Can I bring a support
person into the Family Court
You can always bring support people to the family court building. They can be with you while you wait for your hearing inside the courtroom. Entry to the family courtroom itself is usually restricted to the parties and their lawyers and lawyer for the child (if one has been appointed).
However support people can be present inside the courtroom in the following circumstances:
- When the other party to the proceedings consents to them being present in the courtroom.
- When an application under the Domestic Violence Act 1995, (regarding a protection order) is being heard and the applicant wishes a person to be present in court with them, for the purposes of providing support.
- With approval from a Family Court Judge, a self-litigant may also have a lay person in Court to assist them. Sometimes referred to as a "McKenzie Friend", this person can give the self-litigant advice and take notes, but they cannot act as their advocate, address the Family Court or talk about the case with anyone else. If self-litigants intend being accompanied at the Family Court by a Lay Assistant ("McKenzie Friend") they should obtain from the Family Court the standard Application and Undertaking forms. See Auckland Family Court contact details.
The presence of any additional people in the family courtroom must be approved by the Family Court Judge who is considering your proceedings and the Family Court Judge can direct people to leave at any time.
Contact Family Lawyer
Antoinette Vujnovich
m: 021 210 0930
e: info@edenfamilylaw.co.nz
Available by appointment at 102 Jervois Road, Herne Bay, Auckland.