High Court - civil proceeding case volumes - for the 12 months ending 31 December 2025
| General Proceedings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registry | New Business | Disposals | Total Active as at 31/12/25 | |
| Auckland | Tāmaki Makaurau | 652 | 578 | 901 |
| Whangarei | Whangārei-terenga-parāoa | 36 | 29 | 62 |
| Rotorua | Te Rotorua-nui-a-Kahumatamomoe | 30 | 21 | 39 |
| Tauranga | Tauranga Moana | 42 | 37 | 59 |
| Hamilton | Kirikiriroa | 62 | 53 | 89 |
| Wellington | Te Whanganui-a-Tara | 134 | 145 | 533 |
| Napier | Ahuriri | 28 | 18 | 42 |
| Palmerston North | Te Papaioea | 15 | 29 | 17 |
| Whanganui | Whanganui | 7 | 5 | 7 |
| Gisborne | Tūranganui-a-Kiwa | 8 | 6 | 10 |
| New Plymouth | Ngāmotu | 10 | 14 | 11 |
| Nelson | Whakatū (Jan - Oct) | 14 | 9 | - |
| Blenheim | Te Waiharakeke (Jan - Oct) | 7 | 3 | - |
| Masterton | Whakaoriori | 7 | 11 | 7 |
| Christchurch | Ōtautahi | 161 | 117 | 189 |
| Timaru | Te Tihi-o-Maru | 10 | 9 | 10 |
| Dunedin | Ōtepoti | 24 | 18 | 25 |
| Invercargill | Waihōpai | 38 | 33 | 43 |
| Greymouth | Māwhera | 5 | 3 | 7 |
| Nelson | Whakatū (Nov - Dec) | 3 | 2 | 18 |
| Blenheim | Te Waiharakeke (Nov - Dec) | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| National Total | 1,293 | 1,140 | 2,080 |
| Originating Applications | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registry | New Business | Disposals | Total Active as at 31/12/25 | |
| Auckland | Tāmaki Makaurau | 419 | 442 | 193 |
| Whangarei | Whangārei-terenga-parāoa | 26 | 27 | 11 |
| Rotorua | Te Rotorua-nui-a-Kahumatamomoe | 29 | 17 | 28 |
| Tauranga | Tauranga Moana | 29 | 30 | 24 |
| Hamilton | Kirikiriroa | 45 | 37 | 25 |
| Wellington | Te Whanganui-a-Tara | 129 | 125 | 198 |
| Napier | Ahuriri | 20 | 15 | 11 |
| Palmerston North | Te Papaioea | 21 | 17 | 11 |
| Whanganui | Whanganui | 7 | 4 | 6 |
| Gisborne | Tūranganui-a-Kiwa | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| New Plymouth | Ngāmotu | 10 | 11 | 6 |
| Nelson | Whakatū (Jan - Oct) | 18 | 18 | - |
| Blenheim | Te Waiharakeke (Jan - Oct) | 4 | 5 | - |
| Masterton | Whakaoriori | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Christchurch | Ōtautahi | 83 | 94 | 35 |
| Timaru | Te Tihi-o-Maru | 6 | 4 | 4 |
| Dunedin | Ōtepoti | 28 | 30 | 9 |
| Invercargill | Waihōpai | 28 | 20 | 13 |
| Greymouth | Māwhera | 4 | 2 | 3 |
| Nelson | Whakatū (Nov - Dec) | 3 | 4 | 6 |
| Blenheim | Te Waiharakeke (Nov - Dec) | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| National Total | 920 | 909 | 595 |
| Judicial Reviews | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registry | New Business | Disposals | Total Active as at 31/12/2025 | |
| Auckland | Tāmaki Makaurau | 88 | 78 | 59 |
| Whangarei | Whangārei-terenga-parāoa | 5 | 0 | 2 |
| Rotorua | Te Rotorua-nui-a-Kahumatamomoe | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| Tauranga | Tauranga Moana | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Hamilton | Kirikiriroa | 13 | 12 | 16 |
| Wellington | Te Whanganui-a-Tara | 71 | 62 | 54 |
| Napier | Ahuriri | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Palmerston North | Te Papaioea | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Whanganui | Whanganui | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Gisborne | Tūranganui-a-Kiwa | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| New Plymouth | Ngāmotu | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| Nelson | Whakatū (Jan - Oct) | 2 | 2 | - |
| Blenheim | Te Waiharakeke (Jan - Oct) | 0 | 1 | - |
| Masterton | Whakaoriori | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christchurch | Ōtautahi | 14 | 22 | 13 |
| Timaru | Te Tihi-o-Maru | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dunedin | Ōtepoti | 8 | 6 | 3 |
| Invercargill | Waihōpai | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Greymouth | Māwhera | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nelson | Whakatū (Nov - Dec) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Blenheim | Te Waiharakeke (Nov - Dec) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| National Total | 222 | 203 | 167 |
| Total Civil Cases | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registry | New Business | Disposals | Total Active as at 31/12/25 | |
| Auckland | Tāmaki Makaurau | 1,159 | 1,098 | 1,153 |
| Whangarei | Whangārei-terenga-parāoa | 67 | 56 | 75 |
| Rotorua | Te Rotorua-nui-a-Kahumatamomoe | 62 | 39 | 70 |
| Tauranga | Tauranga Moana | 74 | 70 | 87 |
| Hamilton | Kirikiriroa | 120 | 102 | 130 |
| Wellington | Te Whanganui-a-Tara | 334 | 332 | 785 |
| Napier | Ahuriri | 48 | 34 | 53 |
| Palmerston North | Te Papaioea | 40 | 49 | 31 |
| Whanganui | Whanganui | 18 | 12 | 15 |
| Gisborne | Tūranganui-a-Kiwa | 13 | 11 | 16 |
| New Plymouth | Ngāmotu | 24 | 30 | 21 |
| Nelson | Whakatū (Jan - Oct) | 34 | 29 | - |
| Blenheim | Te Waiharakeke (Jan - Oct) | 11 | 9 | - |
| Masterton | Whakaoriori | 10 | 12 | 11 |
| Christchurch | Ōtautahi | 258 | 233 | 237 |
| Timaru | Te Tihi-o-Maru | 16 | 13 | 14 |
| Dunedin | Ōtepoti | 60 | 54 | 37 |
| Invercargill | Waihōpai | 69 | 57 | 59 |
| Greymouth | Māwhera | 9 | 5 | 10 |
| Nelson | Whakatū (Nov - Dec) | 6 | 6 | 24 |
| Blenheim | Te Waiharakeke (Nov - Dec) | 3 | 1 | 14 |
| National Total | 2,435 | 2,252 | 2,842 |
* - includes the 389 historic abuse cases noted in the commentary as currently not requiring management.
Note:
Masterton is a filing-only registry for the High Court; proceedings filed in Masterton are generally heard in Wellington.
Definitions
New business
HC civil
New business includes all general proceedings, originating applications and judicial reviews filed in the High Court.
Disposals at delivery of final judgment or earlier final outcome
HC civil
Disposals are counted at the delivery of the final judgment, or at an earlier final outcome. They are limited to general proceedings, originating applications and judicial reviews.
Total active cases - all cases awaiting substantive hearing, final judgment or final outcome
HC civil
Active cases are those cases that are proceeding to or awaiting a defended hearing or are awaiting final judgment. They are limited to general proceedings, originating applications and judicial reviews.