Māori Land Court

The Māori Land Court (Māori: Te Kōti Whenua Māori) is the specialist court of record in New Zealand that hears matters relating to Māori land.

Established in 1865 as the Native Land Court, its purpose was to translate customary communal landholdings into individual titles recognisable under English law. This enabled Pākehā to easily purchase Māori land. Since the late 20th century, the renamed court has focused on resolving disputes and protecting Māori land interests.

The court has no centralised courthouse but has a head office in Wellington and sits in various cities and towns in New Zealand as needed. The court maintains registries in Whangārei, Hamilton, Rotorua, Gisborne, Whanganui, and Christchurch. It also has information offices in Auckland and Tūrangi. The Māori Land Court districts are Taitokerau, Waikato-Maniapoto, Waiariki, Tairāwhiti, Tākitimu, Aotea and Te Waipounamu.

Appeals from the Māori Land Court are heard by the Māori Appellate Court, which consists of a panel of three (or more) judges of the Māori Land Court. The Māori Land Court or the Māori Appellate Court may request an opinion on a matter of law from the High Court of New Zealand; such decisions are binding on the Māori Land Court. Appeals from the Māori Appellate Court, if permitted, lie with the Court of Appeal, and from there to the Supreme Court.