Story: Judicial system

Supreme Court, Dunedin, 1931

Supreme Court, Dunedin, 1931

In 1841 the Supreme Court was established in New Zealand as the superior court. The Dunedin Supreme Court building, shown here in 1931, was an imposing structure befitting the status of the court. In 1908 the Supreme Court was designated the High Court, but it was not called that until 1980. That year, the name Supreme Court was reserved in anticipation of establishing a New Zealand court of final appeal, which occurred in 2003.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Sydney Charles Smith Collection (PA-Group-00242)
Reference: 1/2-047631-G
Photograph by Sydney Charles Smith

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page:

Philip A. Joseph and Thomas Joseph, 'Judicial system - History of the courts', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/33960/supreme-court-dunedin-1931 (accessed 30 April 2024)

Story by Philip A. Joseph and Thomas Joseph, published 20 Jun 2012, updated 11 Oct 2016