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.
24 June 2024
Case information summary 2024 (as at 21 June 2024) – Cases where leave granted (121 KB)
Case information summary 2024 (as at 21 June 2024) – Cases where leave to appeal decision not yet made (PDF, 125 KB)
All years
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeals.
C The application for leave to appeal on costs is dismissed (Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa v Bay of Plenty Regional Council [2022] NZCA 598).
D An extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is granted (Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa v Bay of Plenty Regional Council [2020] NZHC 3388).
E The application for leave to appeal is granted (Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa v Bay of Plenty Regional Council [2020] NZHC 3388).
F The approved question is whether the High Court erred in upholding the Environment Court’s decision in relation to the negative tikanga effects.
17 April 2023
- Hearing date 22 -24 Nov 2023 Appellant submissions (PDF, 1.4 MB)
- Hearing date 22 - 24 Nov 2023 First Respondent subsmissions (PDF, 365 KB)
- Hearing date 22 - 24 Nov 2023 Second Respondent submisisons (PDF, 498 KB)
- Hearing date 22 Nov - 24 Nov 2023 Joint Chronology (PDF, 161 KB)
- Hearing date 22 November 2023 transcript (PDF, 1.6 MB)
- Hearing date 22 Nov_24 Nov 2023 (PDF, 481 KB)
- SC 1/2023 and SC 2/2023 (Recorded, 24 November 2023)
- SC 1/2023 and SC2/2023 (Recorded, 23 November 2023)
- SC 1/2023 and SC2/2023 (Recorded, 22 November 2023)
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeals.
C The application for leave to appeal on costs is dismissed (Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa v Bay of Plenty Regional Council [2022] NZCA 598).
D An extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is granted (Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa v Bay of Plenty Regional Council [2020] NZHC 3388).
E The application for leave to appeal is granted (Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa v Bay of Plenty Regional Council [2020] NZHC 3388).
F The approved question is whether the High Court erred in upholding the Environment Court’s decision in relation to the negative tikanga effects.
17 April 2023
- Hearing date 22-24 Nov 2023 Appellant submissions (PDF, 1.1 MB)
- Hearing 22 - 24 Nov 2023 Appellant Roadmap (PDF, 111 KB)
- Hearing date 22-24 Nov 2023 First Respondent Submissions (PDF, 637 KB)
- Hearing 22 - 24 Nov 2023 First Respondent Outline (PDF, 165 KB)
- Hearing date 22-24 Nov 2023 Second Respondent Submissions (PDF, 515 KB)
- Hearing date 22-24 Nov 2023 Joint Chronology (PDF, 161 KB)
- Hearing date 22 Nov_24 Nov 2023 (PDF, 481 KB)
- SC 1/2023 and SC 2/2023 (Recorded, 24 November 2023)
- SC 1/2023 and SC2/2023 (Recorded, 23 November 2023)
- SC 1/2023 and SC2/2023 (Recorded, 22 November 2023)
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal.
4 May 2023
- Hearing date 10 October 2023 Appellant Submissions (PDF, 523 KB)
- Hearing date 10 October 2023 Respondent Submissions (PDF, 462 KB)
- Hearing date 10 October 2023 Respondent outline of oral argument (PDF, 156 KB)
- Hearing date 10 October 2023 Appellant outline of oral argument (PDF, 245 KB)
- Hearing date 10 October 2023 Appellant chronology (PDF, 221 KB)
- Hearing date 10 October 2023 Trans 14 (PDF, 638 KB)
- Hearing date 10 October 2023 Case Synopsis (PDF, 445 KB)
- SC 8/2023 Legler v Formannoij and Anor (Recorded, 10 October 2023)
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was right to conclude that the Building Act longstop provisions do not apply to a contribution claim.
21 April 2024
- Hearing date 18 October 2023 Appellant submissions (PDF, 1.2 MB)
- Hearing date 18 October 2023 Appellant Roadmap (PDF, 150 KB)
- Hearing date 18 October 2023 Respondent submissions (PDF, 1.1 MB)
- Hearing date 18 October 2023 Case Synopsis (PDF, 380 KB)
- SC 11 2023 Beca Carter Hollings & Ferner Ltd v Wellington City Council (Recorded, 18 October 2023)
B We appoint Ms Guy Kidd KC as counsel to assist the Court under s 318(3)(a) of the Criminal Procedure Act.
