Almost 10,000 houses are affected by an Environment Court decision on pre-1940s demolition consents, a planner says.

The Greens have joined the Maori Party in calling for a review of the jailing of Teina Pora, who has served 20 years for the rape and murder of Susan Burdett.

A controversial website designed by a victims' lobby group to highlight judges' decisions has been launched today.

A $1,000 fine may have to be imposed for anyone avoiding jury service, a judge says.

Struck-off Auckland lawyer Barry Hart has failed in his latest bid to stop the mortgagee sale of one of his properties by the ANZ bank.

Former Hanover director Mark Hotchin has gone to court seeking some reimbursement for the millions of dollars he paid towards the construction of an Auckland mansion.

The Serious Fraud Office is expected to make an announcement regarding Hanover Finance early this week.

High-profile West Coast criminal lawyer Doug Taffs has been suspended from practising law for three months for bringing the legal profession into disrepute.

Two former fire systems contractors have been jailed for stripping buildings of potentially life-saving firefighting equipment.

Courts can make mistakes. The High Court at Auckland has surely made an egregious one in a case we have reported today.

A 31-year-old woman fraudulently obtained $38,000 in benefits over a three-year period. What sentence should she get? You be the judge.

Convicted double murderer David Tamihere has been found not guilty of breaching his parole conditions after an "incredibly stupid" crime scene fly-over with a TV crew.

Assaults, sex offences, fraud and burglary are among almost 2900 crimes which went unpunished, according to the latest statistics.

At present, 72 per cent of NZs judges are male and 28 per cent are female, writes Catriona MacLennan. NZ has a long way to go, both in terms of gender and of ethnicity, but recognising the issue would be a good start.

A relative of the 9-year-old Raetihi boy - who died after he had allegedly been given a dose of methadone - hopes an arrest over the death will end speculation.

A globetrotting conman who came to New Zealand on a purported $69 million property spending spree will spend the next 14 years in prison in the United Kingdom.

Each judgment is an exercise in risk management. Judges have to decide what risk is posed by having an alleged offender await trial in the community instead of prison.

The decision to give Michael Curran bail was legally sound, says University of Auckland criminal law expert Warren Brookbanks.

Judges are pledging greater openness and better information for the public about the administration of justice in New Zealand to meet a rising clamour for accountability.

Judges are facing the biggest overhaul of accountability in decades, with the Cabinet considering legal changes that would compel the judiciary to publish annual reports, bring transparency to judicial appointments and attempt to stem criticism.

Swift analysis can help police try to stop crimes and even catch offenders in the act. Jared Savage investigates.

A victim advocacy group is refusing to remove the name and photo of a convicted paedophile from its website despite an accusation by the Human Rights Commission.

Dozens of serving and former police officers turned out today to farewell Bruce Hutton, who was infamously accused of planting the evidence in the Crewe murder case.

The policeman found to have planted evidence that led to the wrongful conviction of Arthur Allan Thomas for the murders of Harvey and Jeannette Crewe has died.

People who are forced to represent themselves in court as legal aid budgets are cut should not attempt to imitate the fast-talking lawyers they see on television.

A judge set the task of taking the handbrake off jury-trial delays says the problem is being caused by defendants who "are not in any hurry to get off to prison".

Struck-off Auckland lawyer Barry Hart was back in court today fighting to stop the mortgagee sale of one of his properties by the ANZ bank.

An Auckland lawyer has been censured and fined after his firm prepared an affidavit for a man who was about to retract evidence against one of his clients.