| Location |
Date |
Judge |
Notes |
Court of Petty Sessions |
| Auckland |
2 September 1841 |
|
Sat weekly on Tuesdays at Auckland, Port Nicholson, Russell, Kororarika, Waimate, Hokianga, Kaitaia, Munganui, Wangaroa, Kaipaea, Mauranghi, Coromandel Harbour, Munakau, Kawia, Queen Charlotte's Sound, Cloudy Bay, Otago, Akaroa, Taranaki and Wanganui. |
Court of Requests |
| Auckland |
7 September 1841 |
|
Sittings to be held on first Thursday of January, April, July and October. |
| Wellington |
19 October 1841 |
|
Sittings to be held on first Thursday of January, April, July and October. |
| Russell |
3 February 1842 |
|
Sittings to be held on the last Thursday of January, April, July and October. |
| |
|
|
Governor Grey orders the closure of Auckland and Nelson Courts of Requests in 1848. The court was formally abolished in 1858. |
County Court |
| Wellington |
18 May 1842 |
Justice Halswell |
Sittings to be held monthly (except April and October) until September 1844. |
| Russell |
18 July 1843 |
|
Sittings to be held monthly (except April and October) until September 1844. |
| Auckland |
|
Justice Whitaker |
|
| Nelson |
|
Justice Thompson |
|
Court of Quarter Sessions |
| Wellington |
5 October 1841 |
|
Sittings to be held on the first Tuesday of January, April, July and October. |
| Auckland |
5 October 1841 |
|
Sittings to be held on the first Tuesday of January, April, July and October. |
| Russell |
25 January 1842 |
|
Sittings to be held on the first Tuesday of January, April, July and October. |
| Location |
Date |
Judge |
Notes |
| Auckland |
28 February 1842 |
Chief Justice Martin |
The first Supreme Court session was held on Tuesday 28 February 1842. On this date Chief Justice Martin admitted the following barristers and solicitors: Charles Babbington Brewer, H. Augustus Thompson, Frederick Whitaker, Thomas Edward Conry and Henry Littlewood. The first criminal cases heard on 1 March included Maketu for the murder of five Pakeha settlers in Northland. Maketu was also the first person executed in the Colony, on 7 March 1842. |
| Wellington |
14 October 1842 |
Chief Justice Martin |
Justice Halswell, Judge of the County Court, heard applications for the first sitting at the Court in September 1842. |
| Nelson |
14 September 1844 |
Justice Chapman |
It was intended to be a regular circuit court held twice-yearly in April and October but the circuit proved to be very irregular during the 1840s. |
| Russell |
1 October 1844 |
Chief Justice Martin |
This was the only Supreme Court sitting to be held in Russell. |
| Dunedin |
3 June 1851 |
Justice Stephen |
|
| Christchurch |
6 November 1852 |
Justice Stephen |
|
| New Plymouth |
17 December 1858 |
Chief Justice Arney |
|
| Napier |
30 September 1861 |
Justice Johnston |
|
| Invercargill |
10 July 1863 |
Justice Gresson |
|
| Hokitika |
5 January 1866 |
Justice Gresson |
|
| Whanganui |
22 April 1872 |
Justice Johnston |
Circuit Court to be held in April and October each year. |
| Picton |
10 June 1872? |
Justice Richmond? |
Circuit Court to be held in June and December each year. |
| Lawrence |
9 December 1872 |
Justice Chapman |
|
| Timaru |
14 December 1872 |
Justice Gresson |
|
| Blenheim |
January 1876 |
Chief Justice Prendergast |
