Dunedin matters run through the Dunedin District Court in the city's restored historic courthouse precinct — first appearances, bail, most criminal trials, and the Family Court's work on separation, care of children, property and protection orders. The High Court at Dunedin hears Otago's most serious criminal cases (category 4 offences such as murder) and major civil claims, and the wider region is served by further District Court sittings including Queenstown for the fast-growing inland resorts and Oamaru for North Otago. Free help is well established: Community Law Otago advises people who cannot afford a lawyer, the duty lawyer scheme covers first appearances at the Dunedin court, legal aid funds serious defence, and the Police Detention Legal Assistance scheme provides a free lawyer by phone, any hour, to anyone detained.
Criminal Law in Dunedin
Dunedin charges start at the District Court — first appearance, bail, most trials — with category 4 offences and serious jury trials at the High Court at Dunedin. National law applies: the Crimes Act 1961, the Criminal Procedure Act 2011's categories, the Bail Act 2000. For a student city, the exits matter especially: police diversion for first-time minor offending, and the discharge without conviction (s 106) where a conviction's consequences — a career, registration, travel — would be out of all proportion.
Use the free layers: the duty lawyer at first appearance, criminal legal aid, the free Police Detention Legal Assistance phone lawyer in custody. And before any interview or plea, the free line — any hour, including the Saturday nights these things actually happen. Speak to a lawyer about a criminal law matter → Family Law in Dunedin
Separation, care of children, relationship property and protection orders for Dunedin run through the Family Court at the District Court. The national rules decide: equal sharing after 3 years together, the child's welfare paramount, without-notice protection orders often within 24 to 48 hours — and the 12-month property clock after a divorce.
Community Law Otago provides free advice for those who qualify, and Family Dispute Resolution mediation is the gateway for most parenting disputes. The free line explains what applies to your family, any hour. Speak to a lawyer about a family law matter → Drink Driving & Traffic in Dunedin
Drink-driving charges from Dunedin and Otago's highways are heard at the local District Court. National limits: 250 micrograms of breath alcohol for drivers 20 and over — and zero for drivers under 20, the rule that catches students hardest: any alcohol at all is an offence. Over 400 micrograms is criminal, with a mandatory minimum 6-month disqualification on conviction and the immediate 28-day roadside suspension above 650.
The free line explains where a reading lands, what the under-20 zero limit means in practice, and whether a limited "work" licence is realistic — before the first court date. Speak to a lawyer about a drink driving & traffic matter → Employment Law in Dunedin
Dunedin employment disputes — dismissals, hospitality and seasonal-work issues, unpaid wages — follow the national path: a personal grievance raised with the employer within 90 days, free mediation, then the Employment Relations Authority. Casual and part-time workers hold the same core rights: minimum wage, holiday pay, written agreements, and protection from unjustified dismissal.
The 90-day clock is strict. If something has happened at work, call the free line this week — raising a grievance costs nothing. Speak to a lawyer about a employment law matter → Dunedin Courts
Where your matter is heard depends on the offence and its seriousness. The courts that serve Dunedin are:
Dunedin District Court
The city's historic courthouse — first appearances, bail, most criminal trials, and Family Court jurisdiction for separation, care of children, property and protection orders.
High Court at Dunedin
Otago's most serious criminal cases (category 4 offences), serious jury trials and major civil claims.
Queenstown & Oamaru District Courts
Serving inland Otago's resorts and North Otago — the charge sheet or summons names the venue for your matter.
What to Do Right Now
1
Check which court your paperwork names — Otago matters are listed at Dunedin, Queenstown or Oamaru, and the venue governs.
2
Record what happened while it is fresh — dates, times, readings, names — and keep every document together.
3
Avoid irreversible moves — guessed pleas, apologising in writing to complainants, social-media commentary.
4
Call 0800 461 100 free, any hour, for plain-English legal information — and book a NZ$295 (GST inclusive) consultation with a New Zealand lawyer right on the call if you want one.
Dunedin Legal Questions
Which court hears my Otago matter?
Your charge sheet or summons names it — Dunedin District Court for the city and much of the region, Queenstown for the inland resorts, Oamaru for North Otago. The most serious criminal cases go to the High Court at Dunedin.
Can I get free legal help in Dunedin?
Yes — Legal Hotline's line is free, 24/7, on 0800 461 100. Community Law Otago advises people who cannot afford a lawyer, the duty lawyer covers first appearances, legal aid funds serious defence, and the Police Detention Legal Assistance scheme provides a free phone lawyer to anyone detained, any hour.
How do I get a Dunedin lawyer quickly?
Call 0800 461 100, free, any hour — immediate legal information first, then a one-hour consultation with a New Zealand lawyer (NZ$295, GST inclusive) bookable right on the call.
Are you a Dunedin law firm?
No. Legal Hotline is not a law firm — the free line provides general legal information, not legal advice, and creates no lawyer-client relationship. When you want advice, we connect you with a New Zealand lawyer for a fixed-fee consultation. Otago lawyers can join through our For Lawyers page.