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)
All years
Civil appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
A The application for an extension of time is dismissed.
B Costs of $500 are awarded to the first respondent.
22 August 2025
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The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 22 September 2025 (Erwood v Minchin [2025] NZSC 122) is dismissed.
20 November 2025
Criminal Appeal
A Leave to appeal is granted (Commonwealth of Australia v BW [2025] NZCA 8).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to allow the appeal and find that the High Court erred in law when it concluded it would be oppressive to extradite BW to Australia.
16 June 2025
- Hearing date 4 November 2025 Appellant submissions (PDF, 1.4 MB)
- Hearing date 4 November 2025 Respondent submissions (PDF, 1.3 MB)
- Hearing date 4 November 2025 Case Synopsis (PDF, 453 KB)
- SC 22/2025 BW v Commonwealth of Australia (Recorded, 4 November 2025)
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
2 July 2025
27 March 2025
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B There is no order as to costs.
03 April 2025
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
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.
15 September 2025
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
A The application to adduce new evidence is dismissed.
B The application for an extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is granted.
C The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
D The applicants must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
24 July 2025
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
8 July 2025
ORDER PROHIBITING PUBLICATION OF THE JUDGMENT AND ANY PART OF THE PROCEEDINGS (EXCEPT THE RESULT AS SET OUT IN PARAGRAPH [32]) 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.
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A Leave to appeal is revoked (M (SC 29/2025) v R [2025] NZSC 86).
B The appeal hearing scheduled for 13 November 2025 is vacated.
C We make an interim order continuing suppression of the name, address, occupation and identifying particulars of the appellant on the terms and for the period specified below a [5].
10 November 2025
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
A Leave to appeal and cross-appeal is granted in part (Peka (as personal representative of the Estate of Hawkins) v Te Hei [2025] NZCA 32, [2025] 2 NZLR 353).
B The approved questions are:
(a) whether the Court of Appeal was correct to allow the appeal and dismiss the cross-appeal; and
(b) whether the Court of Appeal was correct to refer Mrs Hawkins’ claim back to the Victims’ Special Claims Tribunal for reconsideration in light of its judgment.
C The application for leave to cross-appeal the issue of costs in the High Court is dismissed.
25 August 2025