Title | Author | Director | Genre | Year | Useful-ness | Themes | Summary | References | Publisher | Original Year |
| A Fancy Man | McCauley, Sue | | Novel | 1996 | 1 | Law as entertainment/ drama/ drama | Court procedure | Alienation from the legal system- working class | Speed of justice | Corruption in the legal system | Perceptions of judges | Importance of advocacy | Law as a game | Coercive power of the law | Distrust of the legal system | Law as a tool of oppression | Corruption in the legal system | Trial scene where a working class man is acquitted.
Unprincipled laws breed unprincipled tactics. Aloof judge. | pp 131-151,205-211 | Vintage, Auckland | |
| Bad Blood | Brown, Andrew based on the novel by Willis, Howard | Newell, Mike | Feature Film | 1981 | 2 | Law as a tool of oppression | Importance of due process | Alienation from the legal system- working class | Common man facing the law | Frustration with the legal system | Use of violence by legal system | Absence of law | Role of police in the criminal justice system in criminal justice system | Coercive power of the law | Individual rights vs public safety | Man alone on the run from the law | | Based on the true story of a twelve day manhunt on the West Coast of the South Island. Stanley Graham, a local farmer is in danger of losing his farm and becomes increasingly paranoid, has his fire arms confiscated, then later shoots and kills seven police officers.
Duty of law enforcement officers to enforce the law. Law versus violence as the means to resolve disputes. | 15, 29, 32, 36, 38, 43, 46, 62, 65 mins | Southern Pictures | |
| Broken Arse | Stewart, Bruce | | Play | 1991 | 5 | Role of the media | Coercive power of the law | | Set in gaol, reference to a statute.
Using the Press to influence decisions. | pp 10, 42 | Victoria University Press, Wellington | |
| "Card Games" in Mixed Singles | Southam, Barry | | Short Story | 1981 | 3 | Speed of justice | Law as a game | Natural law | Coercive power of the law | | Legal procedure under the Property and Tenancy Acts. | pp 114-117 | Caveman Press, Dunedin | |
| Come the Harvest | Lawson, Patricia | | Novel | 2007 | 5 | Legal history | Individual rights vs public safety | Coercive power of the law | | The law relating to conscientious objectors during World War II. Law relating to conscription in New Zealand | | Whare-iti Press, Otago | |
| "Death of a Dog" in Phoebe Meikle (ed) Short Stories by New Zealanders | Davin, Dan | | Short Story | 1970 | 5 | Coercive power of the law | | About a dog that gave a girl a nasty bite and has to be put down. The owners fight it but are being threatened by the neighbours with legal action.
Lay people dealing with the law eg. laws regulating dangerous dogs. | p 71 | Longman Paul, Auckland | |
| Fracture | Parr, Larry (based on the novel "Crime Story" by Gee, Maurice) | Parr, Larry | Feature Film | 2004 | 5 | Law as a tool of oppression | Sentencing issues | Coercive power of the law | | One of the characters is found guilty of theft and sentenced to 18 months imprisonment.
Severity of criminal sentences relating to property. | | Savuti Films | |
| "Law, Streets" in Earthquake Weather | Smithyman, Kendrick | | Poetry | 1972 | 3 | Nature used as a contrast to law | Coercive power of the law | Natural law | | General theoretical concepts surrounding law eg. "Rule of Law". | pp 64-66 | Auckland University Press, Auckland | |
| Lazy Boys, The | Shuker, Carl | | Novel | 2006 | 5 | Treatment of Maori and Pakeha under the law | Coercive power of the law | | A student is accused of sexual harrassment in a university.
University rules (codes of conduct vs law). | pp 130-2. | Shoemaker & Hoard, Emeryville, California | |
| "On Probation" in Lady Moss Revived | Olds, Peter | | Poetry | 1972 | 3 | Judge as god | Nature used as a contrast to law | Personification of 'The Law' | Parole | Coercive power of the law | | About probation | p 1-2 | Caveman Press, Dunedin | |
| Outrageous Fortune (Series 1) | Lang, Rachel with Griffin, James | | Episode from TV series | 2005 | 1 | Alienation from the legal system- Maori | Women in law firms/ legal profession | Perceptions of lawyers | Importance of advocacy | The way lawyers view the law | Glamorous lifestyles of legal professionals | Public vs private life of lawyers | Distrust of the legal system | Corruption in the legal system | Coercive power of the law | Elitism of the law | Law as route to power | Ethics | Arrest procedure | Importance of due process | Importance of evidence in criminal conviction | Parole | Effect of legal proceedings on close friends and family | Criminal stigma | Law as a game | Role of police in the criminal justice system in criminal justice system | Law students | Youth and law | Absence of law | Treatment of Maori and Pakeha under the law | Vigilantism as justice | Man alone on the run from the law | | | Episode 1: 1, 5, 6, 7, 9, 19, 28, 29, 30, 40, 41 mins. Episode 2: 2, 15, 20, 30 mins. Episode 3: 3, 7, 11, 15, 18, 20, 28, 31, 38, 39 mins Episode 7: 2, 4, 8, 10, 12, 14, 17, 20, 22, 28, 36, 37 mins Episode 12: 1, 10, 16, 23, 26, 34, 37 mins not exhaustive | South Pacific Pictures | |
| Permit, The | Jones, Bob | | Novel | 1984 | 2 | Public/ admin law | Perceptions of judges | Court procedure | Law as a vehicle to effect change | Politics and law | Common man facing the law | Individual rights vs public safety | Separation of powers | Obstructive nature of government | Coercive power of the law | | About a man who decides to take on the system which is trying to force him to register his address - goes through the court system to try and change the law.
