The anti-mandate protest at Parliament is stalling scores of court cases - including one trial involving sex charges.
Around 2000 people are remanded behind bars awaiting their day in court, among them a man awaiting a week-long sexual violation trial.
His trial that was set to be heard in the High Court at Wellington next week has been adjourned without a new date in sight.
The news comes after Chief Justice Helen Winkelmann released a minute on the issue, expressing her concern regarding the adjournment of the one-week trial.
Winklemann said criminal proceedings could not go ahead if they required the attendance of people who were in custody because access to the courts had been blocked by vehicles parked by protesters.
"Functioning courts are critical to the maintenance of law and order and the safeguarding of human rights," Winkelmann said.
"The courts must be able to continue to do their work. This serves the whole community – including victims of crime and defendants in custody awaiting their day in court."
Winkelmann said she was also concerned that the presence of protesters in the court precincts may intimidate court users.
The number of people awaiting their day in court has been a contentious issue as recently as last week, with fears of jury numbers impacting trials.
According to numbers provided to Open Justice, just over 2000 people are waiting in custody to resolve the charges they face.
New Zealand Law Society president Tiana Epati described the halt of the jury trial as distressing, particularly for those who will be impacted by it.
"It is very disappointing that a jury trial cannot proceed as a direct result of disruptions by the Wellington protests," Epati said.
"As the Chief Justice points out, delay in holding a jury trial has a very real and significant human impact. For victims, witnesses, whānau and the defendant."
Epati said it was particularly disappointing a trial involving very serious allegations for a defendant in custody would be delayed.
"There are just over 2000 people waiting in custody for their charges to be resolved. So to have the protesters further disrupt us trying to get on with the jury trials waiting for hearing is distressing."
The protest is now in its 11th day, and attendees are saying there will be no slowing down.
The news comes at the same time as Police Commissioner Andrew Coster announced the only safe way to end the protest was through negotiation and de-escalation.
"Police's current assessment of the situation is that any enforcement action by police runs a serious risk of much wider harm than the protest is presently creating.
"We continue to carefully navigate our options to reopen the roads, but the most desirable way to end this safely is to encourage open communication channels."
Three of the whales succumbed on the shore.