Civil Law (Wrongs) Act 2002
188Certificate that claim or defence has reasonable
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188 Certificate that claim or defence has reasonable (1) This section applies to a lawyer who is providing legal services on a claim for damages, or in defence of a claim for damages. (2) The lawyer must not lodge a pleading in a court for filing, or file a pleading in a court, in relation to the claim unless the lawyer has lodged for filing or filed in the court, or the pleading is accompanied by, a certificate stating that the lawyer believes, on the basis of provable facts and a reasonably arguable view of the law, that the claim or defence has reasonable prospects of success. (3) Contravention of subsection (2) by a lawyer is not an offence but can be professional misconduct or unsatisfactory professional conduct under the Legal Profession Act 2006, chapter 4 (Complaints and discipline). (4) A regulation may make provision in relation to the certificate mentioned in subsection (2), including, for example, about the form of the certificate.