Who this is for
Businesses holding a District Court judgment, a High Court judgment, or a Disputes Tribunal order that has not been paid. Including judgments obtained by someone else, years ago, that have been sitting in a drawer.
The enforcement tools
District Court enforcement is carried out through the court's civil enforcement processes. The main tools are:
Financial assessment
The debtor can be required to give a full statement of their financial position and, if needed, attend a financial assessment hearing and answer questions about income, assets and liabilities. It is often the first step, because it tells you which of the other tools will work.
Attachment orders
Regular deductions from the debtor's wages, salary or other income, paid towards the judgment. Effective where the debtor is employed and staying put.
Charging orders
A charge over the debtor's land, shares or other interests. A charge registered against a property title has to be dealt with before the property can be sold or refinanced.
Warrants to seize property
Court bailiffs can seize and sell the debtor's goods to satisfy the judgment, subject to exemptions for essential items.
Insolvency routes
Against a company, an unpaid judgment supports a statutory demand and, if necessary, liquidation. Against an individual, bankruptcy may be available under the Insolvency Act 2006. Both are collective processes, and whether they help depends on what the debtor has.
Choosing the right order
Enforcement often fails because the tool does not fit the debtor.
For proceedings started since 1 January 2018, interest under the Interest on Money Claims Act 2016 generally runs from when the debt arose until the judgment is paid in full, unless your contract sets its own rate. An old judgment can be worth noticeably more than its face value.
Debtors in Australia
New Zealand judgments can be enforced in Australia. A move across the Tasman does not end the account.
How we handle it
- Review the judgment, what has been paid, and what the debtor is known to own or earn.
- Work to locate the debtor if they have moved.
- Apply for the order or orders that fit, and follow them up.
- Keep you updated as it progresses, with costs discussed before they are incurred.
See also our guide to enforcing a judgment in New Zealand.
General information, not legal advice. This page describes New Zealand law and practice as at October 2026; the right step for a particular debt depends on its facts. Where a matter needs legal advice, we will say so.