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Neighbours at War – What to do when you have a fence dispute

The Fencing Act 1978 has been in place for decades but there is still confusion as to the process and means of resolving disputes that arise under the Act. This article raises some points to be aware of before arranging a replacement boundary fence in the hope that your neighbour will pay their fair share.
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Online Issues: Buying goods off Trade Me

The internet creates a specialised set of problems which cannot always be dealt with in the traditional sense. With the development and increasing use of online trading sites, such as Trade Me, comes a whole new set of practical and legal problems.
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Christmas shopping – know your consumer rights before purchasing

As a consumer in New Zealand, every time you purchase goods or services from a supplier in trade, the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 (“the Act”) provides you with certain protections against the supplier of those goods or services (and possibly against the manufacturer). This article will provide a summary of the workings of the guarantees under the Act, and of the concept of extended warranties.
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You have been disqualified from holding a driver’s licence – What can you do?

If you have been disqualified or suspended from driving, you may be eligible to apply for a Limited Licence, or what is commonly known as a "work licence". A Limited Licence allows you to drive for a limited purpose such as driving to and from work, during limited times and days. A court may award a Limited Licence if it is satisfied that not granting it would cause you extreme hardship or cause another person undue hardship.
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Practical privilege

The New Zealand legal system is a common law system, based on the English system of justice. As a result, New Zealand, like England, Australia, Canada and the USA, adopts an adversarial court process. What this means is that the Courts are reliant on the parties to produce evidence and argue in favour of a particular version of events. Based on this evidence and argument from counsel, the Court will make a decision as to which party is right and which is wrong.
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Arbitration – What is it and when is it used?

Arbitration is often the mandatory process for resolution of disputes in commercial contracts. This article reviews the arbitration process and the advantages and disadvantages of this method of dispute resolution.
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