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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)

2021

Case name
Ford Tearikiwai Huka Taylor v The Queen
Case number
SC 121/2021
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
14 November 2021
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
FORD TEARIKIWAI HUKA TAYLOR v R [2021] NZSC 178 [14 December 2021] (PDF, 165 KB)
Case name
K (SC 122/2021) V The Queen
Case number
SC 122/2021
Summary
ORDER PROHIBITING PUBLICATION OF THE JUDGMENT OR ANY PART OF THE PROCEEDINGS (INCLUDING THE RESULT) IN NEWS MEDIA OR ON THE INTERNET OR OTHER PUBLICLY AVAILABLE DATABASE UNTIL FINAL DISPOSITION OF RETRIAL. PUBLICATION IN LAW REPORT OR LAW DIGEST PERMITTED
Result
ORDER PROHIBITING PUBLICATION OF THE JUDGMENT OR ANY PART OF THE PROCEEDINGS (INCLUDING THE RESULT) IN NEWS MEDIA OR ON THE INTERNET OR OTHER PUBLICLY AVAILABLE DATABASE UNTIL FINAL DISPOSITION OF RETRIAL. PUBLICATION IN LAW REPORT OR LAW DIGEST PERMITTED
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Case name
Penisimani Taakimoeaka v The Chief Executive of the Department of Corrections
Case number
SC 123/2021
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
10 December 2021
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
PENISIMANI TAAKIMOEAKA v CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS [2021] NZSC 175 [10 December 2021] (PDF, 176 KB)
Case name
C (SC 124/2021) v The Queen
Case number
SC 124/2021
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.
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Case name
Anthony Pratt Kaye and Morva Kaye v Norris Ward McKinnon
Case number
SC 125/2021
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 dismissed.
B The applicants must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
3 December 2021
___________________________________________________________
A The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 3 December 2021 (Kaye v Norris Ward McKinnon [2021] NZSC 168) is dismissed.
B There is no order as to costs.
23 April 2024
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
ANTHONY PRATT KAYE AND MORVA KAYE v NORRIS WARD MCKINNON [2021] NZSC 168 [3 December 2021] (PDF, 163 KB)
Recall judgment
KAYE v NORRIS WARD MCKINNON [2024] NZSC 39 [23 April 2024] (PDF, 199 KB)
Case name
Dermot Gregory Nottingham and Robert Earle McKinney
Case number
SC 126/2021
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
3 November 2021
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
DERMOT GREGORY NOTTINGHAM and ROBERT EARLE MCKINNEY [2021] NZSC 147 [3 November 2021] (PDF, 148 KB)
Case name
Ryshell Griggs and Mark Phillip Chamberlain on Behalf of Ngāi Tūmapūhia-ā-Rangi Hapū v Waitangi Tribunal and Ors
Case number
SC 127/2021
Summary
Civil Appeal
Result
A The applications for extensions of time to apply for leave to appeal in SC 93/2021 and SC 127/2021 are granted.
B Leave to appeal in SC 93/2021 and SC 127/2021 is granted (Mercury NZ Ltd v The Waitangi Tribunal [2021] NZHC 654).
C The approved question in each appeal is whether the High Court’s decision was correct.
11 October 2021
_______________________________________________________
A The appeal by Wairarapa Moana ki Pouākani Inc in SC 93/2021 is allowed in part. The High Court’s ruling that the Waitangi Tribunal has no power to recommend resumption in favour of a claimant without mana whenua is set aside. The appeal is otherwise dismissed.
B The appeal by Ryshell Griggs and Mark Chamberlain in SC 127/2021 and the cross-appeal by Mercury NZ Limited in SC 93/2021 are dismissed.
C Issues as to costs may be dealt with by memoranda if they are not otherwise agreed. Memoranda will be no longer than five pages and must be filed and served within 20 working days.
7 December 2022
Date of hearing
09 February 2022 - 10 February 2022
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, William Young, Glazebrook, O'Regan and Williams JJ
Media Releases
High Court decision
MERCURY NZ LIMITED AND OTHERS v THE WAITANGI TRIBUNAL AND OTHERS [2021] NZHC 654 [30 March 2021]
Leave judgment - leave granted
WAIRARAPA MOANA KI POUĀKANI INCORPORATION v MERCURY NZ LIMITED [2021] NZSC 134 [11 October 2021] (PDF, 190 KB)
Substantive judgment
WAIRARAPA MOANA KI POUĀKANI INCORPORATION v MERCURY NZ LIMITED [2022] NZSC 142 [7 December 2022] (PDF, 843 KB)
Case name
Haoyu Gao, Smiling Face Limited and Xia Xue v Zespri Group Limited
Case number
SC 128/2021
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicants must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
1 March 2022
High Court decision
ZESPRI GROUP LIMITED v GAO & ORS [2020] NZHC 109 [10 February 2020]
Court of Appeal decision
GAO v ZESPRI GROUP LIMITED [2021] NZCA 442 [7 September 2021]
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
HAOYU GAO v ZESPRI GROUP LIMITED [2022] NZSC 13 [1 March 2022] (PDF, 151 KB)
Case name
LFDB (SC 129/2021) v SM (SC129/2021)
Case number
SC 129/2021
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.
30 November 2021
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
LFDB v SM [2021] NZSC 164 [30 November 2021] (PDF, 171 KB)
Case name
Christine Marama Cowan and Te Rahui John Cowan v John Arthur Cowan, Kurt Thomas Gibbons and 170 Queens Drive Limited.
Case number
SC 130/2021
Summary
Civil Appeal
Result
A Leave to appeal is granted (Cowan v Cowan [2021] NZCA 463).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal to that Court.
20 December 2021
___________________________________________________
A The appeal is dismissed.
B Costs are reserved.
12 April 2022
Date of hearing
15 February 2022
Judges
Young, Glazebrook, O'Regan, Ellen France, Williams, JJ
Transcripts
Media Releases
High Court decision
COWAN v COWAN [2021] NZHC 1291 [2 June 2021]
Court of Appeal decision
COWAN v COWAN [2021] NZCA 463 [10 September 2021]
Leave judgment - leave granted
CHRISTINE MARAMA COWAN v JOHN ARTHUR COWAN [2021] NZSC 185 [20 December 2021] (PDF, 164 KB)
Substantive judgment
CHRISTINE MARAMA COWAN v JOHN ARTHUR COWAN [2022] NZSC 43 [12 April 2022] (PDF, 177 KB)
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