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.

Two of New Zealand's largest banks will this week be served court papers over claims they charged more than 41,600 customers unfair penalty fees.

Police have said sorry for the raids on the Tuhoe people in 2007 but there will be no ministerial apology for what happened.

I do not expect Stephen Dudley's parents to be rational about wanting the person they think caused their son's death to be punished.

South Canterbury Finance boss Allan Hubbard "had little interest" in meeting accounting or legal requirements, and colleagues went along with fraud, a court hears.

An accused child rapist is one of a growing number of people able to flee criminal charges after cutting off their electronic bracelets.

A woman who gave her son a lethal dose of her methadone to cure a sore stomach been jailed for four years and 11 months.

Rochelle Crewe says she's pleased her aunt and grandparents have been cleared over the deaths of her parents.

Conservation Minister Nick Smith says he has "heeded the Prime Minister's advice" and backed down on a legal threat against an environmental advocate.

Prime Minister John Key says Conservation Minister Nick Smith would be "silly" to take legal action against an environmental advocate who accused him of political interference.

Police have apologised to Malcolm Rewa's victims over the length of time it took to catch the serial rapist and prevent his offending.

I have reluctantly concluded that NZ does suffer a rape culture. Men can commit sex crimes and get away with it, writes Rodney Hide.

A judge has refused to place a court order over a 9000sq m property in a picturesque Queenstown settlement as a liquidator chases $740k used to buy the land.

A High Court judge found a leading firm of architects does not have a "watertight" defence in a leaky building case over a Waiheke Island house.

Editorial: If diplomats aren't going to be held to account for offences against the citizens and law of their host country, the country they belong to could at least be named.

Surrounded by five security guards and with his hands cuffed together, prisoner Damian Karl Wereta made no attempt today to escape the courtroom dock.

Authors and media leaders are calling for a change in privacy laws after a High Court ruling that writing a book - even about a topical issue - is not a "news activity".

Capital + Merchant Finance's out-of-pocket investors finally have some good news seven years after its collapse with an $18.5 million settlement announced today.

A terminally-ill divorcee faces being evicted from her home despite being owed nearly $1 million, after her case was put off for three months while a judge is on holiday.

Justice Minister Judith Collins has ruled out reversing the burden of proof in domestic violence cases - one of the key recommendations in the first report of the Glenn Inquiry.