About Simply Probate
If someone in your family has died, the bank, KiwiSaver provider, and other institutions will usually ask for a court order before they release the money. That order is called a Grant of Probate (if there's a valid will) or Letters of Administration (if there isn't). Simply Probate prepares that application for you, at a fixed fee, run by a New Zealand lawyer.
About Rion Norris
The lawyer reviewing every file.
Rion Norris is a New Zealand lawyer based in Christchurch. His background is in dispute resolution and civil litigation — work where attention to detail and procedure matters more than billable-hour theatre.
He started Simply Probate because the standard way New Zealanders deal with probate makes no sense. You're already grieving. Then you're told to pay a law firm $2,000–$5,000 by the hour to fill in a court form. The form itself follows a set process — once you know what goes where, most of the work is data entry.
The technology is there to remove the inefficiency, not the lawyer. Every document that leaves this service has been reviewed by a qualified NZ lawyer — me. The difference is that instead of spending billable hours on formatting and data entry, I spend my time on the parts that actually matter: making sure your application is correct, complete, and ready for the Probate Registry.
Scope
What we do — and don't.
What we do
We prepare the court application. You file it. We do the legal preparation — drafting Form PR1, Form PR2, and the supporting documents — so the application is correct, complete, and ready to lodge with the Wellington High Court.
What we don't
We're not an estate administration firm. We don't open trust accounts or distribute money to beneficiaries. Once the Grant issues, you (as the executor) administer the estate — we'll tell you what to do next at every step, but you stay in control.
What it costs
Fixed fee. No hourly billing.
Process
How it works.
Answer some questions online
No appointment needed — you can do it from anywhere in New Zealand, at any hour.
We prepare your documents
Form PR1, Form PR2, and supporting paperwork — drafted and reviewed by a qualified NZ lawyer.
You sign and file
Sign the affidavit in front of a JP or solicitor, post the application to the Wellington High Court. The court posts the Grant back to you.
Probate usually takes 1–2 weeks at the court. Letters of administration take 2–4 weeks.
Ready to start?
Begin the online interview when you're ready, or book a free 15-minute call to talk it through first.