Is pro bono legal assistance available?
New Zealand’s Hague access obligations are provided for in the Guardianship Amendment Act of 1991. Upon receiving an access application, the New Zealand Central Authority will appoint a solicitor in private practice who will attempt to negotiate an access arrangement between the two parties. If that is not successful, the solicitor will file proceedings in court. If the left-behind parent is seeking access on an ongoing basis (i.e., every school vacation), the Central Authority will advise him/her to retain a New Zealand solicitor and apply for access under domestic law. Recognition and Enforcement of U.S. Custody Orders: There is no arrangement that allows U.S. court orders to be automatically recognized and enforced in New Zealand. It is necessary to retain a solicitor to file for a so-called “Consent Order” in the New Zealand court. The solicitor will be able to advise a left-behind parent on what documents would be relevant to the particular case. There are no filing fees in the Fa
