order. They can’t represent you in court.
You can only use this service once every 12 months. Usually, this service will only involve one or two meetings with a Family Legal Advice Service lawyer. If you want to get more legal advice, you’ll need to either apply for legal aid or pay for the advice yourself.
If you can't afford a lawyer, you may qualify for legal aid. Legal aid is government funding to support people to pay for a lawyer.
To find out if you qualify, talk with a legal aid lawyer, your nearest Community Law Centre, or Citizens Advice Bureau.
Legal aid is considered a loan. You may have to repay some or all of it. This depends on the type of case you have, how much you earn, what property you own, and whether you receive any money or property because of your case.
If you don't qualify for legal aid, you can still get legal advice and help from a lawyer. You’ll have to pay for this yourself.
To find a list of private lawyers, contact either:
New Zealand Law Society(external link)