Internet piracy-accused Kim Dotcom has been remanded in custody.
He will be held in custody until February 22, when extradition papers are expected to be filed.
The decision was reserved since Monday, when after a day of legal ping pong in the North Shore District Court, judge David McNaughton decided he needed more time.
Dotcom, a German millionaire and founder of file-sharing site Megaupload was arrested on Friday on behalf of United States authorities in an FBI-led police raid at his $30m Coatesville mansion.
US authorities are now seeking his extradition.
They allege Dotcom’s company breached copyright laws costing copyright owners more than US$500m in what they call the “Mega Conspiracy”.