Statutory interpretation. Government emergency powers of 1951. Breach of Civil Liberites. Constitutional conventions. Courts as a bulwark against executive power. | pp 22-147 | William Collins Publishers, Auckland | |
| Plumb | Gee, Maurice | | Novel | 1978 | 1 | Law as a game | Magistrate/ judge as the face of law | Sacrifice of human element for fact and procedure | Importance of advocacy | Perceptions of lawyers | Public vs private life of lawyers | Perceptions of judges | Coercive power of the law | Sentencing issues | Importance of evidence in criminal conviction | Effect of legal proceedings on close friends and family | Individual rights vs public safety | Law and religion | | Plumb is charged with Sedition during WWI - Pleads 'not guilty'- Trial scene where the lawyer won't let defendant (Plumb) speak in court - Convicted. Plumb's son becomes a judge.
Struggles of an idealist in the court system. Friends' influence to get legal help. | pp 153-163 | Faber & Faber Ltd, London | |
| "'Rooful" in The Alphabeast | Parsloe, Andrew | | Poetry | 1992 | 5 | Nature used as a contrast to law | Coercive power of the law | | Nonsense poem about animals and law | p 74 | Andrew Parsloe, Dunedin | |
| Spooked | Murphy, Geoff based on book by Ian Wishart | Murphy, Geoff | Feature Film | 2004 | 1 | Importance of negotiation | Perceptions of lawyers | Corruption in the legal system | Legal jargon | Importance of evidence in criminal conviction | Importance of advocacy | Court procedure | Property law | Role of the media | Women in law firms/ legal profession | Perceptions of law firms | Importance of due process | Coercive power of the law | Importance of advocacy | | Kevin purchases some computers for his business and the salesman throws in a box of floppy disks, all of which belonged to a bank. When Kevin finds out the floppy disks hold sensitive information, he offers to resell them to the bank for $50,000. As it turns out the information is far more sensitive than Kevin imagined. The SIS gets involved and starts threatening Kevin. His life is in danger but it's too late to turn back. There were negotiations with a team of corporate lawyers representing the bank and Kevin has meetings with his small time lawyer. The bank accusses Kevin of extortion and blackmail. Kevin maintains property rights over the disks. Bank attempts to get a High Court injunction to stop Kevin disseminating the information on the disks and demands the return of them.
Strong female lawyer character. Competitive negotiation. Using court action as a threat. Use of injunction. The argument over a warrant (cliche popular perception of the law). Unreasonable search and seizure s21 BORA. | 9, 17, 19, 30, 59, 81 mins | Silverscreen films/ Ora Digital | |
| Street Legal | McGee, Greg | Bailey, Chris | TV mini-series | | 1 | Importance of evidence in criminal conviction | Perceptions of lawyers | Role of police in the criminal justice system | Role of the media | Court procedure | Law and religion | Importance of jury | Ethics | Corruption in the legal system | Parental pressure to go into law | Youth and law | Treatment of Maori and Pakeha under the law | Man alone on the run from the law | Vigilantism as justice | Witnesses | Manipulation of court system and jury | Common man facing the law | Clients | Effect of legal proceedings on close friends and family | Criminal stigma | Law students | Elitism of the law | Sentencing issues | Adversarial nature of the legal system | Appearance of courtroom | Arrest procedure | Importance of due process | Use of trial as dramatic construct | Necessity of confessions | Public vs private life of lawyers | Importance of lawyers in times of grief | Perceptions of judges | Frustration with the legal system | Distrust of the legal system | Coercive power of the law | Legal ramifications of divorce | The way lawyers view the law | Importance of advocacy | Legal jargon | Eccentric lawyer stereotype | Glamorous lifestyles of legal professionals | Racism of the law | Access to justice | Inaccessibility of the law- costs | Women in law firms/ legal profession | Feminism vs Patriarchal system | Violence against women | | "Street Legal" is New Zealand's most popular legal drama, running for four seasons. The television series concentrates upon the career of David Silesi, a Samoan lawyer in Auckland. Silesi is always involved in interesting and bizarre cases, acting for underdog clients. Taking on these cases often involves Selesi in romances, shoot-outs, car chases and punch-ups. A large segment of the show is set in Silesi's chambers, providing the viewing public with one perspective of a lawyer's working day. While Silesi's office is no ordinary one, it is a more accurate reflection of the reality for most lawyers than trial scenes.
Mentoring of junior solicitors. Drug law. The role of the Law Society. Law and religion for eg. withholding of medical treatment on religious grounds. Client confidentiality. Law practice politics and judicial corruption. | 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16 mins 2 episode | Screenworks | |
| Sunset Village | Sargeson, Frank | | Novel | 1976 | 2 | Importance of advocacy | Corruption in the legal system | Court procedure | Women in law | Importance of jury | Arrest procedure | Role of police in the criminal justice system in criminal justice system | Coercive power of the law | Perceptions of judges | Importance of due process | | Man is arrested and waiting for trial - Jury selection process.
Law as a means of social control. Ceremonial nature of law. View of law from policeman's perspective. Advantages of jury trial to the accused. | pp 82-91 | A.H. & A.W. Reed, Wellington | |
| "Tailor's Task, The" in The Stepmother Tree | McNaughton, James | | Poetry | 2001 | 3 | Perceptions of judges | Coercive power of the law | Judge as God | Coercive power of the law | | Caricature of a judge - cf Pink Floyd 'The Wall'
Judge as pervert, aloof, imposing all-powerful and scary. | p 10 | Darius Press, Wellington | |
| Word for Word | Muir, Robin | | Novel | 1960 | 4 | Coercive power of the law | | Situation where someone is worried about defamation | p 255 | Pegasus Press, Christchurch | |