Free Legal Information for Wellington.

Is there a free legal hotline in Wellington I can call right now?

Yes — the Legal Hotline is a free legal-information line. An AI legal assistant gives you clear legal information on New Zealand law any hour, with no income test, and you can ask as many questions as you like. It's legal information, not legal advice, and it won't create a lawyer-client relationship. Other Wellington resources can also help: Community Law Wellington & Hutt Valley ((04) 499 2928) gives free advice to people on low incomes, and Legal Aid through the Ministry of Justice funds lawyers for those who qualify. A paid consultation with a New Zealand lawyer can be booked right on the call if you want one.

I was just arrested in Wellington. What should I do?

Stay calm, give your name and address if asked, and say as little else as possible — then clearly tell police you want to speak to a lawyer. In New Zealand you have the right to consult and instruct a lawyer without delay and the right to silence, and police must tell you about these rights. There is a free Police Detention Legal Assistance scheme that lets people who have been arrested or detained speak with a lawyer at any hour, so ask for it. You can also call the Legal Hotline for free legal information on how the criminal process — bail, your first appearance at the Wellington District Court, and disclosure — works; that's information, not legal advice. A paid consultation with a criminal lawyer can be booked right on the call if you want one.

What is the drink-driving limit in New Zealand, and what happens if I'm over it?

Under the Land Transport Act 1998, the adult limit is 250 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath or 50 milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood. For drivers under 20 the limit is zero. A breath reading in the lower adult band (251–400 micrograms) generally brings an infringement fine and demerit points without a criminal conviction; higher readings, or any alcohol for a young driver, can lead to a charge in the Wellington District Court, a fine, and disqualification. Refusing to give a sample is itself an offence. New Zealand uses 'drink-driving', not 'DUI'. Call the Legal Hotline for free information on how this works; a paid consultation with a lawyer can be booked right on the call if you want to defend the charge.

Where is the Wellington District Court and what does it deal with?

The Wellington District Court is at 43-49 Ballance Street in the central city, open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. It hears most criminal charges in the area and is also home to the Family Court (care of children, relationship property, dissolution of marriage) and the Youth Court, and it hosts the Disputes Tribunal, the Tenancy Tribunal, coronial services, and registries for the Employment Court and Environment Court. More serious criminal trials and high-value civil claims are heard at the High Court in Wellington. Call the Legal Hotline for free legal information on what to expect at court; that's information, not legal advice.

I'm separating from my partner in Wellington — how does the Family Court work?

Family matters in the Wellington region are dealt with by the Family Court, which sits within the Wellington District Court. Care of and contact with children is decided under the Care of Children Act 2004, the division of relationship property under the Property (Relationships) Act 1976, and dissolution of marriage (divorce) under the Family Proceedings Act 1980 — for which you generally need to have been living apart for two years. The Family Violence Act 2018 covers protection orders. Many family disputes start with out-of-court services like Family Dispute Resolution mediation. Call the Legal Hotline for clear legal information on how the process works; a paid consultation with a family lawyer can be booked right on the call if you want representation.

I have a problem at work in Wellington. How long do I have to act?

Move quickly. Under the Employment Relations Act 2000, if you want to raise a personal grievance — for example for unjustified dismissal or for being treated unfairly — you generally must raise it with your employer within 90 days of the problem (or of when you became aware of it). If it can't be sorted out directly or through free mediation, it can go to the Employment Relations Authority and then the Employment Court, which has a registry in Wellington. Free help is available from Community Law and from employment.govt.nz. Call the Legal Hotline for free legal information on your options; a paid consultation with an employment lawyer can be booked right on the call if you need one.

How long do I have to take a civil claim to court in New Zealand?

For most civil claims, the Limitation Act 2010 sets a general period of six years from the date the claim arose, after which you usually lose the right to sue — though some claims have different rules and a longstop period can apply. Smaller money and consumer disputes up to $60,000 go to the Disputes Tribunal, a quick and informal forum where you usually can't bring a lawyer; larger claims go to the District Court (up to $350,000) or the High Court. Importantly, ACC's no-fault scheme bars most lawsuits for personal injury. Call the Legal Hotline for free information on how limitation periods and the right forum apply to your situation; a paid consultation with a lawyer can be booked right on the call if you need one.

How is the Legal Hotline different from a lawyer or legal aid?

We're a fast first step, not a law firm. Our AI legal assistant gives you general legal information about New Zealand law instantly when you call — but it does not give legal advice on your specific case, is not a substitute for a lawyer, and using it won't create a lawyer-client relationship. We're also not legal aid. Government-funded Legal Aid and free services like Community Law offer advice and representation but screen by income and operate mostly in business hours. A separate paid service — booking a NZ$295 consultation with a New Zealand lawyer — is available right on the call. Either way, you get clear legal information fast, any hour, with no income test and as many questions as you like.

Does New Zealand law differ between Wellington and the rest of the country?

No. New Zealand has one unified legal system, so the same Acts of Parliament — the Crimes Act 1961, the Land Transport Act 1998, the Care of Children Act 2004, and the rest — apply identically in Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch, and everywhere else. There are no state or provincial laws. What is local is the court and the services: your case will be filed and heard at the Wellington District Court or the High Court in Wellington, and free help comes from local providers like Community Law Wellington & Hutt Valley. The Legal Hotline's AI legal assistant is trained on New Zealand law, so the information you get reflects how things actually work wherever you are.

Can the Legal Hotline help with an immigration matter in Wellington?

Immigration is national law, governed by the Immigration Act 2009 and administered by Immigration New Zealand, with appeals to the Immigration and Protection Tribunal — so the rules are the same across the country. Call the Legal Hotline for clear legal information on visas, residence, work and student permits, deportation, and refugee or protection claims — that's information, not legal advice on your case. Community Law Wellington & Hutt Valley also offers specialist refugee and immigration advice to those who qualify. A paid consultation with a New Zealand lawyer can be booked right on the call if you want representation.