Open AccessHigh Court of New Zealand and Tokelau – A Recent Case
Author(s) -
AH Angelo,
Ashleigh Allan
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
victoria university of wellington law review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1179-3082
pISSN - 1171-042X
DOI - 10.26686/vuwlr.v43i4.5020
Subject(s) - jurisdiction , high court , law , political science , government (linguistics) , federal court , economic justice , philosophy , linguistics , supreme court
The decision of the High Court of New Zealand in the case of Pisaina Leilua-Lei Sam v The Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau and Faipule Foua Toloa (Sam v COG) provides an opportunity to consider the court system of Tokelau and to glimpse a largely unknown area of the law of New Zealand. It appears that Sam v COG is the first case to be decided by the High Court of New Zealand in the exercise of its jurisdiction as a separate Court of justice for Tokelau. This case note deals in turn with the structure of Tokelau's court system, the judgment in Sam v COG, and the future of the system.