High Court - civil proceeding case volumes - for the 12 months ending 31 December 2023

General Proceedings        
Registry   New Business Disposals Total Active as at 31/12/23
Auckland Tāmaki Makaurau 618 511 894
Whangarei Whangārei-terenga-parāoa 24 12 43
Rotorua Te Rotorua-nui-a-Kahumatamomoe         15 11 26
Tauranga Tauranga Moana 37 37 55
Hamilton Kirikiriroa 57 60 83
Wellington Te Whanganui-a-Tara 138 183 602*
Napier Ahuriri 24 7 38
Palmerston North                Te Papaioea 22 22 28
Whanganui Whanganui 4 13 2
Gisborne Tūranganui-a-Kiwa 6 4 7
New Plymouth Ngāmotu 12 12 14
Nelson Whakatū 8 15 17
Blenheim Te Waiharakeke 5 6 12
Masterton Whakaoriori 4 4 8
Christchurch Ōtautahi 113 131 161
Timaru Te Tihi-o-Maru 7 8 10
Dunedin Ōtepoti 22 22 21
Invercargill Waihōpai 28 21 31
Greymouth Māwhera 1 2 3
National Total   1,145 1,081 2,055

 

Originating Applications        
Registry   New Business Disposals Total Active as at 31/12/23
Auckland Tāmaki Makaurau 372 362 238
Whangarei Whangārei-terenga-parāoa 24 20 10
Rotorua Te Rotorua-nui-a-Kahumatamomoe 22 19 13
Tauranga Tauranga Moana 31 32 14
Hamilton Kirikiriroa 40 42 27
Wellington Te Whanganui-a-Tara 125 107 215
Napier Ahuriri 15 10 8
Palmerston North Te Papaioea 14 13 11
Whanganui Whanganui 4 2 3
Gisborne Tūranganui-a-Kiwa 6 5 5
New Plymouth Ngāmotu 8 6 5
Nelson Whakatū 16 10 10
Blenheim Te Waiharakeke 2 1 1
Masterton Whakaoriori 4 2 3
Christchurch Ōtautahi 75 68 40
Timaru Te Tihi-o-Maru 4 5 3
Dunedin Ōtepoti 18 15 11
Invercargill Waihōpai 11 12 8
Greymouth Māwhera 1 0 1
National Total   792 731 626
Judicial Reviews        
Registry   New Business Disposals Total Active as at  31/12/2023
Auckland Tāmaki Makaurau 67 80 49
Whangarei Whangārei-terenga-parāoa 3 4 1
Rotorua Te Rotorua-nui-a-Kahumatamomoe      1 4 2
Tauranga Tauranga Moana 2 6 0
Hamilton Kirikiriroa 13 17 9
Wellington Te Whanganui-a-Tara 48 59 38
Napier Ahuriri 1 2 1
Palmerston North          Te Papaioea 0 2 0
Whanganui Whanganui 0 0 0
Gisborne Tūranganui-a-Kiwa 0 2 0
New Plymouth Ngāmotu 2 3 2
Nelson Whakatū 1 1 0
Blenheim Te Waiharakeke 1 0 1
Masterton Whakaoriori 1 0 1
Christchurch Ōtautahi 14 16 8
Timaru Te Tihi-o-Maru 0 0 0
Dunedin Ōtepoti 2 4 0
Invercargill Waihōpai 4 3 4
Greymouth Māwhera 0 0 0
National Total   160 203 116
Total Civil Cases        
Registry   New Business Disposals Total Active as at 31/12/23
Auckland Tāmaki Makaurau 1,057 953 1,181
Whangarei Whangārei-terenga-parāoa 51 36 54
Rotorua Te Rotorua-nui-a-Kahumatamomoe       38 34 41
Tauranga Tauranga Moana 70 75 69
Hamilton Kirikiriroa 110 119 119
Wellington Te Whanganui-a-Tara 311 349 855
Napier Ahuriri 40 19 47
Palmerston North            Te Papaioea 36 37 39
Whanganui Whanganui 8 15 5
Gisborne Tūranganui-a-Kiwa 12 11 12
New Plymouth Ngāmotu 22 21 21
Nelson Whakatū 25 26 27
Blenheim Te Waiharakeke 8 7 14
Masterton Whakaoriori 9 6 12
Christchurch Ōtautahi 202 215 209
Timaru Te Tihi-o-Maru 11 13 13
Dunedin Ōtepoti 42 41 32
Invercargill Waihōpai 43 36 43
Greymouth Māwhera 2 2 4
National Total   2,097 2,015 2,797

* - includes the 421 historic abuse cases noted in the commentary as currently not requiring management.

Note:

Masterton is a filing-only registry for the High Court; proceedings filed in Masterton are generally heard in Wellington.

Definitions

New business

HC civil
New business includes all general proceedings, originating applications and judicial reviews filed in the High Court.

Disposals at delivery of final judgment or earlier final outcome

HC civil
Disposals are counted at the delivery of the final judgment, or at an earlier final outcome. They are limited to general proceedings, originating applications and judicial reviews.

Total active cases - all cases awaiting substantive hearing, final judgment or final outcome

HC civil
Active cases are those cases that are proceeding to or awaiting a defended hearing or are awaiting final judgment. They are limited to general proceedings, originating applications and judicial reviews.