Legal Project Management Plan & Checklist
Purpose of this Guide: Use this plan when your client has been charged with a drink or drug driving offence in New Zealand and needs representation in the District Court. Open it at intake when you receive the police summary of facts and evidential breath/blood certificate, whether the client is considering a guilty plea, a limited licence application, or a contested hearing.
Jurisdiction: New Zealand District Court, applying the Land Transport Act 1998. Three forks exist: Simple Guilty Plea (Mitigation Pathway), Limited Licence Application, and Summary Hearing (Contested Trial).
The Process at a Glance: The lawyer begins with a case audit - verifying identity, securing the retainer, obtaining the police summary of facts, the breath or blood analysis certificate, and a certified traffic history (demerit points and conviction history) from Waka Kotahi (NZTA). The traffic history is critical because prior disqualifications affect both the mandatory disqualification period and eligibility for a limited licence or alcohol interlock. The lawyer advises on the available pathways. At the first appearance, the lawyer typically seeks an adjournment to take formal instructions and prepare the chosen strategy. The matter then proceeds to the relevant hearing where the Judge imposes a fine and disqualification period, or determines the limited licence application.
Use this fork for a simple guilty plea to minimise the disqualification period.
Use this fork when the client is pleading not guilty and contesting the charge.
Use this fork to apply for a limited licence to allow the client to drive for work purposes.
Key Legislation and Case Law: Land Transport Act 1998 - Part 6 (Offences relating to drink and drug driving), s 103(2)(e) (mandatory interlock bar), s 105 (limited licences). For adult drivers aged 20 or older, the statutory limits are set at 250 micrograms (mcg) per litre of breath, or 50 milligrams (mg) per 100 millilitres of blood. A zero limit applies to drivers under 20. Section 81 covers special reasons relating to the offence.
* Disclaimer: We're nobody's lawyer, because we aren't lawyers. You are, so you know better than to take legal advice from an app. We also aren't accountants or dog trainers - just digital spirit guides taking zero liability for any of this. This site exists to gather the collective knowledge of practitioners like you. Verify everything and submit your feedback on the Drink or Drug Driving (Defendant) matter plan to improve the playbook. THIS IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE, it's a request for input.
This legal matter plan provides a structured workflow for Criminal Law cases, outlining the standard Dispute Litigation process. Utilize these tracking templates to manage your legal cases efficiently.
| Field | Token | Type | Required | Defined in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matter(4) | ||||
| Matter numberⓘ | matter.matterNumber | text | Required | inheritedmatter-core |
| Matter title | matter.title | text | - | inheritedmatter-core |
| Matter typeⓘ | matter.matterType | text | - | inheritedmatter-core |
| Matter status | matter.status | text | - | inheritedmatter-core |
| Client(1) | ||||
| Client name | matter.clientName | text | Required | inheritedmatter-core |
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