My journey to becoming a Justice of the Peace
Do you have attention to detail, an unnatural love of paperwork, and a passion for serving your community? Becoming a JP could be for you!
I applied to be a JP because there were none in my neighbourhood
It was September 2022. My household had struggled several times recently to find a Justice of the Peace on our side of town. I realised I could become a JP and help fill this gap in the community. I did some research online. I asked a friend in the know. Her enthusiasm was encouraging.
I spent the month of October pulling together my application. I requested letters of support from community groups I work with (some asked for help with the letter). I prepared a CV, wrote a letter to my local Member of Parliament, filled in the application form, and made a statutory declaration. At the end of the month, I posted my application to my MP.
You're meant to request a copy of the form from your MP's office. This is a good way to express your interest in the role, check there is a need in the community, and gauge your MP's support. I, however, went in cold turkey. I found the form online and submitted my application without first touching base.
It took a year for the wheels of bureaucracy to turn
Months went by. I heard nothing. I began to wonder if my application had been silently rejected. Then one day in March, I magically received a letter saying “You will no doubt be aware that your name has been submitted to the Minister of Justice as a suitable person for consideration for appointment as a Justice of the Peace for New Zealand.” I was not aware! But it was nice to learn that the wheels of bureaucracy were turning. My MP had skipped the optional step of interviewing me to ensure I was a good fit for the role. A convictions check was underway.
The next step was an interview in April. The panel comprised the Registrar of the local JP association and a manager from the Ministry of Justice. I knew what questions to expect – they're published online! The only question that caught me off guard was asking me what social networks I use. The Registrar reiterated that a JP must abide by the Code of Conduct in every aspect of their life, including online.
In May, the Associate Minister of Justice provisionally approved me for appointment as a JP (subject to training). I received letters from my MP and the Ministry of Justice. In June, I received my training materials, attended my induction training, and passed the online test. My name was forwarded to the Ministry of Justice for recommendation for appointment as a JP.
The Governor-General appointed me as a JP in September (as announced in the New Zealand gazette). However, a JP can't act until they are sworn in. A bottleneck in this process is the availability of judges and courtrooms. My swearing-in ceremony was in October.
While awaiting the big day, I sat in on a real-life JP service desk. This gave me a sense of the diversity of tasks and clients I would encounter and an idea of the practical considerations I would grapple with.
I also became accredited. Accreditation lasts for two years and is strongly encouraged. It involves an online test and attendance of an education session. It shows you are making an effort to stay up-to-date. Accredited JPs get a green tick in the JP directory and are allowed to volunteer on JP service desks.
Oaths of service and allegiance to the King
All JPs promise to:
- be faithful and bear true allegiance to the King and his heirs and successors (the Oath/Affirmation of Allegiance)
- well and truly serve the King and his heirs and successors, and do right to all manner of people after the law and usages of New Zealand, without fear or fervour, affection or ill will (the Judicial Oath/Affirmation).
These promises can be made as oaths or affirmations. An oath is typically sworn on the Bible and ends with the phrase “so help me God”. An affirmation lacks any call to the supernatural, instead saying “I solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm”. Oaths and affirmations can be made in English or te reo Māori. Oaths don’t have to be sworn on the Bible; they can (in theory) be sworn in whatever way a person’s customs and beliefs require.
I chose to make affirmations in te reo Māori. This was my way of honouring Māori as tangata whenua (the indigenous people of this land) and Te Tiriti o Waitangi as this country's founding document. I spent an evening practising the Affirmation of Allegiance in Māori and ensuring I understood it word for word. I couldn't practise the Judicial Affirmation in Māori because it isn't prescribed anywhere; I wrongly assumed I would have to say it in English.
My swearing in was a special day
The day finally arrived! On Thursday 12 October 2023 at 10am, I and seven other Canterbury residents were sworn in as JPs. I was allowed three guests. Punctuality is essential. We arrived early to be briefed on the proceedings. It was lovely to catch up with my fellow trainee JPs. We were ushered into the courtroom where our printed oaths or affirmations were laid out ready to read aloud and sign.
I had a moment of panic upon seeing my printout. I had asked to make affirmations in Māori, but the printout contained oaths and had been placed beside a Bible. As an atheist, it is against my beliefs to swear religious oaths. The court assistant advised that I could cross out “swear” and write “affirm”. This is easier said than done, as the Māori phrasing is very wordy. However, I was familiar enough with the Māori Affirmation of Allegiance (which is prescribed in law) that I could frantically make the necessary alterations to both printed oaths. The moral? If you want to do non-standard oaths or affirmations, communicate your expectations very clearly. Ask to see the wording in advance. Assume nothing, as it is impractical to make last-minute changes in the courtroom.
