Name suppression

What is name suppression? 

Name suppression means that a person’s name and any identifying details cannot be published in connection to the case. It means that a person’s name cannot be written or talked about in the news, on social media, or anywhere else. 

Automatic name suppression for victim-survivors of sexual offences

Automatic name suppression is given to victim-survivors of sexual offences to protect their privacy and wellbeing. It ensures that victim-survivors can participate in the justice process without unwanted exposure or media attention. You do not need to apply for automatic name suppression, the court will give it to you automatically. 

If you are unsure if you have automatic name suppression you can ask the Police or a court victim advisor court victim advisor
Someone who helps victims to go through the court process
View the full glossary . 

How can I lift my automatic name suppression?

Automatic name suppression is permanent. However, you may decide you do not want or need name suppression. If this is something you decide, you can apply to the court for an identity publication order to lift your automatic name suppression.  

What is an identity publication order? 

Having an identity publication order to lift your own name suppression means you can speak publicly about the offending against you if you want to. The order allows your name to be published or talked about in connection to the offending in the news, on social media, or anywhere else. 

When can I apply for an identity publication order?

You can make an application for an identity publication order at any time, during the court process or after a case is closed.

How do I apply?

There are two ways to apply:

1. complete the short application and affidavit form; or
2. make an oral application (by asking the judge in court). If you want to make an oral application, you can ask the prosecutor to arrange this for you. 

What happens once the court has my application for an identity publication order?

The prosecutor and defendant/offender will have the opportunity to respond to the court in writing about the application. 

The judge will then make a decision or schedule a hearing to speak with you about your application. 

When a judge makes a decision, you will be told the outcome and given a copy of the decision in writing.

If the judge directs that a hearing is scheduled, the court will tell you the time and date you need to come to court. The defendant/offender and their lawyer may be present during the hearing. 

You can speak with the prosecutor about arrangements that can be made in court to support you to participate in this hearing safely. If you don’t know who the prosecutor is or how to contact them, a court victim advisor or the police can help put you in contact. 

Where can I find more information?

For more information, please see the Guide to applying for an identity publication order to lift your own name suppression. 

Automatic name suppression for a defendant or offender in specific sexual offences 

If you are a victim-survivor of incest or sexual conduct by a family or whānau member with power or authority over you (sexual conduct with a dependent family member), the person charged with or convicted of the offence will have automatic name suppression to protect your privacy and wellbeing.

If you do not want their name to be suppressed, you can apply to the court for a defendant identity publication order.

What is a defendant identity publication order? 

Having a defendant identity publication order means the defendant/offender’s name can be published or talked about in connection to the offending against you in the news, on social media or anywhere else. 

If you want to apply for a defendant identity publication order because you want to speak publicly about the offending, you will also need to apply for an identity publication order to lift your own name suppression.

How do I apply for a defendant identity publication order?

There are two ways to apply:

1. complete the short application and affidavit form; or
2. make an oral application (by asking the judge in court). If you want to make an oral application, you can ask the prosecutor to arrange this for you.

What if I am not the only victim-survivor?

All victim-survivors in the case must agree that they want to lift a defendant/offender’s name suppression. All victim-survivors will need to make an application, by completing the application and supporting affidavit form at the end of this guide, or by making an oral application for a defendant identity publication order. 

What happens once the court has my application to lift a defendant’s automatic name suppression?

The prosecutor and defendant/offender will have the opportunity to respond to the court in writing about the application. 

The judge will then make a decision or schedule a hearing to speak with you about your application. 

When a judge makes a decision, you will be told the outcome and given a copy of the decision in writing.

If the judge directs that a hearing is scheduled, the court will tell you the time and date you need to come to court. The defendant/offender and their lawyer may be present during the hearing. 

Where can I find more information?

For more information, please see the Guide to applying for an identity publication order to lift a defendant or offender’s automatic name suppression.

Name suppression for an offender in sexual offences 

The law was changed in 2025, so this information applies to cases where the charges were filed in court on or after 30 October 2025. 

Interim name suppression is temporary name suppression for a defendant and can be given for many reasons, for example if publishing the defendant’s name could cause an unfair trial, or risk someone’s safety.

Permanent name suppression means a person’s name and any identifying details cannot ever be published in connection to the case. If an offender is convicted (pled or found guilty) of a sexual offence, their lawyer may ask the court for their name to be permanently suppressed. 

You will have the opportunity to tell the judge if you think the offender should have permanent name suppression if all of the following apply:

• the offender has been convicted of a sexual offence
• you are a victim-survivor of the offence
• an application has been made for the offender’s permanent name suppression
• the offender is an adult. 

What happens if I am the only victim-survivor in the case?

The judge can only give the offender permanent name suppression in connection with the offending against you if you think that their name should not be made public. 

If you do not think the offender should have permanent name suppression, the judge will not give it to them.

What happens if there are other victim-survivors in the case? 

If the offender makes an application for permanent name suppression, all victim-survivors will be asked if they would like to give their views.  

Sometimes all victim-survivors will have the same view on name suppression, sometimes they will have different views.

If all victim-survivors in a case think that the offender should not have permanent name suppression, the judge will not give it.

If the victim-survivors have different views, the judge can give permanent name suppression for the offences involving the victim-survivor who supports it and deny name suppression for the offences involving the victim-survivor who opposes it. 

A judge may decide on allowing the offender to have name suppression if the judge believes that revealing the offender’s identity is likely to harm one of the other victim-survivors in the case, and this victim-survivor has not, or cannot oppose name suppression.

How does this process work?

A court victim advisor court victim advisor
Someone who helps victims to go through the court process
View the full glossary or the Police will ask you if you want to tell the court what you think about the offender having permanent name suppression.  

For more information about how this process works, have a look at the diagrams linked below:

Process if you are the only victim-survivor

Process if there is more than one victim-survivor

What happens if I don’t want to do this?  

You don’t have to. If you don’t want to tell the judge what you want, or feel like you’re unable to do this, that is completely fine. 

The judge will make the decision and you will be told what they have decided. 

The judge will not allow details to be published if they could identify you.

Does this apply to cases in the past?  

If a case is currently with the court, but the charges were filed before 30 October 2025, victim-survivors can tell the court whether they think the offender should get permanent name suppression and the judge will take the views into account. 

The law was changed in 2025, so for cases where the charges were filed with the court on or after 30 October 2025, victim-survivors' views are handled differently. For these cases, if the victim-survivor does not think the offender should have permanent name suppression, the judge will not give it to them.

If the case is closed or if the offender already has permanent name suppression, you will not have the opportunity to re-visit name suppression. 

Who can I contact if I have questions? 

A court victim advisor can answer any questions you have about name suppression. 

To talk to a court victim advisor, you can use the Victims Information freephone: 0800 650 654 (9am – 5pm, Monday – Friday).