Supreme Court case information
Listed below are the substantive Supreme Court cases for the year along with appeals still to be determined or cases awaiting hearing.
Information giving an overview of the case is included along with media releases and links to judgments being appealed when available.
All 2024 - 2014 Supreme Court cases dismissed or deemed to be dismissed where a notice of abandonment was received can be found here.
Transcripts for cases heard before the Supreme Court are included provided they are not suppressed. Transcripts from pre-trial hearings are not published until the final disposition of trial. These are unedited transcripts and they are not a formal record of the Court’s proceedings. The Ministry of Justice does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of any material and recommends that users exercise their own skill and care with respect to its use.
23 December 2024
Case information summary 2024 (as at 23 December 2024) – Cases where leave granted (126 KB)
Case information summary 2024 (as at 23 December 2024) – Cases where leave to appeal decision not yet made (PDF, 116 KB)
All years
Case name
James Howard Nigel Smalley v Grant Robert Williamson, Ian Perry, David Michael Hayes, Grant Trevor Davies and Jeremy Daniel Sullivan
Case number
SC 66/2023
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay the respondents costs of $2,500.
10 August 2023
B The applicant must pay the respondents costs of $2,500.
10 August 2023
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Paki Nikora and Parearau Polly Alice Nikora on behalf of Te Kaunihera Kaumātua o Tūhoe v Tāmati Kruger on behalf of Tūhoe - Te Uru Taumatua Trust
Case number
SC 67/2023
Summary
Civil Appeal
Result
A Leave to appeal is granted (Kruger on behalf of Tūhoe Te Uru Taumatua Trust v Nikora on behalf of Te Kaunihera Kaumātua o Tūhoe [2023] NZCA 179).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal erred in allowing the respondent’s appeal to that Court.
28 August 2023
_____________________________________________________________
A The application by the respondent to adduce the evidence of Te Whenua Te Kurapa is granted.
B The appeal is allowed.
C The orders made by the Māori Land Court in relation to trustee elections of the Tūhoe – Te Uru Taumatua Trust are reinstated (Nikora on behalf of Te Kaunihera Kaumātua o Tūhoe v Trustees of Tūhoe – Te Uru Taumatua (2021) 252 Waiariki MB 157 (252 WAR 157) at [85]).
D The trustees of the Tūhoe – Te Uru Taumatua Trust must pay the appellants their actual and reasonable legal costs and disbursements in connection with the appeal to this Court out of the assets of the Trust. If the parties are unable to agree on the amount of costs and disbursements payable, that will be determined by the Registrar of this Court.
E Any outstanding issues relating to costs in the Courts below are to be determined by those Courts, in light of this judgment.
3 October 2024
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal erred in allowing the respondent’s appeal to that Court.
28 August 2023
_____________________________________________________________
A The application by the respondent to adduce the evidence of Te Whenua Te Kurapa is granted.
B The appeal is allowed.
C The orders made by the Māori Land Court in relation to trustee elections of the Tūhoe – Te Uru Taumatua Trust are reinstated (Nikora on behalf of Te Kaunihera Kaumātua o Tūhoe v Trustees of Tūhoe – Te Uru Taumatua (2021) 252 Waiariki MB 157 (252 WAR 157) at [85]).
D The trustees of the Tūhoe – Te Uru Taumatua Trust must pay the appellants their actual and reasonable legal costs and disbursements in connection with the appeal to this Court out of the assets of the Trust. If the parties are unable to agree on the amount of costs and disbursements payable, that will be determined by the Registrar of this Court.
E Any outstanding issues relating to costs in the Courts below are to be determined by those Courts, in light of this judgment.
3 October 2024
Date of hearing
27 February 2024
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, Glazebrook, Williams, O'Regan, Collins JJ
Submissions from counsel
- Hearing date 27 February 2024 Appellant submissions (PDF, 8 MB)
- Hearing date 27 February 2024 Respondent submissions (PDF, 447 KB)
- Hearing date 27 February 2024 Intervener Submissions (PDF, 486 KB)
- Hearing date 27 February 2024 Joint Chronology (PDF, 150 KB)
- Hearing date 27 February 2024 Appellant Oral Outline (PDF, 718 KB)
- Hearing date 27 February 2024 Respondent Oral Outline (PDF, 1.9 MB)
- hearing date 27 February 2024 Intervener Oral Outline (PDF, 264 KB)
Transcripts
- Hearing date 27 February 2024 (PDF, 642 KB)
Case Synopses
- Hearing date 27 February 2024 SC 67 2023 (PDF, 475 KB)
Media Releases
- MR [2024] NZSC 130 (PDF, 284 KB)
Additional document
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
Substantive judgment
Case name
Donald Dev Kumar Singh v The King
Case number
SC 68/2023
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
27 October 2023
27 October 2023
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
H (SC 69/2023) v The King
Case number
SC 69/2023
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for an extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is granted.
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
20 December 2023
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
20 December 2023
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
[2023] NZSC 166 (PDF, 155 KB)
Case name
Tarahau Farming Limited v Shearing Services Kamupene Limited (in liquidation)
Case number
SC 70/2023
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
27 September 2023
B The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
27 September 2023
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
L (SC 71/2023) v Chief Executive of the Department of Corrections
Case number
SC 71/2023
Summary
Order prohibiting publication of the judgment and any part of the proceedings (including the result) in news media or on the internet or other publicly available database until final disposition of trial. publication in law report or law digest permitted.
Result
Order prohibiting publication of the judgment and any part of the proceedings (including the result) in news media or on the internet or other publicly available database until final disposition of trial. publication in law report or law digest permitted.
16 August 2022
16 August 2022
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Case name
A (SC 72/2023) v Attorney-General
Case number
SC 72/2023
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for an extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is granted.
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
C There is no award as to costs.
1 November 2023
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
C There is no award as to costs.
1 November 2023
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Tanya Felicity Dunstan
Case number
SC 73/2023
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The Auckland High Court is removed as a respondent.
31 July 2023
B The Auckland High Court is removed as a respondent.
31 July 2023
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
TANYA FELICITY DUNSTAN [2023] NZSC 96 [31 July 2023] (PDF, 118 KB)
Case name
H (SC 74/2023) v The King
Case number
SC 74/2023
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Case name
Danny John Cancian v Tauranga City Council
Case number
SC 75/2023
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
19 September 2023
19 September 2023
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
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