|
Legal Aid In New Zealand
The legal aid system in New Zealand provides government-funded legal assistance to those who are unable to afford a lawyer. Legal aid is available for almost all court actions across all levels of the court system. This includes criminal charges, civil issues, family disputes, appeals and Waitangi Tribunal claims. Since its inception, the cost of the service to the taxpayer has grown considerably. In 2009, the system was subject to a three-month critical review by Dame Margaret Bazley who suggested a number of changes including fixed fees for defence lawyers working on criminal cases. Bazley's recommendations were rapidly adopted by the government which wanted to cut costs. Leading academics have expressed concerns that, as a result, a New Zealander's right to a fair trial is being compromised. History New Zealand judges have long had the power to assign counsel, but following the Westminster Poor Prisoners Defence Act 1903, there were moves to introduce a similar act in New Z ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Legal Aid
Legal aid is the provision of assistance to people who are unable to afford legal representation and access to the court system. Legal aid is regarded as central in providing access to justice by ensuring equality before the law, the right to counsel and the right to a fair trial. This article describes the development of legal aid and its principles, primarily as known in Europe, the Commonwealth of Nations and in the United States. Legal aid is essential to guaranteeing equal access to justice for all, as provided for by Article 6.3 of the European Convention on Human Rights regarding criminal law cases. Especially for citizens who do not have sufficient financial means, the provision of legal aid to clients by governments increases the likelihood, within court proceedings, of being assisted by legal professionals for free or at a lower cost, or of receiving financial aid. A number of delivery models for legal aid have emerged, including duty lawyers, community legal clinic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Law Society
A law society is an association of lawyers with a regulatory role that includes the right to supervise the training, qualifications, and conduct of lawyers. Where there is a distinction between barristers and solicitors, solicitors are regulated by the law societies and barristers by a separate bar council. History Much has changed for law societies in recent years, with governments in Australia, New Zealand, England, Wales, and Scotland creating government sponsored regulators for lawyers (both barristers and solicitors), leaving to law societies the role of advocacy on behalf of their members. Canada In Canada, each province and territory has a law society (french: barreau) with statutory responsibility for regulation of the legal profession in the public interest. These law societies are members of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada, which seeks to increase coordination between its members and encourage the standardization of members’ rules and procedures. In Can ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Society Of New Zealand
A society is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction, or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. Societies are characterized by patterns of relationships (social relations) between individuals who share a distinctive culture and institutions; a given society may be described as the sum total of such relationships among its constituent of members. In the social sciences, a larger society often exhibits stratification or dominance patterns in subgroups. Societies construct patterns of behavior by deeming certain actions or concepts as acceptable or unacceptable. These patterns of behavior within a given society are known as societal norms. Societies, and their norms, undergo gradual and perpetual changes. Insofar as it is collaborative, a society can enable its members to benefit in ways that would otherwise be difficult on an individual bas ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Press
''The Press'' is a daily newspaper published in Christchurch, New Zealand owned by media business Stuff Ltd. First published in 1861, the newspaper is the largest circulating daily in the South Island and publishes Monday to Saturday. One community newspaper—''Northern Outlook''- is also published by ''The Press'' and is free. The newspaper has won the title of New Zealand Newspaper of the Year (in its circulation category) three times: in 2006, 2007 and 2012. It has also won the overall Newspaper of the Year title twice: in 2006 and 2007. History James FitzGerald came to Lyttelton on the ''Charlotte Jane'' in December 1850, and was from January 1851 the first editor of the ''Lyttelton Times'', Canterbury's first newspaper. From 1853, he focussed on politics and withdrew from the ''Lyttelton Times''. After several years in England, he returned to Canterbury concerned about the proposed capital works programme of the provincial government, with his chief concern the pro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
New Zealand Ministry Of Justice
The Ministry of Justice ( mi, Te Tāhū o te Ture) is an executive department of the New Zealand Government, responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice within New Zealand. It provides advice and support to a number of ministers, including the Minister of Justice; the Minister for Courts; the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations; the Minister Responsible for the Law Commission and the Attorney-General. Additionally, due to its geographical proximity, New Zealand's Ministry of Justice might also oversee the administration of justice in Tokelau (New Zealand territory) and the Pitcairn Islands (even though it is a British Overseas Territory). Leadership and staff The Ministry of Justice has a ten-member Strategic Leadership Team led by Andrew Kibblewhite, Secretary for Justice and Chief Executive. The Ministry employs approximately 3,800 staff around New Zealand. It delivers a variety of services including the administration of court servic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Simon Power (politician)
Simon James Power (born 5 December 1969) is a former New Zealand National Party politician and who served as a Cabinet Minister for the first parliamentary term of the Fifth National Government of New Zealand and as Member of Parliament for Rangitīkei. Power held the roles of Minister of Justice, Minister for State Owned Enterprises, Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and Deputy Leader of the House. He was appointed CEO of TVNZ in 2021, having previously served as Acting CEO of Westpac New Zealand. He also serves as the chairman of the King's College Board of Governors. Early years Power was educated in Palmerston North, attending St Peter's College. He was prominent in the life of St Peter's, captaining two senior sports teams and chairing the School Council. He later studied at Victoria University of Wellington, gaining first a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and then a Bachelor of Laws degree. For two years, he was president of the Victoria Univ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
