Legal Services Agency

The Duty Solicitor scheme ensures that lawyers are available “on duty” at every District Court in the country. Duty lawyers provide free legal help on the first day in court for anyone who has been charged with a criminal offence and doesn’t have their own lawyer.

The duty lawyer can explain the charge and will advise on pleas, bail, and the sentencing options available to the court. They also help people to apply for legal aid.

For more information, see the Legal Aid Guide

Initial Criminal Legal Services

In September 2005 the Agency published the findings of a Review of Initial Criminal Legal Services.

You can review the report here: Review of Initial Criminal Legal Services: Stage One final report (2005) (pdf 443kb) or see the revised criminal legal aid assignment procedures at the Auckland and Waitakere District Courts.

As a result of the Review the following project is underway to progress its findings and recommendations:

Duty Lawyer Administrative Changes Project

The Agency has been testing administrative changes to the duty solicitor scheme at the Auckland and Waitakere District Courts since late 2006 and at the Wellington, Lower Hutt and Porirua District Courts since mid-2007. The information sheet Testing Administrative Changes to the Duty Solicitor Scheme (pdf 142kb), updated in July 2008, outlines the project and the changes being tested.

Project information

The latest information is at the top of the list, or scroll down for earlier documents:

Auckland District court: Consolidated Duty Lawyer instructions (applicable from 10 August 2009) (56kb) (replaces instructions of 16 October 2006 and 5 March 2007)
Position Description - Duty Lawyer Co-ordinator: Wellington, Lower Hutt and Porirua District Courts (July 2009) (pdf 33kb)
Application form - Duty Lawyer Co-ordinator, Wellington, Lower Hutt or Porirua District Court (pdf 43kb) (applications close Monday 17 August 2009)
Wellington, Lower Hutt and Porirua District Courts: Duty Lawyer instructions (applicable from 15 June 2009) (pdf 53kb) (replaces instructions of 28 May 2007)
Waitakere District Court: Consolidated duty lawyer instructions from 30 March 2009 (pdf 147kb) (replaces instructions of 16 October 2006 and 3 December 2007)
Policy for admission to test court duty lawyers rosters (non-trainees) (effective from 4 August 2008) (pdf 43kb)
Waitakere District Court: Duty Lawyer instruction (additional) applicable from 3 December 2007 (pdf 49kb) (superseded March 2009)
Interim rostering policy from 17 July 2006 across the Auckland, Waitakere and North Shore District Courts (pdf 38kb)
Interim policy for trainee induction at Wellington, Lower Hutt and Porirua District Courts (June 2007) (pdf 61kb)
Revised criminal legal aid assignment procedures at the Wellington, Lower Hutt, Porirua and Upper Hutt District Courts (Effective from 28 May 2007)
Wellington, Lower Hutt and Porirua District Courts: Duty Lawyer instructions (applicable from 28 May 2007) (pdf 69kb) (superseded June 2009)
Saturday and public holiday duty lawyer rosters: Procedures for rostering at the Wellington, Lower Hutt and Porirua District Courts (May 2007) (pdf 37kb)
Interim policy for trainee induction at Waitakere and Auckland District Courts (March 2007) (pdf 303kb)
Auckland District Court: Duty Lawyer instructions (second set), issued 1 March 2007 (pdf 168kb) (superseded August 2009)
Duty Lawyer Supervisor Job description (pdf 83kb) Wellington, Porirua and Lower Hutt District Courts
Amended procedures for Saturdays and public holidays (pdf 82kb)
Auckland District Court: Duty Lawyer instructions applicable from 16 October 2006 (pdf 24kb)(superseded August 2009)
Waitakere District Court: Duty Lawyer instructions applicable from 16 October 2006 (pdf 26kb) (superseded March 2009)
Interim rostering policy from 17 July 2006 across the Auckland, Waitakere and North Shore District Courts (pdf 37kb)
Revised criminal legal aid assignment procedures at the Auckland and Waitakere District Courts (Effective from 17 July 2006)

For further information about the Duty Lawyer Administrative Changes Project please contact info@lsa.govt.nz