During the ceremony we stood for the presiding Judge and, one after the other, spoke our oaths or affirmations. Those who made an oath did so with their hand upon a Bible provided by the District Court. We each signed the page we had been given. The Judge then signed each page.
To our astonishment, once we had all been sworn in, the Judge addressed us as “Your Worships”. We hadn’t realised that becoming a JP would qualify us for such a prestigious title! She then addressed each of us in turn, congratulating us and giving an overview of our service to the community as outlined in our CVs. This was incredibly touching.
It was an extraordinary day, made even more special by the presence of my partner and two very close friends. But a swearing in is just the beginning!
It begins
In my first week of service I saw 12 clients. In my fourth week I saw 18. All up, I've averaged two appointments per day in my first three months of service (excluding those rare occasions when I'm away on holiday).
I've helped many immigrants get a visa, many people in financial hardship withdraw their KiwiSaver funds, and many first-year students get their Fees Free – among many other valuable tasks for the community. Rarer tasks I've helped with include helping someone who is transgender change their name and the sex marker on their birth certificate, and helping someone with their divorce.
I have a steady stream of texts and calls from people looking to book an appointment. Some people come from across town to see me. Some are very nearby. Some even live or work in the same building.
Volunteering as a JP on top of all my other work is time-consuming but immensely rewarding. It tires me and energises me all at the same time. Meeting (and helping) so many people in our community is a privilege that I thoroughly enjoy.
My plea to you
If you're considering becoming a JP – please do! Especially if you're young or you come from an underrepresented community. It's so important for JPs to reflect the full diversity of our community so we can be approachable and understanding.
However, keep in mind that:
- Most JP functions are strictly unpaid. Gifts and koha are not allowed.
- You can't serve your close friends and family, but you must make yourself available to everyone else.
- JPs commit to many years of constant availability at any time of the day and week that is reasonable given their individual circumstances (but yes, you can go away for a holiday and take time off when you're sick).
- You need somewhere to meet clients. This is typically a private room in your home or workplace but it could also be a public place such as an eatery or library.
- You need to pay for your own transport, stationery, any additional stamps, any ink refills for your stamps, and any business cards. I spent $185 to get properly up and running.
- You need to pay for membership of your JP association. In Canterbury, this is currently $50 per year.
- You should attend JP training and events every year (but it's lovely to meet everyone and stay in the loop).
If this level of commitment is a problem, then you shouldn't become a JP. Otherwise, go for it! I'm sure you will find it worthwhile.
A few last details
If I haven't put you off, then read on for more useful info!
Becoming a JP requires a flexible schedule
Induction and swearing-in dates are non-negotiable. If you can't attend then the process can be delayed by months while you wait for the next cohort of trainee JPs to come through. So be prepared to drop everything if you want to become a JP as quickly as possible.
Training is important
The JP Ministerial Manual is over 100 pages long. It is essential reading for learning the basic duties exercised by all JPs. Within a day of being sworn in, you will be listed on the JP website and can expect to deal with all manner of unpredictable requests. You must be familiar with the processes and principles in the manual so you can provide a good service to the community without making any mistakes, and so you can think on your feet in unusual situations.
In addition to the manual, you receive a range of other training materials such as practice test questions, checklists, and examples of forms that JPs are often asked to help with. Some materials are prepared by the central Royal Federation of NZ Justices' Associations, while others are prepared by the local JP association.
Each local association runs its own training programme, so training will differ depending where you live. I attended an intensive three-hour session. Here I met the education convenor, registrar, and vice-president of the local JP association. They love to support new JPs in whatever way they can and are only a phonecall or email away for any questions.
Supplies
On the day of our swearing in, JPs were each given a satchel, a pen, a pad, a lapel pin, a name tag, a copy of the most recent AGM minutes, and three of the most important stamps needed for our work. I have since bought a further three stamps to cover the wide range of tasks carried out by a JP. These reduce the amount of handwriting and make my work look more professional and official.
Keeping busy on a service desk
New JPs are encouraged to volunteer on a service desk at a local library once every few weeks. This is a great way to sink your teeth into the role and really learn on the job. However, my central location is keeping me busy regardless, so I'm waiting for a service desk to open in the city centre before I volunteer. This is likely to happen very soon.
Useful links
If you're considering becoming a JP in Aotearoa, these two links are your friends:
- Becoming a JP – Royal Federation of NZ Justices' Associations
- Justice of the Peace – Ministry of Justice
Looking for a rainbow Justice of the Peace in Christchurch Central? Click that link to see my webpage!
Want to follow my journey? I have a JP Facebook page and occasionally also post about being a JP on my Mastodon feed.
Good luck!
I spent far too long writing this article. I hope it proves useful or inspiring for someone!
