Judicial officials investigate another attack on a lawyer in the courthouse

Levin District Court.
Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson

The judiciary is currently investigating another attack on a lawyer in a courthouse. The president of the Bar Association then appealed for the judicial centers to be made safer for everyone present there.

The most recent incident occurred in May at the Levin Courthouse, and the alleged perpetrator is now facing charges in juvenile court.

Due to the obligation to report on juvenile court proceedings, RNZ is unable to name the defendants or the lawyer involved.

But RNZ has spoken to the lawyer, who says he is now OK. He cannot comment further on the matter while it is before the court.

News of the incident came just days after family lawyer Brintyn Smith spoke about being violently attacked in a lift at the Whangārei Courthouse in March last year.

New Zealand Law Society president Frazer Barton said these incidents had made lawyers nervous at court hearings.

“Going to court can be stressful. Tensions rise. When you put people together in a small space, it can be explosive.”

He met with officials from the Ministry of Justice and the Chief Justice of the District Court, Judge Heemi Taumaunu, to discuss the steps the company believes need to be taken.

Courtrooms had to be redesigned to prevent opposing parties from mixing, for example. More security guards had to be deployed and interview rooms where lawyers speak to clients had to have a secure exit.

Barton said the courts were redesigned about 30 years ago to ensure judges had a secure entrance away from everyone else, allowing for change.

The age of the buildings also played a role. Older courtrooms were designed at a time when courtroom security was less stringent.

Officials seemed willing to make changes, but there were financial constraints, he said.

Carl Crafar, the department’s chief operating officer, said he could not comment on the details of the Levin incident while it was in court.

“The alleged perpetrator was immediately arrested by court security officers and subsequently detained by police,” he said.

“As with any serious incident, we will investigate the incident and involve the relevant organisations, including the police and the New Zealand Law Society.”

“Security measures, including searches and the presence of court security officers, remain in effect at the courthouse.”

The courthouse in Levin is relatively modern and was opened in 2010.

Barton said the Law Society was concerned about the incident and the increasing violence.

“Our legal system requires people to appear in court in person and the system will not work if people cannot appear in court safely and get home safely at the end of the day,” he said.

“We live in a time when people involved in legal proceedings are going through particularly difficult times in their lives.

“It seems as if society as a whole is more fragile and, unfortunately, there is also a greater propensity for violence.”

Barton said despite concerns about these attacks and other recent incidents, including a brawl in a Wellington courtroom, they must be seen in the context of the many thousands of court appearances across the country.

He praised the safety measures already put in place and Brintyn Smith’s decision to speak about his ordeal in a video released by the Bar Association because it had brought the problem into focus.

“When the details become known, … it will put the whole country on alert.”

“When I travel around in my role and meet practitioners from the north to the south of the country, they hear (about incidents) and the idea of ​​going to court makes them quite nervous.

“We have security personnel to get into the courthouses. There are no guns, knives or anything like that there, but I’m afraid history shows us that people can do a lot of damage with just their bare fists.”

RNZ asked the ministry what improvements had been made recently to increase security in courtrooms and what further measures were planned.

Its deputy secretary for corporate services, Kelvin Watson, said officials would meet regularly with court users to discuss safety and security.

“Any issues raised regarding the condition of our courthouses will be investigated and, where appropriate, included in our property work program,” he said.

“The Department is also working to improve security in courthouses, such as through the Dock Upgrade Program. This program will improve security by creating greater separation between defendants and court participants, while also installing improved audio communication systems to allow the defendant to more easily participate in proceedings.”