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.

28 November 2025

Case information summary 2025 (as at 28 November 2025) –  Cases where leave granted (PDF, 87 KB)
Case information summary 2025 (as at 28 November 2025)  – Cases where leave to appeal decision not yet made (PDF, 120 KB)

2025

Case name
The Samoan Independent Seventh Day Adventist Church (SISDAC) Charitable Trust Board v Siaosi David Sootaga Toailoa, Feu Seimaalii, Peniata Saunia, Attorney-General and Saletaulua Charles Faamanatu Maka and Tonga Seini Fata as Trustees of the Samoan Indepe
Case number
SC 71/2025
Summary

Civil appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result

A The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.
B The applicants in the two proposed appeals must pay the first to third respondents one set of costs of $2,500.
High Court decision
TOAILOA & ORS v ELIU & ORS [2024] NZHC 1412 [31 May 2024]
Court of Appeal decision
[2025] NZCA 261
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
MAKA AND ANOR AS TRUSTEES OF THE SAMOAN INDEPENDENT SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST PROPERTY TRUST v TOAILOA AND ORS [2025] NZSC 149 [30 October 2025] (PDF, 160 KB)
Case name
Leon Tamati Chase v The King
Case number
SC 72/2025
Summary

Criminal appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed. 
11 November 2025
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
[2025] NZCA 271
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
CHASE v R [2025] NZSC 154 [11 November 2025] (PDF, 204 KB)
Case name
P v Wellington Family Court, The Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages and C
Case number
SC 73/2025
Summary

Civil appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal 
High Court decision
P v WELLINGTON FAMILY COURT [2024] NZHC 2460 [30 August 2024]
Court of Appeal decision
[2025] NZCA 262
Case name
Ms Henderson v Oranga Tamariki - Ministry for Children
Case number
SC 74/2025
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 September 2025
High Court decision
HENDERSON v CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF ORANGA TAMARIKI – MINISTRY FOR CHILDREN [2025] NZHC 144 [12 February 2025]
Court of Appeal decision
[2025] NZCA 293
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
HENDERSON v CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF ORANGA TAMARIKI—MINISTRY FOR CHILDREN [2025] NZSC 127 [30 September 2025] (PDF, 179 KB)
Case name
Samantha Joyce Wolfe, Clifford Morgan Royal and Te Tepu Ote Wakaminenga O Nga Hapu O Nu Tireni v Governor-General of New Zealand, Auckland High Court, Minister of Immigration, Associate Minister of Immigration, Minister of Finance, Chief Executive of The
Case number
SC 75/2025
Summary

Civil appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Date of hearing
07 May 2026
Judges
TBC
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Case name
Nalesh Nitin Reddy v The King
Case number
SC 76/2025
Summary

Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
14 October 2025
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
[2025] NZCA 277
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
REDDY v R [2025] NZSC 137 [14 October 2025] (PDF, 149 KB)
Case name
Francisc Catalin Deliu v New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal and National Standards Committee 1 and Auckland Standards Committee 1 of the New Zealand Law Society
Case number
SC 77/2025
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. 
25 November 2025
High Court decision
[2023] NZHC 160
Court of Appeal decision
[2025] NZCA 273
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
DELIU v THE NEW ZEALAND LAWYERS AND CONVEYANCERS DISCIPLINARY TRIBUNAL [2025] NZSC 177 [25 November 2025] (PDF, 230 KB)
Case name
D v T
Case number
SC 78/2025
Summary

PURSUANT TO S 182 OF THE FAMILY VIOLENCE ACT 2018, ANY REPORT OF THIS PROCEEDING MUST COMPLY WITH SS 11B, 11C AND 11D OF THE FAMILY COURT ACT 1980. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE SEE https://www.justice.govt.nz/family/family-court/after-the-family-court/restrictions-on-publishing-information/
23 September 2025
Case name
B (SC 79/2025) v The King
Case number
SC 79/2025
Summary

Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
25 November 2025
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
[2025] NZCA 285
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
B (SC 79/2025) v R [2025] NZSC 170 [25 November 2025] (PDF, 153 KB)
Case name
Peter Matehaere Keepa v NZ Police
Case number
SC 80/2025
Summary

Criminal Appeal - Application for leave bring an appeal
Result

The applications leave to appeal are dismissed.
16 October 2025
High Court decision
POLICE v PIRIPI, TAHAU, KEEPA [2024] NZHC 2596 [10 September 2024]
Court of Appeal decision
TAHAU v NEW ZEALAND POLICE [2025] NZCA 278 [26 June 2025]
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
KEEPA v NZ POLICE AND TAHAU v NZ POLICE [2025] NZSC 139 [16 October 2025] (PDF, 157 KB)
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