Visiting the Supreme Court
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| Address | 85 Lambton Quay, Wellington |
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| Telephone | (04) 918 8222 |
Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm. Closed weekends and public holidays.
Supreme Court Visitors
- Will be required to go through security screening before being permitted access to the court building.
Supreme Court hearings
Visitors are welcome to view hearings at the Supreme Court if they comply with the above restrictions for visitors. See upcoming cases.
Guided tours
The Supreme Court is located in the heart of Wellington’s central business district, directly opposite Parliament. Free guided tours are available of the Supreme Court complex, which include the historic Old High Court. We cater for groups and for individuals. Tours last approximately 1 hour, or 1.5 hours for school groups. These lengths can be negotiated if you require.
During the tour you will:
- walk through the Supreme Court and hear about the establishment and operation of the court;
- watch a short video about the New Zealand’s court system and the principles of open justice;
- visit the Old High Court to hear about its history, how trials are structured, and past Chief Justices;
- be taken down to the cells of the Old High Court.
School tours also include an interactive lesson.
Public tours for individuals and small groups run on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2pm. Please email tours@justice.govt.nz to book.
Education, professional and community groups can book a tour by emailing tours@justice.govt.nz with the following information:
- the day and time you would prefer
- the number of people in your group
- details of any accessibility requirements
- if booking for a school group please include the year group.
All tours are subject to the daily business of the Courts and tours can sometimes be adapted for this reason.
The Supreme Court is situated across the road from Parliament, and visiting both institutions provides a valuable learning experience. Parliament offers educational visits for school groups, these can be booked at : Education at Parliament.
Self-guided tours
For visitors wanting to do a self-guided tour there is a brochure available in the foyer of the Supreme Court. Visitors can view a video on the design of the building and a video about the court system. The courtroom can be viewed through the observation window.
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The Supreme Court building is accessible to those using mobility aids. The Old High Court is a historic building and is less accessible. Access can be improved if we are notified when the tour is booked. |
Security
We do not store belongings while visitors are on tours.
Other
Another branch of Government to visit