Judiciary in NZ - the first sitting of the court was in Auckland in February 1842. Previously, NZ had been subject to the Supreme Court of New South Wales. In 1846 a Court of Appeals was set up, to hear appeals from the Supreme Court. A true Court of Appeal first sat in February 1863. In 1957 a Court of Appeals was established, exercising an appellate jurisdiction only. The Supreme Court became the High Court in 1981, dealing with major crimes, major civil claims, appeals and reviews. The Magistrate's Courts became District Courts, which had the Family Courts set up as a division.

The following sites contain archival court records relevant to the Auckland area:

Kiwinet Database
Legal and Parliamentary Databases

NZ Trade Marks - MARK $3.50/minute
Details of all trade marks from New Zealand and overseas that are registered (or pending registration) for use in New Zealand. From 1868 onwards, updated fortnightly.
Bibliography:
Bankruptcies

Hampton, Denis, 1940- (1991). An index to bankruptcies in New Zealand, 1881-1940 [microform/9 microfiche]. Christchurch, New Zealand. New Zealand Society of Genealogists, Auckland. Bankruptcy registers, alphabetical list by last name (surname). List compiled from the Mercantile gazette, 1881-1892 and the New Zealand gazette, 1893-1940. Includes bibliographical references. ISBN: 0908770413: $12.00. North Shore Libraries.

Hampton, Denis, (1994). Witnesses who gave evidence to commissions and committees 1858-1935. [microform] Index reported in the Appendices to the Journals of the House of Representatives (AJHR). New Zealand Society of Genealogists, Auckland. Waitakere Libraries.

Wills
NZSG members are compiling a national index for the Department of Justice and Archives New Zealand. NZ Probates: Volume 1. An Index to pre 1900 Records has been published and further volumes will be published as completed. Some High Courts have transferred earlier wills and administrations to Archives New Zealand in Auckland.

NZSG, Auckland. (1988). Wills at Land and Deeds Office, Wellington. [microform] New Zealand Society of Genealogists, Auckland. North Shore Libraries.

NZSG. (1989). Deceased persons' estates, Canterbury, 1887-1914. [microform] New Zealand Society of Genealogists, Auckland. Waitakere Libraries and Takapuna NZ Collection REF.

Hampton, Denis. and NZSG. and NZ Gazette, (1992). Public Trust deceased estates Canterbury, 1901-1958." [microform/9 microfiche]: Public Trust deceased estates extracted from lists in the New Zealand gazette. Alphabetically by surname. Continued from: 'Deceased estates New Zealand gazette, 1866-1900'. ISBN: 090877057X : $21.00. Takapuna NZ Collection REF.

Hampton, Denis., (1989)., "Deceased estates New Zealand gazette, 1866-1900." [microform] New Zealand Society of Genealogists, Auckland. Waitakere City Libraries.

Hampton, Denis, (1989). Intestate estates New Zealand gazette, 1843-1869. [microform] New Zealand Society of Genealogists, Auckland. Waitakere City Libraries.