Circuit Court to be held in June and December each year. |
| Gisborne |
20 June 1883 |
Chief Justice Prendergast |
|
| Location |
Date |
Judge |
Notes |
| Wellington |
3 April 1857 |
Stephen CJ; Wakefield J |
This was the first and only Court of Appeals sitting. The case heard was Ormsby v Ormsby, it related to unpaid work and labour carried out by the plaintiff. The Governor, Colonial Secretary and Colonial Treasurer were also present. |
| Christchurch |
10 February 1863 |
Arney CJ; Johnston J; Richmond J |
First Court of Appeal sitting |
| Wellington |
19 October 1863 |
Arney CJ; Gresson J; Johnston J |
|
| Dunedin |
20 October 1864 |
Arney CJ; Gresson J; Johnston J; Richmond J |
|
| Wellington |
24 October 1865 |
Arney CJ; Chapman J; Gresson J; Johnston J |
|
| Wellington |
9 October 1866 |
Chapman J; Gresson J; Johnston J; Moore J |
|
| Wellington |
24 July 1867 |
Johnston J; Richmond J |
|
| Wellington |
14 October 1867 |
Johnston Acting CJ; Chapman J; Gresson J |
|
| Wellington |
7 November 1867 |
Johnston Acting CJ; Chapman J; Gresson J; Johnston J; Moore J |
|
| Wellington |
22 October 1868 |
Johnston J; [?] |
|
| Wellington |
19 October 1869 |
Arney CJ; Chapman J; Gresson J; Johnston J; Richmond J; Ward J |
This sitting included a special session for divorce and matrimonial cases. |
| Wellington |
9 January 1871 |
Arney CJ; Chapman J; Johnston J; Richmond J; Ward J |
|
| Wellington |
13 May 1872 |
Arney CJ; Chapman J; Gresson J; Johnston J; Richmond J |
This sitting included a special session for divorce and matrimonial cases. |
| Wellington |
11 November 1872 |
Arney CJ; Johnston J; Richmond J |
|
| Wellington |
12 May 1873 |
Arney CJ; Chapman J; Gresson J; Richmond J |
|
| Wellington |
10 November 1873 |
Arney CJ; Johnston J; Richmond J |
|
| Wellington |
11 May 1874 |
Arney CJ; Chapman J; Gresson J; Johnston J; Richmond J |
|
| Wellington |
19 November 1874 |
Arney CJ; Chapman J; Gresson J; Johnston J; Richmond J |
|
| Wellington |
10 May 1875 |
Gillies J; Johnston J |
|
| Wellington |
8 November 1875 |
Gillies J; Johnston J; Williams J |
|
| Wellington |
8 May 1876 |
[?] |
|
| Wellington |
13 November 1876 |
[?] |
|
| Christchurch |
12 January 1877 |
Prendergast CJ; Johnston J |
|
| Wellington |
14 May 1877 |
Johnston J; Williams J |
|
| Wellington |
12 November 1877 |
Prendergast CJ; Gillies J; Johnston J; Williams J |
|
| Wellington |
17 May 1878 |
PJohnston J; Williams J |
|
| Wellington |
11 November 1878 |
Prendergast CJ; Gillies J; Johnston J |
|
| Wellington |
12 May 1879 |
Prendergast CJ; Gillies J; Johnston J; Williams J |
|
| Wellington |
10 November 1879 |
Prendergast CJ; Gillies J; Johnston J; Williams J |
|
| Wellington |
10 May 1880 |
Prendergast CJ; Gillies J; Johnston J; Richmond J |
|
| Wellington |
15 November 1880 |
Prendergast CJ; Richmond J; Williams J |
|
| Wellington |
9 May 1881 |
Prendergast CJ; Gillies J; Johnston J |
|
| Wellington |
14 November 1881 |
Prendergast CJ; Gillies J; Richmond J; Williams J |
|
| Wellington |
8 May 1882 |
Prendergast CJ; Gillies J; Johnston J; Richmond J |
|
| Wellington |
13 November 1882 |
Prendergast CJ; Gillies J; Johnston J; Richmond J; Williams J |
|
| Wellington |
16 May 1883 |
Prendergast CJ; Gillies J; Richmond J |
|
