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
- sc 37 2010 k v b (PDF, 497 KB)
- sc 37 2010 k v b press release (PDF, 80 KB)
Leave to appeal is granted.
The approved ground is whether in its reasons for judgment, and in particular paragraphs 51 and 52, the Court of Appeal adopted an erroneous approach to the effect of ss 4 and 5 of the Care of Children Act 2004.
If the appellant demonstrates that the Court of Appeal was in error, this Court’s present view is that the matter should be remitted to the appropriate lower court for reconsideration on the correct legal basis, and on an up-to-date factual basis. It seems inappropriate for this Court to undertake that exercise. Hence the approved ground is limited to the question of the correct legal principle and is not to be construed as extending to the application of that principle to the facts, if the appellant succeeds.
29 June 2010
___________________________
Appeal dismissed.
8 September 2010
Elias CJ, Blanchard, Tipping, McGrath, William Young JJ.
B The approved ground is whether the award of damages against DS & JW Moorhouse (in respect of which they are entitled to be fully indemnified by Vining Realty and Gascoigne Wicks) was appropriately quantified on an expectation basis.
14 July 2010
______________________________
Appeal dismissed.
Vining Realty and Gascoigne Wicks are to pay the Council costs of $5,000. They are to pay in the proportions fixed in the Court of Appeal, namely 60 per cent by Vining Realty and 40 per cent by Gascoigne Wicks.
Vining Realty and Gascoigne Wicks are to pay in the same proportions costs of $10,000 to Altimarloch.
In each case where costs are awarded, disbursements shall be added as agreed or fixed by the Registrar.
Hearing date : 14 and 15 February 2011
Elias CJ, Blanchard, Tipping, McGrath, Anderson JJ.
B The approved ground is whether the award of damages against DS & JW Moorhouse (in respect of which they are entitled to be fully indemnified by Vining Realty and Gascoigne Wicks) was appropriately quantified on an expectation basis.
14 July 2010
_______________________________
Appeal dismissed.
Vining Realty and Gascoigne Wicks are to pay the Council costs of $5,000. They are to pay in the proportions fixed in the Court of Appeal, namely 60 per cent by Vining Realty and 40 per cent by Gascoigne Wicks.
Vining Realty and Gascoigne Wicks are to pay in the same proportions costs of $10,000 to Altimarloch.
In each case where costs are awarded, disbursements shall be added as agreed or fixed by the Registrar.
Hearing date : 14 and 15 February 2011
Elias CJ, Blanchard, Tipping, McGrath, Anderson JJ.
14 May 2010
__________________________
Appeal dismissed. No order for costs.
17 November 2011
Hearing date : 21 – 24 February 2011
Elias CJ, Blanchard, Tipping, McGrath, Gault JJ.
Hearing dates : 21 – 24 February
Elias CJ, Blanchard, Tipping, McGrath, Gault JJ.
Application for leave to appeal granted.
Approved ground of appeal is whether the Commerce Commission in making its determination complied with applicable statutory provsion.
14 May 2010
__________________________
Appeal dismissed. No order for costs.
17 November 2011
14 May 2010
________________________________
Appeal dismissed. No order for costs.
17 November 2011
Elias CJ, Blanchard, Tipping, McGrath, Gault JJ.
7 July 2010
___________________________
Appeal allowed and the conviction is quashed. No order for a new trial.
3 November 2010
- sc 47 2010 james louis mason v the queen (PDF, 100 KB)
Hearing date : 19 October 2010
Elias CJ, Blanchard, Tipping, McGrath, Anderson JJ.
5 August 2010
______________________
The appeal is allowed and the orders made by the Court of Appeal are set aside. The case is remitted to the High Court for determination of issues reserved by that Court for further consideration. The appellant is awarded costs in this Court against the first and second respondents of $25,000 together with its reasonable disbursements to be fixed by the Registrar. The costs order made by the Court of Appeal is reversed.
3 December 2010
- sc 52 2010 ge custodians v bartle (PDF, 1.1 MB)
Hearing date : 20 and 21 October 2010
Elias CJ, Blanchard, Tipping, McGrath, Anderson JJ.
10 August 2010
___________________________
A The appeal is allowed and the determination of Judge Clark is quashed. B The matter is remitted to the Waitangi Tribunal with the direction that it must proceed urgently to hear the claim. C The second respondent must pay the appellant costs of $25,000 together with reasonable disbursements to be fixed if necessary by the Registrar. Costs in the Court of Appeal and High Court are to be fixed by those Courts
- Hearing date 11 and 12 October 2010 (PDF, 1.1 MB)
- Hearing date 6 August 2010 (PDF, 306 KB)
- Media release dated 19 May 2011 (PDF, 67 KB)
2 August 2010
______________________
The appeal is dismissed. The appellants must pay the respondent’ s costs in the sum of $25,000 together with his reasonable disbursements in connection with the appeal, as fixed by the Registrar if necessary.
24 August 2011
Hearing date : 27, 28,29 June 2011
Elias CJ, Blanchard, Tipping, McGrath, Young JJ.