One of the sisters jailed for the brutal murder of a south Auckland man has been denied parole.

In the past four years, 46 alleged offenders have had their cases thrown out of court due to delays- including those on rape and assault charges.

Leading public lawyer Mai Chen says New Zealand's 2007 changes to smacking law have criminalised "good parents".

The man who was molested by Phillip Smith as a child, and who watched Smith murder his father, says he can now carry on with his life "without having that fear over my shoulders".

Police are eyeing money from the sale of three houses owned by a couple accused of defrauding NZX-listed Mighty River Power.

National law firm Buddle Findlay has been barred by the High Court from acting in two cases involving either current or former clients in the space of a month.

The British outsourcing giant that operates Auckland's Mt Eden prison is facing major financial strife, with its boss warning jobs will be slashed.

Prime Minister John Key has apologised to the family of the victims of Phillip Smith, saying his joke was a 'poorly placed attempt at humour'.

Corrections Minister Sam Lotu-Iiga is defending his handling of the escape of a high-risk prisoner as his department was forced to put all prisoner releases on hold.

Police confident Phillip Smith will be caught if he catches attention of Chilean authorities but South America is “a big place” and there are no guarantees.

Lord Toulson asked New Zealand's Solicitor-General the $50,000 question in the Privy Council in London this week.

The Privy Council last night heard that the Crown accepts Teina Pora suffers Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder - but it disputes it would've led to a different verdict.

An error in not calling evidence regarding erectile dysfunction of a serial rapist led Teina Pora to be wrongly convicted of a rape and murder, Privy Council hears.

Bob Jones writes: Given the constant foreign news ghastliness, particularly mad Muslim vileness, I sometimes think blissful ignorance may have merit.

A Whanganui woman who took two and a half years to complete just one hour of a 200-hour community work sentence has been hauled back before a court.

Former Act MP and Auckland Mayor John Banks hopes he will be vindicated following a legal appeal against his sentence and conviction for filing a false electoral return.

Mercy is not what the innocent seek. It's justice, writes Brian Rudman. An independent body, sifting all the facts in a dispassionate way, is the best way to get to the truth.

A specialist building and construction lawyer has backed a Supreme Court decision on an apartment owner's access to his Auckland block.

The fate of three businessmen accused of masterminding the "biggest fraud in New Zealand's history" will be determined tomorrow morning.

The police officer accused of planting a cartridge case in the Crewe double-murder inquiry went to his grave denying he fitted up Arthur Allan Thomas.

A victim of a violent assault is fighting for justice after his alleged attacker's case was thrown out by a judge who thought it was "unfair" to try him because of a delay.

Deborah Hart writes: Family law arbitration, the latest conflict-resolution tool for people seeking resolutions for difficult domestic circumstances, marks another milestone.

A High Court lawsuit involving the botched sale of a $6 million luxury Auckland property, an allegedly negligent real estate agency and a Takapuna law firm is set to begin today.

A move away from the adversarial court system for sexual and domestic violence may be back on the agenda after the resignation of former Justice Minister Judith Collins, a senior National MP says.

In the latest Herald policy series, we put the election spotlight on the parties' plans for law and order.

Justice Minister Judith Collins has approved the extradition of a former Catholic brother to Australia to face child-sex charges.

A date has been set for John Banks’ appeal against his conviction for knowingly filing a false electoral return.