Implementation

Te Au Reka will be implemented in three phases. 

Phase 1

We will start with implementing Te Au Reka in the Family Court, helping to improve outcomes for some of New Zealand’s most vulnerable people. 

Rollout begins in July 2026.

Phase 2

Phase 2 will extend Te Au Reka to the District Court Criminal, including Youth Court, and District Court Civil.

High Court Civil and Criminal are also included in this phase.

Rollout is scheduled to begin from the second half of 2027

Phase 3

Phase 3 will encompass the Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court, the Environment Court, Coroners Court, and the Disputes Tribunal, as well as the appeal function for the District Court and High Court. Also included in this phase is full functionality of the rostering and scheduling.

Rollout is scheduled to start in 2028

As Te Au Reka is rolled out over the course of the three phases, users of the digital system will begin to see the following benefits:

Benefits	Description
Reduced Stress and Harm	Participants will be able to access case information and keep up to date with what’s happening, reducing non-meaningful events. Judges will have all available information to make decisions and increased confidence their decisions will be correctly actioned by the court. Removing manual processes will reduce stress and the energy needed by the registry to mitigate the risk of mistakes.
Improved Reliability of Progress	Cases are more likely to progress on the day because the court is able to proactively case manage and make earlier decisions regarding readiness to proceed. Lawyers, third-parties and participants will be reminded about their upcoming responsibilities, so will be better prepared. Less time will be spent waiting for administrative activities to be completed after an event.
Improved Effectiveness	Unnecessary administration, data entry, double-handling and rework will be removed. Easier access to information online will reduce wasted time and effort spent searching. Work can be redistributed in response to demand and to where there is capacity.
Increased Transparency	Improved visibility of case progression and any blockages makes it possible to reprioritise and redistribute work in real time. Quality court performance information supports court management and continuous improvement. Greater transparency of adjournments and delays enables judges to hold people to account.
Improved Resilience	It will be easier to implement new legislation and rule changes. Gains from improvement activities will be greater and more sustainable. It will enable the ability to retain currency as digital innovations occur. Courts can continue to function in an emergency e.g., earthquake, pandemic or weather event.
Create New Choices	We can invest our capacity differently (eg, in people rather than in paper/risk mitigation) Provides more options around where we undertake work and how we use property and other assets. Quality data will help us gain deeper insights to inform policy and design choices.