The Cook Islands Ministry of Justice is comprised of four divisions: High Court, Survey, Registry Services, and Corporate Services. The four divisions report to the Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, who heads and manages the Ministry.  The Ministry has more than 60 staff positions and maintains offices in most of the populated outer islands, with its headquarters on the island of Rarotonga.

The Ministry has a large mandate, including supporting the Judiciary, administering the Courts and Tribunals, managing the national land processes and records, and maintaining important national registries. The primary responsibilities for probation and prison services were transferred from the Ministry of Justice into a new Ministry of Corrective Services in 2019-20.

Key legislation administered by the Ministry of Justice include (not a comprehensive list):

The Cook Islands Constitution (Part IV)

Arbitration Act 2009

Births and Deaths Registration Act 1973

Companies Act 2017

Cook Islands Act 1915

Coroners Act 1979-80

Crimes Act 1969

Criminal Procedure Act 1980-81

Declaratory Judgments Act 1994

Electoral Act 2004

Evidence Act 1968

Extradition Act 2003

Family Protection and Support Act 2017

Fugitive Offenders Act 1969

Harassment Act 2017

Incorporated Societies Act 1994 and the Incorporated Societies Amendment Act 2017

Judicature Act 1980-81

Code of Civil Procedure of the High Court 1981

Court of Appeal Rules 2012

Juries Act 1968

Justices of the Peace Act 2017

Land (Facilitation of Dealings) Act 1970

Land Agents Registration Act 2009

Land Use Act 1969

Law Practitioners Act 1993-94

Leases Restrictions Act 1976

Legal Aid Act 2004

Marriage Act 1973

Matrimonial Property Act 1991-92

Notaries Public Act 1992

Personal Property Securities Act 2017

Prevention of Juvenile Crime Act 1968

Privy Council (Judicial Committee) Act 1984

Property Law Act 1952

Religious Organizations Restrictions Act 1975

Unit Titles Act 2005