Court services returned to Kaikoura

Justice and Courts Minister Amy Adams has welcomed the return of court services to Kaikoura.

The District Court at Kaikoura has held its first hearing since the earthquake with 29 people appearing. Court services had been unable to run in the town since it was struck by an earthquake last November.

Ms Adams thanked the court staff and judiciary for all their hard work to ensure services were quickly re-established.

“Court staff and the judiciary have worked in conjunction with the Police and the lawyers involved in Kaikoura cases to either move court cases or defer appearances until the court could run again. This collaboration at a local level helped ensure that court services still ran smoothly while acknowledging the issues that the Kaikoura population has been facing.

“The return of business as usual services to the Kaikoura District Court is another step towards normality for the town.”

The District Court at Kaikoura is a hearing centre that operates out of the Kaikoura Memorial Hall every five to six weeks. Although the Memorial Hall was not damaged in the earthquake, logistical challenges such as road closures and access to court equipment meant it was not possible to hold hearings.