6 April 2023
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The question of law (arising from Darling v R [2022] NZCA 504) referred to this Court being whether Mr Anderson’s acquittal meant that Mr Darling could not, in law, have been convicted of the offence with which he was charged, despite his guilty plea, is answered “No”.
17 November 2023
- Hearing date 16 August 2023 Counsel to assist submissions (PDF, 408 KB)
- Hearing date 16 August 2023 Solicitor Generals submissions (PDF, 478 KB)
- Hearing date 16 August 2023 (PDF, 432 KB)
- Hearing date 16 August 2023 (PDF, 353 KB)
- MR [2023] NZSC 151 (PDF, 310 KB)
- SC 12/2023 Solicitor-General's Reference (No 1 of 2023) from CA636/2021 ([2022] NZCA 504) (Recorded, 16 August 2023)
B The application for an extension of time by LF to appeal direct to this Court, against the High Court’s judgment ([LF] v R [2022] NZHC 2547) is granted. Leave to appeal is granted. The approved question is whether the High Court was correct to decline to grant LF permanent name suppression.
C We make an interim order prohibiting publication of LF’s name, address, occupation or identifying particulars pending the determination of the appeals by the Supreme Court.
D We make an order prohibiting publication of this judgment until 2 pm on 25 May 2023.
23 May 2023
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A The application by the appellant LF to adduce evidence updating the position in terms of social media and other coverage relating to LF’s case is granted.
B M’s appeal is dismissed.
C LF’s appeal is dismissed.
D Order prohibiting publication of LF’s name, address, occupation or identifying particulars until 5.00 pm on 14 June 2024 or on earlier order of the Court quashing or varying this order.
E Order prohibiting publication of the media release; of the minutes; and of this judgment or any information therein until the judgment is delivered at 4.00 pm on 23 April 2024.
F Order prohibiting publication of any reference to mental health issues beyond those made in the judgment which is made publicly available.
G Order redacting part of the excerpt set out at [74] of the judgment which is made publicly available.
H Order made that the files for these appeals are not to be searched without the leave of a Judge of this Court.
23 April 2024
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NOTE: INTERIM ORDER PROHIBITING PUBLICATION OF LF’S NAME, ADDRESS, OCCUPATION OR IDENTIFYING PARTICULARS HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL 5.00 PM 31 MARCH 2025 OR ON EARLIER ORDER OF THE COURT QUASHING OR VARYING THIS ORDER.
- Hearing date 19 October 2023 Case Synopsis (PDF, 450 KB)
- MR [2024] NZSC 29 (PDF, 307 KB)
B The application for an extension of time by LF to appeal direct to this Court, against the High Court’s judgment ([LF] v R [2022] NZHC 2547) is granted. Leave to appeal is granted. The approved question is whether the High Court was correct to decline to grant LF permanent name suppression.
C We make an interim order prohibiting publication of LF’s name, address, occupation or identifying particulars pending the determination of the appeals by the Supreme Court.
D We make an order prohibiting publication of this judgment until 2 pm on 25 May 2023.
23 May 2023
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A The application by the appellant LF to adduce evidence updating the position in terms of social media and other coverage relating to LF’s case is granted.
B M’s appeal is dismissed.
C LF’s appeal is dismissed.
D Order prohibiting publication of LF’s name, address, occupation or identifying particulars until 5.00 pm on 14 June 2024 or on earlier order of the Court quashing or varying this order.
E Order prohibiting publication of the media release; of the minutes; and of this judgment or any information therein until the judgment is delivered at 4.00 pm on 23 April 2024.
F Order prohibiting publication of any reference to mental health issues beyond those made in the judgment which is made publicly available.
G Order redacting part of the excerpt set out at [74] of the judgment which is made publicly available.
H Order made that the files for these appeals are not to be searched without the leave of a Judge of this Court.
23 April 2024
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NOTE: INTERIM ORDER PROHIBITING PUBLICATION OF LF’S NAME, ADDRESS, OCCUPATION OR IDENTIFYING PARTICULARS HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL 5.00 PM 31 MARCH 2025 OR ON EARLIER ORDER OF THE COURT QUASHING OR VARYING THIS ORDER.
- Hearing date 19 October 2023 Case Synopsis (PDF, 450 KB)
- MR [2024] NZSC 29 (PDF, 307 KB)