Free Legal Information for the West Coast.

Is there a free legal hotline for the West Coast I can call right now?

Yes — the Legal Hotline is a free legal-information line you can call any hour on 0800 461 100. An AI legal assistant gives you clear information on New Zealand law, 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 real West Coast resources can also help: Community Law Canterbury & West Coast runs a Greymouth clinic and a freephone line (0508 226 529); the Citizens Advice Bureau gives free general guidance; and if you've been arrested, the Police Detention Legal Assistance scheme provides free initial advice at any hour. A paid consultation with a New Zealand lawyer can be booked right on the call if you want one.

Where will my case be heard if I'm charged with something on the West Coast?

Almost certainly at the Greymouth courthouse, the Māwhera High and District Courts at 60 Guinness Street. The District Court there hears most criminal charges and civil claims up to $350,000; the same building hosts the Family Court, the Youth Court for young people, the High Court for the most serious trials and largest civil claims, and the Disputes and Tenancy Tribunals. Which one deals with your matter depends entirely on what kind of problem it is. Call the Legal Hotline for free information on how the right court or tribunal works for your situation — that's information, not legal advice on your case.

I've just been arrested. What should I do?

Stay calm, give police your name and address if asked, and say as little else as possible — then clearly tell them you want to speak to a lawyer and stop talking. In New Zealand you have the right to remain silent and the right to consult a lawyer without delay before any police interview, and police must let you do so. The free Police Detention Legal Assistance (PDLA) scheme gives you initial advice from a duty lawyer at any hour — ask for it. You can also call the Legal Hotline for free legal information on how the criminal process works — first appearance, bail, what happens next; 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's the drink-driving limit in New Zealand, and what happens if I'm over it?

New Zealand calls it driving with excess breath or blood alcohol, not "DUI". 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. Adult breath readings between 251 and 400 micrograms are dealt with by an infringement fine and demerit points, while higher readings are criminal charges heard in the District Court at Greymouth, where penalties can include heavy fines and disqualification — a real problem on the Coast where you depend on your licence. Refusing to give a sample is itself an offence. 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 a charge.

My partner and I have separated — how does care of the children and property work?

In New Zealand these are Family Court matters, and the Greymouth courthouse has a Family Court. Care of and contact with children is decided under the Care of Children Act 2004, with the child's welfare and best interests the first priority; dividing what you owned together is governed by the Property (Relationships) Act 1976, which generally splits relationship property equally after a relationship of three years or more; and ending a marriage or civil union (dissolution) runs under the Family Proceedings Act 1980, available after two years apart. Family Dispute Resolution mediation is often required before court. Call the Legal Hotline for free information on how these laws apply to your situation — that's information, not legal advice. A paid consultation with a family lawyer can be booked right on the call if you want one.

I think I was unfairly dismissed or underpaid at work. How long do I have?

Act quickly. Under the Employment Relations Act 2000 you usually have just 90 days from when a problem happened (or came to your notice) to raise a personal grievance with your employer — for things like unjustified dismissal or unjustified disadvantage. If it isn't resolved, the matter can go to the Employment Relations Authority and then the Employment Court. The Holidays Act 2003 and Minimum Wage Act 1983 also set minimum entitlements that apply everywhere in New Zealand, including on the Coast's dairy, mining, forestry, and tourism jobs. Call the Legal Hotline for free information on your options before the 90-day window closes; a paid consultation with an employment lawyer can be booked right on the call if you need one.

Someone owes me money or sold me something faulty — can I take them to a tribunal?

Often, yes — and you don't need a lawyer. The Disputes Tribunal handles many everyday money, consumer, and property-damage claims, and since 24 January 2026 it can hear claims of up to $60,000. It's quick, low-cost, and informal, and the Greymouth courthouse hosts tribunal hearings. Larger civil claims (up to $350,000) go to the District Court, and bigger ones to the High Court. Remember that most personal-injury claims are covered by ACC rather than the courts. Call the Legal Hotline for free information on which path fits your dispute and the deadlines under the Limitation Act 2010 — generally six years for most claims.

Is the law different on the West Coast than in the rest of New Zealand?

No. New Zealand has one national legal system, so an Act of Parliament applies the same way in Greymouth, Westport, and Hokitika as it does in Auckland or Christchurch — there's no separate "Coast law", and no state or provincial law. What's local is practical: which courthouse hears your matter (the Greymouth courts for the whole Coast), which community law clinic or duty lawyer can help, and the realities of distance and limited services. The Legal Hotline's AI legal assistant is trained on New Zealand law, so the information you get reflects the rules that actually apply to you on the Coast.

Can the Legal Hotline help with an immigration matter on the West Coast?

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 wherever you live, including for people on the Coast for seasonal work, dairy, mining, or tourism. Call the Legal Hotline for clear information on visas, residence, work and student permits, and deportation or appeal processes — that's general legal information, not legal advice on your case. Community Law and legal aid may also help if you qualify. A paid consultation with a New Zealand lawyer can be booked right on the call if you want representation.

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: the Ministry of Justice's legal-aid scheme and Community Law offer help but screen by income and run on limited hours and clinic days. A separate paid service — booking a NZ$295 consultation with a New Zealand lawyer — is available right on the call. For now you get clear legal information fast, any hour, with no income test and as many questions as you like.