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Children

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This site will give you a great deal of useful information about the legal rights of children, including a schedule of ages at which chidren have legal rights and can be legally responsible.

We will also give you direct access to a large number of selected topics and sites so that you will easily be able to answer any question, or solve any problem, you may have.

The ages at which young people are legally permitted to do certain things have always caused interest.

A child, as defined by the Children, Young Person’s and their Families Act 1989, is a person up to, but not including, the age of 14.

A young person is defined by the same Act as a person aged 14, 15 and 16.

If you are 17 years or older, and commit any offence or crime, then you appear in the full adult Court.

However, you can marry at the age of 16, fly an aircraft solo at an earlier age, be the subject of care of protection proceedings in the Family Court up to the age of the 17th birthday but can also still be the subject of a Child Support claim by the custodial parent against a non custodial parent until the age of 19.

There are certain restrictions on entering into contracts up to the age of the 18th birthday.

Custody and Guardianship Orders can be made under the Guardianship Act 1968 until the 20th birthday but only in exceptional circumstances against the wishes of the child when the child turns 16.

In other words, there is no "age of majority" as such because different age limits apply to different areas of our law.

Check out our full list at the bottom of this page.

We assume you have entered this index site on NetLaw for a particular reason. We therefore direct you to the following index sites which are relevant to the general topic of children.

For matters involving the Child-

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Feedback/Blogs/Reviews from related topic: Adoption Act 1955
"This topic delivered what it promised. Documents and ideas and some tips. I was happy. Miriam (Not rael name, but name supplied) Hamilton."
"I see that the documents posted on the Family Court of New Zealand now differ to the ones posted on your site, example form A4 consent to adoption -http://www.justice.govt.nz/courts/family-court/documents/forms/pdf/A4.pdf/view?searchterm=form a4
It asks for different information on the front page, e..g deponent and with or without notice, what does all this mean, and how do I complete this part of the form?
Do you have a sample of one of these forms completed?
Regards
Steve"

Feedback/Blogs/Reviews from related topic: Adoption Act 1955
"Up to date. Great. the IRD Child Support site is so hard to follow. You need a computer degree. You tell it like it is. (One pissed off father)

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"Bloody fantastic coverage. Easy to understand and work out. Mike R - Auckland Central"
"Please advise - My partner pays his ex-wife child support every week. (The amount was agreed via a settlement agreement nutted out between lawyers at mediation.) Is this child support still payable on weeks when we have the children? (in school holidays we have the children for half of the time). It seems unfair for his ex-wife to be getting paid child support when we are supporting the children.
Netlaw replies - The access you enjoy in the holidays must be averaged out over the whole year. It does not apply on a weekly basis. That sounds unfair but that is the way it has been interpreted. "

Feedback/Blogs/Reviews from related topic: Adoption Act 1955
"Well worth reading. I don't think I will have any more kids!! Louise J Auckland March 2007"
Feedback/Blogs/Reviews from related topic: Adoption Act 1955
"I did my dissolution from all your documents and tips. JGH - Auckland - June 2007"
"Hi, great site! I need a bit more help. I need to serve dissolution papers on my ex-husband. However, he cannot be found. I can apply to the court to have them served on his mum instead using the form interlocutory application without notice AND filling in a general Affidavit form. I can't find any help for this on this pages. Also, do I put that my application for one party is made with or without notice? (first page).

Netlaw replies -You have obviously accessed our Dissolution site. Also access our Family Court Rules topic. Our basic documents are correct but you can double check them by going to the Dissolution topic and clicking on to the Direct Link to the Family Court Website. When that topic opens up, scroll down to FORMS, then on to LIST OF FORMS then on to FORMS UNDER FAMILY PROCEEDINGS ACT then down to Forms 11 and 12. Don't forget you have to add an Information Sheet and we have a topic Information Sheet. So that gets you started. 3 documents there.