2007 New Zealand Police Raids
The 2007 New Zealand police raids were a series of armed police raids conducted on 15 and 16 October 2007, in response to alleged paramilitary training camps in the Urewera mountain range near the town of Ruatoki. About 300 police, including members of the Armed Offenders Squad and Special Tactics Group, were involved in the raids, which involved the execution of search warrants at various addresses throughout New Zealand, and the establishment of roadblocks at Ruatoki and Tāneatua. The police seized four guns and 230 rounds of ammunition and arrested eighteen people. According to police, the raids were a culmination of more than a year of surveillance that uncovered and monitored the training camps. The police were investigating potential breaches of the Terrorism Suppression Act. On 8 November 2007 the Solicitor-General, David Collins, declined to press charges under that legislation. Collins later described the legislation as "incoherent and unworkable", and said it was al ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bain Family Murders
On 20 June 1994, Robin and Margaret Bain and three of their four childrenArawa, Laniet and Stephenwere shot to death in Dunedin, New Zealand. The only suspects were David Cullen Bain, the eldest son and only survivor, and Robin Bain, the father. David Bain, aged 22, was charged with five counts of murder. In May 1995, he was convicted on each of the five counts and sentenced to mandatory life in prison with a minimum non-parole period of sixteen years. Bain's case was taken up by businessman and former rugby player Joe Karam. In 2007, Bain's legal team, guided by Karam, successfully appealed to the Privy Council, which declared there had been a 'substantial miscarriage of justice'. David Bain was released on bail in May 2007. The retrial in June 2009 ended with his acquittal on all charges. Speculation about the case continued long after Bain was acquitted, including whether or not he should receive compensation for the years he spent in prison. Ian Binnie, a retired justice of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
New Zealand Parole Board
The New Zealand Parole Board is an independent statutory body established in 2002 that considers offenders for parole. Its task "is to undertake an assessment of the risk that long-term sentenced offenders might pose to the safety of the community if they were to be released before the end of their sentence". The Board also sets conditions of release for offenders so their reintegration back in to the community can be effectively managed. Once the conditions are set it becomes the responsibility of Community Corrections to manage the offender." 'Long term' is defined as more than 24 months. Short-term prisoners (on sentences of less than two years) are automatically released after serving half their sentence. Sir Ron Young was appointed as chairperson of the Board in 2018. History As a British colony, New Zealand adopted the penal system common in Britain and the country’s first jails were established in the 1840s. At that time, prisoners were crammed together regardless ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Court System Of New Zealand
A court is any person or institution, often as a government institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance with the rule of law. In both common law and civil law legal systems, courts are the central means for dispute resolution, and it is generally understood that all people have an ability to bring their claims before a court. Similarly, the rights of those accused of a crime include the right to present a defense before a court. The system of courts that interprets and applies the law is collectively known as the judiciary. The place where a court sits is known as a venue. The room where court proceedings occur is known as a courtroom, and the building as a courthouse; court facilities range from simple and very small facilities in rural communities to large complex facilities in urban communities. The practical authority given to the c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Environment Court Of New Zealand
The Environment Court of New Zealand ( mi, Te Kōti Taiao o Aotearoa) is a specialist court for plans, resource consents and environmental issues. It mainly deals with issues arising under the Resource Management Act, meaning that it covers a wide range of potential future effects of planning applications, which can include such areas as traffic congestion, noise/pollution emissions and social and commercial consequences, rather than just the 'ecological' aspects that could be implied by the 'environmental' term. History The history of independent appeal courts addressing environmental matters began with the establishment of Appeal Boards under the Town and Country Planning Act 1953. The first planning appeals were heard in February 1955. The Appeal Boards were replaced by the Planning Tribunal following the passing of the Town and Country Planning Act 1977. The Environment Court replaced the Planning Tribunal as a result of the Resource Management Amendment Act 1996. Jurisdic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
New Zealand Law Society
The New Zealand Law Society ( mi, Te Kāhui Ture o Aotearoa) is the parent body for barristers and solicitors in New Zealand. It was established in 1869, and regulates all lawyers practising in New Zealand. Membership of the society is voluntary, although any person wishing to practice law in New Zealand must obtain a practising certificate from the society. The society has 13 branch offices throughout the country. Each branch has a president and a council, which represent their members’ interests on a regional and national level. Structure The New Zealand Law Society was established by statute in 1869. The current legislation is thLawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006 (LCA) which came into force on 1 August 2008. The Act continues the Law Society and sets out its regulatory and representative functions and powers. Previous legislation provided for 14 district law societies with their own statutory powers, operating in a federal structure with the Law Society. The statutory role of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
