Succession hearings at the Māori Land Court
After your hearing
The Māori Land Court is a court of record. Their role is to ensure that the correct details of Māori land owners are recorded against the whenua they own. Part of that includes hearing whānau applications to succeed to Māori land.
After your hearing is over, the Māori Land Court will create a “court minute”, which is an official record of your hearing. It will include:
- a summary of your application and draft submission
- a transcript of what was said at your hearing
- the judge's instructions.
This isn’t a legally binding document about your succession — it’s a record of the hearing only. You'll get a copy of the court minute in the mail after your hearing. If you haven't received it within a month or so, check with your case manager to see where it's at.
Your succession application will become official and be entered into the Māori Land Court record about 2 months after your hearing. This is to make sure there’s enough time for whānau or other interested parties to appeal any decision made by the judge.
Find out about making an appeal to the Māori Land Court
Getting a formal record of your succession
When your succession becomes official, the Māori Land Court will update the ownership records for your whenua, and you’ll be able to see them in Pātaka Whenua.
The Māori Land Court will also send you a copy of the formal record of your succession. This record is known as the “Court order". It shows the legal ruling about your succession made by the Judge, and will be stamped with the court’s seal.
Keep a copy of the documents you get about your succession somewhere safe — your whānau will need them in the future.
