Historically, trust applications were heard by a Māori Land Court judge. Now, if your application is assessed to be ‘simple and uncontested’, then it can be decided by a Māori Land Court registrar without a court sitting (unless you request to be heard by a judge in a court sitting).
Documents/Guides-Templates-Factsheets/Factsheet-Legislative-changes-affecting-trusts.pdf (303 kb)
The Court may, if it cannot otherwise address those concerns, order that the application be reheard.
Documents/Panui/FINAL-Panui-National-March-2025.pdf (1.8 mb)
If your application is determined by a Registrar, you will not need to attend court. If you would prefer your application to be heard in court by a Judge, please indicate here.
Documents/Forms/MLC-Form-21-Application-for-succession2F.pdf (865 kb)
Appealing Māori Land Court decisions about access • A person may appeal to the Māori Appellate Court on a question of law in relation to a decision of the Māori Land Court made under section 170.
Definitions and Interpretation 31 1 INTRODUCTION A. The Māori Land Court ("Court") has constituted an ahu whenua trust for the purposes set out in this Trust Order (“Order”).
Historically, most succession applications were heard by a Māori Land Court judge. Now, if your succession application is assessed to be ‘simple and uncontested’, then it can be decided by a Māori Land Court registrar without a court sitting (unless you request to be heard by a judge in a court sitting).
If your application is determined by a Registrar, you will not need to attend court. If you would prefer your application to be heard in court by a Judge, please indicate here.
Documents/Forms/MLC-Form-22-Application-for-succession2F.pdf (617 kb)
As the central, freely accessible portal for judicial decisions, JDO enables users to conduct comprehensive searches across all courts, includ- ing te ao Māori terminology. For instance, a search for ‘wāhi tapu’ will return relevant decisions from the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, High Court, Employment Court, Environment Court, and the Māori Land Court.
Documents/Articles/Maori-Land-Court-Annual-Report-Matariki-2024-Matariki-2025.pdf (16 mb)
The project was a joint one involving the Māori Land Court administration, LINZ and a sector sometimes forgotten in the literature on the project, the Māori Land Court judiciary.
If there is sufficient evidence produced to satisfy the Court of the case against you, judgment against you may be given in your absence.
