New Zealand Everyday Law: Names, Trespass, Knives, Juries

Some legal questions come up in ordinary life without fitting a neat category: changing your name, being told to leave a place, carrying a pocket knife, or being summoned for jury duty. This section gathers those everyday-law guides.

This is general information about New Zealand law, not legal advice. For your own situation, consult a lawyer or your local Community Law centre.

Everyday law guides

This section covers how to change your name through the Department of Internal Affairs, what a trespass notice is and how long it lasts, the rules on carrying knives in public, the firearms registry obligations, and who is called for jury service. For how these fit with the rest of New Zealand law, see the New Zealand law guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a general 'everyday law' agency in New Zealand?

No single agency covers all of these. Name changes go through the Department of Internal Affairs, trespass and knife rules are enforced by the Police, the firearms registry is run by Te Tari Pureke, and jury service is administered by the courts. Each guide in this section links to the official source, and for advice on your own situation a lawyer or Community Law centre can help.