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.
8 November 2024
Case information summary 2024 (as at 8 November 2024) – Cases where leave granted (126 KB)
Case information summary 2024 (as at 8 November 2024) – Cases where leave to appeal decision not yet made (PDF, 116 KB)
2021
Case name
Poutama Kaitiaki Charitable Trust and D & T Pascoe v Taranaki Regional Council, New Plymouth District Council and New Zealand Transport Agency
Case number
SC 31/2021
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 granted.
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
C The applicants must pay three sets of costs: $500 jointly to the first and second respondents, $2,500 to the third respondent and $1,500 to the interested party.
15 July 2021
_____________________________________________
A The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 15 July 2021 (Poutama Kaitiaki Charitable Trust v Taranaki Regional Council [2021] NZSC 87) is allowed only to make the changes identified at [2] below.
B The [2021] NZSC 87 judgment is reissued with these changes.
23 September 2021
____________________________________________
The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 15 July 2021 (Poutama Kaitiaki Charitable Trust v Taranaki Regional Council [2021] NZSC 87) as reissued on 23 September 2021 is dismissed.
8 November 2021
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
C The applicants must pay three sets of costs: $500 jointly to the first and second respondents, $2,500 to the third respondent and $1,500 to the interested party.
15 July 2021
_____________________________________________
A The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 15 July 2021 (Poutama Kaitiaki Charitable Trust v Taranaki Regional Council [2021] NZSC 87) is allowed only to make the changes identified at [2] below.
B The [2021] NZSC 87 judgment is reissued with these changes.
23 September 2021
____________________________________________
The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 15 July 2021 (Poutama Kaitiaki Charitable Trust v Taranaki Regional Council [2021] NZSC 87) as reissued on 23 September 2021 is dismissed.
8 November 2021
High Court decision
Recall judgment
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Recall judgment
Case name
Shane Dromgool, Dorothy Dromgool, Alan Darvall Poulton, Jennifer Poulton and Newman Farms Limited v Minister for Land Information
Case number
SC 32/2021
Summary
Civil Appeal
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is granted in part (Minister for Land Information v Dromgool [2021] NZCA 44). The approved question is:
Whether the Court of Appeal was correct in its interpretation of the role and obligations of the Minister for Land Information in deciding an application under s 186(1) of the Resource Management Act 1991 and, in particular, whether the Minister must be satisfied that the proposed taking is fair, sound and reasonably necessary for achieving the objectives of the network utility operator or whether it is sufficient that the Minister is satisfied the proposed taking is capable of meeting that test.
B The application for leave to appeal is otherwise dismissed.
24 June 2021
__________________________________________
A The appeal is dismissed.
B The appellants must pay the respondent costs of $25,000 plus usual disbursements.
22 December 2022
Whether the Court of Appeal was correct in its interpretation of the role and obligations of the Minister for Land Information in deciding an application under s 186(1) of the Resource Management Act 1991 and, in particular, whether the Minister must be satisfied that the proposed taking is fair, sound and reasonably necessary for achieving the objectives of the network utility operator or whether it is sufficient that the Minister is satisfied the proposed taking is capable of meeting that test.
B The application for leave to appeal is otherwise dismissed.
24 June 2021
__________________________________________
A The appeal is dismissed.
B The appellants must pay the respondent costs of $25,000 plus usual disbursements.
22 December 2022
Date of hearing
22 March 2022
Judges
Winkelman CJ, William Young, Glazebrook, O'Regan, Ellen France and Williams JJ
Transcripts
- Hearing date 22 March 2022 (PDF, 588 KB)
Media Releases
- MR [2022] NZSC 157 (PDF, 202 KB)
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
Substantive judgment
Case name
John Goodwin Smith v Electrix Limited and The Fletcher Construction Company Limited
Case number
SC 33/2021
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B There is no order as to costs.
16 June 2021
B There is no order as to costs.
16 June 2021
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
A Lawyer v New Zealand Law Society and Wellington Standards Committee No 2
Case number
SC 34/2021
Summary
Civil / Criminal 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.
30 June 2021
B The applicant must pay the respondents costs of $2,500.
30 June 2021
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Rihari Chance Matthew Biddle v The Queen
Case number
SC 35/2021
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.
19 July 2021
_______________________________________________________________
The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 19 July 2021
(Biddle v R [2021] NZSC 89) is dismissed.
7 October 2021
19 July 2021
_______________________________________________________________
The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 19 July 2021
(Biddle v R [2021] NZSC 89) is dismissed.
7 October 2021
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Recall judgment
Case name
Jordan Mathew Thacker v The Queen
Case number
SC 36/2021
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.
19 July 2021
19 July 2021
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Georgina Rachelle v Tim Cadogan, Lyne McFarlane and Bern Scurr
Case number
SC 37/2021
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B There is no order as to costs.
11 May 2021
B There is no order as to costs.
11 May 2021
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Peter Francis Joseph Little v Debrah Leanne Little and Peter Francis Joseph Little and Lockhart Legal Trustee Services No. 31 Limited as trustees of the Marble Arch Trust
Case number
SC 38/2021
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.
24 June 2021
B The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
24 June 2021
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Ahmed Alcazaz v Enterprise IT Limited
Case number
SC 39/2021
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for stay is dismissed.
B The application for an extension of time to file submissions is dismissed.
11 June 2021
___________________________________________________
A The application for stay is dismissed.
B The application for an extension of time to file submissions is dismissed.
16 August 2021
___________________________________________________
A The application for an extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 11 June 2021 (AlKazaz v Enterprise IT Ltd [2021] NZSC 59) is allowed only to make the corrections identified at [8] of the judgment.
C The [2021] NZSC 59 judgment is reissued with those corrections.
D The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
16 August 2021
B The application for an extension of time to file submissions is dismissed.
11 June 2021
___________________________________________________
A The application for stay is dismissed.
B The application for an extension of time to file submissions is dismissed.
16 August 2021
___________________________________________________
A The application for an extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 11 June 2021 (AlKazaz v Enterprise IT Ltd [2021] NZSC 59) is allowed only to make the corrections identified at [8] of the judgment.
C The [2021] NZSC 59 judgment is reissued with those corrections.
D The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
16 August 2021
Employment Court decision
Supreme court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Jamie Anthony Foster v The Queen
Case number
SC 40/2021
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
19 July 2021
_____________________________________________________
The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 19 July 2021
(Foster v R [2021] NZSC 90) as reissued on 12 August 2021 is dismissed.
7 October 2021
19 July 2021
_____________________________________________________
The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 19 July 2021
(Foster v R [2021] NZSC 90) as reissued on 12 August 2021 is dismissed.
7 October 2021
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
JAMIE ANTHONY FOSTER v R [2021] NZSC 90 [19 July 2021] (PDF, 184 KB)
Recall judgment
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