Right, then go to our topic Family Court Rules and click on to those Rules through the Direct Link provided. When the Rules come up (a little longer if you are only on dial up) then choose Rule 126 which tells you all about substituted service. You need a simple Application (Without Notice) following the same format as your main Application and you need an Affidavit in Support of Application for Substituted Service. 2 documents. You do not need a second Information sheet.

Take your time. But put in the reasons why you need substituted service. Say where he might be, when you last had contact with him, where his extended family live etc. Cheers . . . . Netlaw

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Feedback/Blogs/Reviews from related topic: Adoption Act 1955
"I did my own documents and got before a Judge and got my own order for protection. I reckon I did it faster then my lawyer last time I need such an order two years ago.
Thank you . . . . Sandie (not my real name)"

Feedback/Blogs/Reviews from related topic: Adoption Act 1955
"Well worth reading. I don't think I will have any more kids!! Louise J Auckland March 2007"
Feedback/Blogs/Reviews from related topic: Adoption Act 1955
"Great coverage. Keep updating the whole website, Netlaw. Barbara K - Hamilton"
Feedback/Blogs/Reviews from related topic: Adoption Act 1955
"Up to date. Great. the IRD Child Support site is so hard to follow. You need a computer degree. You tell it like it is. (One pissed off father)"
Feedback/Blogs/Reviews from related topic: Adoption Act 1955
"Hi, what is the success of wives asking for spousal support today? is it a common application or is it becoming too rare because there is DPB available and also because the system is changing and not favoring this type of maintenance anymore?? I just like to have a rough idea if I should pursue this. I've recently been made redundant, am getting no child maintenance and my ex says that I wont be able to get anything anyway as his business is off shore...Any help will be great thanks.

Netlaw replies: It is not common because the DPB is well above what most partners could afford, and still maintain themselves. But in financially well off families spousal maintenance is a runner, particularly until a matrimonial property division provides the partner in need with a large lump sum. Then, the need for extra maintenance dissipates. Apply for a benefit immediately and then apply also to the Family Court for an order for spousal maintenance. If the orders you receive amount to LESS than the DPB then that money goes towards the benefit, not on top. But if your order is MORE than the benefit then you just go off the benefit and take the sum awarded."

Feedback/Blogs/Reviews from related topic: Adoption Act 1955
"Dear Netlaw
Our father was in a semi-coma when he got married and died 3-days later. Can this form of marriage be invalidated, (in particular, annulled through not being consummated)? Your expertise will be gratefully received again, thanks.

Netlaw replies: Non consummation is no longer a ground for dissolution but, under section 31 of the Family Proceedings Act 1980, a Family Court can declared void a marriage if there was an absence of true consent at the time of the marriage. If he was in a semi coma, it would be difficult to prove full consent. That could therefore void the marriage."

Feedback/Blogs/Reviews from related topic: Adoption Act 1955
"I was accused wrongly. It is an awful process to go through. But I found the Notice of Defence document on your site and I could not find it anywhere else. I tried and tried. So good on Netlaw. The Court ordered blood tests and I had to pay half but then those blood tests excluded me and now I am asking the court to make her pay me back. I will let you know what happens This topic on paternity helped me greatly. Jon A -South Auckland"
Feedback/Blogs/Reviews from related topic: Adoption Act 1955
"My wife is claiming spousal maintenace. She lives in the family home and is a qualified secondary school teacher with a degree. We dont have dependent children. Do you think she is entitled to maintenance?

Netlaw replies: No. She would not get spousal maintenance UNLESS she was unable to work because of some illness. IF you had supported her during the relationship, and she did not work even though qualified, she can argue that you should continue to support her now, but that argument would be unlikely to succeed."

Feedback/Blogs/Reviews from related topic: Adoption Act 1955
"Helped us greatly. We also looked through all your other criminal sites and have printed some off. Thanks Netlaw. Ali"
"Do we have to use the State paid "Youth Advocates"? Mrs H. (name withheld)

Netlaw replies - No, but you do have to pay for a lawyer of your choice UNLESS the case is so serious that it goes to the District Court or the High Court. Then, normal legal aid takes over where you can choose your own lawyer."

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