Disputes Tribunal Claim Against Me NZ — What to Do When You're Served

What Those Papers Actually Mean

That envelope from the Ministry of Justice contains a Notice of Hearing, a copy of the claim form, and sometimes supporting documents from the person who filed against you. The claim form lists the other party's name, the amount they want, and their version of what happened. Your Notice of Hearing tells you the date, time, and location of the hearing — or dial-in details if it's a phone hearing.

Every case gets a CIV reference number (formatted like CIV-2026-000-000000). Write it down. You'll need it on every piece of correspondence, any counterclaim, and when calling the court registry to check details.

Before you do anything else, verify the notice is genuine. Call 0800 COURTS (0800 268 787) and quote your CIV number to confirm it's a real case. Scam letters demanding immediate bank transfers are a known problem — official tribunal notices never ask you to pay money directly into a private account.

There's No Written Response Deadline (But There Is a Hearing Date)

This is the part that trips people up. Unlike the District Court, the Disputes Tribunal doesn't require you to file a formal written response by a set deadline. There's no "Statement of Defence" form with a 25-working-day clock ticking.

Your actual deadline is the hearing date on your Notice of Hearing. That's when you need to show up, either in person or by phone if you've arranged remote attendance.

What happens if you don't attend? The Referee can hear the case without you and make an order based solely on the other party's evidence. That's not technically a "default judgment" in the District Court sense — the Referee still has to evaluate whether the claim is proved — but the practical result is the same. You lose your chance to tell your side.

Your Four Options as a Respondent

You don't have to pick just one approach up front, and you can adjust as you learn more. But here are the paths:

Settle directly. Contact the other party and negotiate a resolution before the hearing. If you reach an agreement, the applicant must formally withdraw the claim with the registry — otherwise the hearing still goes ahead even if you've paid.

Admit and pay. If you accept you owe the money, pay the applicant directly and get a written receipt. Then confirm with the registry that the claim has been formally withdrawn. Direct payment alone doesn't cancel the hearing.

Defend the claim. Prepare your evidence, organise your documents chronologically, and present your case at the hearing. You represent yourself — lawyers can't appear for you in the Disputes Tribunal.

Counterclaim. If the other party actually owes you money from the same situation, file your own claim using a standard claim form with "COUNTERCLAIM" written at the top and the original CIV number referenced. You'll pay a filing fee based on the amount you're claiming ($62 to $496 depending on the value).

What You Should Do Right Now

Start with these practical steps, regardless of which option you're leaning toward:

1. Read the claim form carefully. Understand exactly what they're alleging and how much they want.
2. Check the hearing date and count backward. You need your evidence submitted to both the registry and the other party well before the hearing — two weeks is the practical minimum.
3. Gather your documents. Contracts, invoices, text messages, emails, photos, bank transfer records — anything relevant to the dispute, organised by date.
4. Notify your insurer if the claim involves something that might be covered by an insurance policy. Your insurer has a legal right to participate in the proceedings.
5. Consider whether you have a counterclaim. If the other party owes you money from the same situation, filing early means both claims can be heard together.

The Disputes Tribunal handles claims up to $60,000 NZD (raised from $30,000 in January 2026). The process is designed to be informal — no wigs, no robes, just a meeting room and a Referee who asks questions directly.

If you want a structured walkthrough of each step from reading your papers through to what happens after the decision, the NZ Disputes Tribunal Response Guide covers the full process with preparation worksheets and an evidence index template.

Don't Ignore It

The single worst move is doing nothing. Even if the claim seems unfair or wrong, not showing up means the Referee only hears one side. Preparing your case and attending the hearing is the only way to make sure your version of events gets considered.

See more New Zealand guides →