What Is Judicial Review

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What is judicial review
Public law (University of London)
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lOMoARcPSD|1317039
What is judicial review?
1. INTRODUCTION: WHAT IS JUDICIAL REVIEW?
Judicial review is the review by a judge of the High Court of a –

• decision;
• proposed decision;
• refusal to exercise a power of decision.
To determine whether that decision or action is unauthorised or invalid. It is referred to

as supervisory jurisdiction - reflecting the role of the courts to supervise the exercise of
power by those who hold it to ensure that it has been lawfully exercised.
The courts have historically had jurisdiction to review the decisions of public bodies
under an ancient form of common law remedy known as the “prerogative writs”. Over
time the procedural rules that applied became very complex. In 1972 Parliament enacted
what was intended to be a simplified procedure for reviewing the exercise of powers
derived from statute (the Judicature Amendment Act 1972). That Act provides a
valuable framework for judicial review in this country, and it is attached as Appendix D.
The exercise of non-statutory public powers remains reviewable at common law.1 The
practical position is that any exercises of power are reviewable by the courts that:
… in substance have important public consequences however their origins
and the persons or bodies exercising them might be characterised …2
Many types of decisions or actions are capable of being reviewed by the courts. At its
most basic level, judicial review is available when an Act of Parliament creates a
discretionary power for public officials to exercise – be they Ministers, Chief Executives
of Government Ministries, or Ministry employees – and somebody adversely affected by
the exercise of that power challenges the decision on the basis that the person exercising
it has not acted consistently with the power given by the Act, for example, by
misinterpreting the provision giving it. Seen in this way, judicial review essentially
involves the courts ensuring that the law is being followed when power is exercised in a
manner that affects people. There are many types of decision that can be challenged by
way of judicial review, and various bodies exercising “public” powers or functions that
can have their decisions reviewed by the court, but focusing on this core aspect of
judicial review provides the clearest insight into the essence of it.
The purpose of judicial review is two-fold:

(i) the definition of principles to govern public administration by the Executive; and
(ii) the safeguarding of individual interests against illegal or unreasonable administrative
action, or from administrative action taken without following proper procedures.
The Laws of New Zealand defines judicial review in the following way:
3. What is judicial review? Judicial review is a judicial invention to

ensure that a decision by the executive or a public body was made
1
See Mercury Energy Ltd v ECNZ [1994] 2 NZLR 385, at 388 (PC).
2
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons v Phipps [1999] 2 NZLR 1 11 (CA). The correctness of this approach was
not challenged in the Privy Council [2000] 2 NZLR 513.
1

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NZLS Seminar • Judicial Review
according to law, even if the decision does not otherwise involve an

actionable wrong. The superior Courts developed their review jurisdiction
to fulfil their function of administering justice according to law. The
legitimacy of judicial review is based in the rule of law, and the need for
public bodies to act according to law. Judicial review is a means to hold
those who exercise public power accountable for the manner of its
exercise, especially when decisions lie outside the effective control of the
political process. The primary role of the Courts is to uphold the
fundamental and enduring values that constitute the rule of law. As with
any other form of governmental authority, discretionary exercise of public
power is subject to the Courts supervision in order to ensure the
paramountcy of the law. The Court of Appeal has observed that New
Zealand administrative law is ‘significantly indigenous’, and that judicial
review powers here have a broader scope than those under English law.3
Judicial review is not the same as an appeal. An appeal exists when a statute provides
that a decision can be appealed to a court. In an appeal a judge will more clearly review
the merits of the earlier decision. There is usually no “deference” accorded to the
decision being appealed from.4 Judicial review is more concerned with the manner in
which a decision is made than the merits or otherwise of the ultimate decision. As long
as the processes followed by the decision-maker are proper, and the decision is within the
confines of the law, a court will not interfere. However, there are examples where the
distinctions between a review of the decision-making process and an examination of the
merits of the decision itself (as in an appeal) can sometimes be difficult to make. The
applicant’s focus of concern will almost always be on the decision itself. Indeed some of
the powers of appeal – for example appeals on errors of law – are very similar to judicial
review.
In recent years there has perhaps been a greater willingness to look at the weight that a
decision-maker has given to particular factors. This is particularly so when individual
rights are affected by a decision, especially those protected by The New Zealand Bill of
Rights Act 1990 and Human Rights Act 1993. Recently the courts have referred to there
being different intensities of review that depend on the subject matter.
A judge has a wide range of discretionary powers when dealing with applications for
judicial review of decisions or actions. The Judicature Amendment Act sets out some of
those powers (s 4). At an early stage, the judge may also be asked to make an interim
order preserving the status quo until the review is complete. Again the Judicature
Amendment Act makes specific provision for interim relief (s 8).
In judicial review proceedings the documents are critical. The court decides the matter
by examining all the paper generated within the relevant organisation and put in evidence
by the parties, which may include:
• decision papers
• memoranda between officials and Ministers/advisers and decision-makers;
• Cabinet papers/minutes;
• Board/Council meeting papers/minutes;
3
“Administrative Law”, Philip Joseph and Jason McHerron.
4
Austin, Nichols & Co Inc v Stichting Lodestar [2008] 2 NZLR 141 (SC)
2

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What is judicial review?
• diary notes;
• file notes;
• correspondence;
And by evaluating the sworn affidavit evidence of the decision-maker and those
involved in the process.
At the conclusion of the case, a judge may –

• make declarations about the way a decision was made or action taken (eg declare that
certain things that ought to have been done were not done, or that some matter taken
into account by the decision-maker was not relevant);
• set aside the decision as unlawful (and thus restoring the position prior to the decision
having been made);
• direct the person who made the decision or took the action to reconsider and re-
determine the matter, and may give directions as to how this should be done (eg
taking into account certain relevant matters).
Relief, or the remedy, is entirely discretionary. An applicant may make out his or her
case but not persuade the court to take any steps as a consequence. The most common
form of remedy is an order setting aside a decision, coupled with an order requiring
reconsideration by the decision maker, or resulting in that anyway. This can lead to the
same ultimate outcome when a decision maker reconsiders the matter lawfully. Thus in
some cases a successful claimant in judicial review can win the battle, but lose the war.
We are seeing more claims for “substantive” forms of relief, with a degree of success; for
example compensation for breach of a fundamental right (including the right to natural
justice)5 and restitution where charges have been unlawfully levied.6
5
Upton v. Green (No.2) (1996) HRNZ 179 (HC); Binstead v. Northern Region Domestic Violence Approval Panel
[2002] NZAR 865 (HC)
6
Waikato Regional Airport Ltd & Ors v. Attorney General [2004] 3 NZLR 1 (PC)
3

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lOMoARcPSD|1317039

What is judicial review

Public law (University of London)

StuDocu is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university

What is judicial review?

1. INTRODUCTION: WHAT IS JUDICIAL REVIEW?

Judicial review is the review by a judge of the High Court of a –

To determine whether that decision or action is unauthorised or invalid. It is referred to

The purpose of judicial review is two-fold:

3. What is judicial review? Judicial review is a judicial invention to

Downloaded by Sanaya Khan ([email protected])

NZLS Seminar • Judicial Review

according to law, even if the decision does not otherwise involve an

Downloaded by Sanaya Khan ([email protected])

What is judicial review?

At the conclusion of the case, a judge may –

Downloaded by Sanaya Khan ([email protected])

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