New Zealand: lawyer's checklist for generative AI in court and tribunal documents (judiciary guidelines of 7 December 2023)
Checklist for New Zealand lawyers using generative AI on court or tribunal documents: check every reference, protect suppressed, privileged and private information, and disclose use when the court or tribunal asks.
MaintainedWe keep this page up to date.Law stated as at
Kind
Checklist Steps or checks to work through and tick off.
Version
1
Where it applies
New Zealand
AI use
Yellow You and the tool draft together, with you directing. You check every statement you rely on.
Source
Written for this library
Status
Maintained. Checked on 7 November 2026 against the 2 authorities it cites, for New Zealand.
When to use it
Use for any New Zealand court or tribunal document a lawyer prepares with help from a generative AI chatbot. Routine disclosure is not required under the guidelines, but be ready to explain the use if a judge or tribunal member asks.
How to use this precedent
Check that it fits the matter: read “When to use it” and the places it applies to.
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Adapt it to the matter, filling in each placeholder shown in [square brackets].
Use AI only as far as the Yellow level allows. “How AI may be used” says what AI may and must not do.
Before it goes out, a lawyer checks it against current law and each point under “The lawyer checks”.
How AI may be used
A tool may help prepare drafts and summaries from non-confidential material. The lawyer checks every reference and fact before anything goes to the court or tribunal.
AI may
Produce a first draft of a non-confidential section, marked as unchecked
List the references in a draft for the lawyer to check
AI must not
Must not receive private, confidential, suppressed or legally privileged information
Must not be relied on for New Zealand law or procedure without checking the primary source
The lawyer checks
Every reference and citation has been checked by an appropriately qualified person
No suppressed, private, confidential or privileged information was entered into the tool
Whether the court or tribunal has asked for, or requires, disclosure in this proceeding