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.
14 May 2024
Case information summary 2024 (as at 14 May 2024) – Cases where leave granted (121 KB)
Case information summary 2024 (as at 14 May 2024) – Cases where leave to appeal decision not yet made (PDF, 92 KB)
All years
Case name
David Simon Barton v Chief Executive, Department of Corrections
Case number
SC 141/2021
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
1 July 2022
1 July 2022
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Lynne Frances Snowdon v Radio New Zealand Limited
Case number
SC 142/2021
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 application to adduce new evidence is dismissed.
C The application for a stay of the execution of the costs decision of the Employment Court is dismissed.
D The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
22 February 2022
________________________________________________
A The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 22 February 2022 (Snowdon v Radio New Zealand Ltd [2022] NZSC 9) is dismissed.
B There is no order as to costs.
23 December 2022
B The application to adduce new evidence is dismissed.
C The application for a stay of the execution of the costs decision of the Employment Court is dismissed.
D The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
22 February 2022
________________________________________________
A The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 22 February 2022 (Snowdon v Radio New Zealand Ltd [2022] NZSC 9) is dismissed.
B There is no order as to costs.
23 December 2022
Employment Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Recall judgment
Case name
Pasilika Naufahu v The Queen
Case number
SC 144/2021
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
17 March 2022
17 March 2022
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
PASILIKA NAUFAHU v R [2022] NZSC 22 [17 March 2022] (PDF, 59 KB)
Case name
Selaima Fakaosilea v The Queen
Case number
SC 145/2021
Summary
Criminal 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 with leave reserved as set out in [13] below.
4 March 2022
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed with leave reserved as set out in [13] below.
4 March 2022
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
SELAIMA FAKAOSILEA v R [2022] NZSC 17 [4 March 2022] (PDF, 178 KB)
Case name
Christian Desmond Millar v The Queen
Case number
SC 146/2021
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Garth Bowkett Paterson v Attorney-General (for the Ministry of Justice)
Case number
SC 147/2021
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.
10 February 2022
10 February 2022
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Dylan Edward Coleman v The Chief Executive of the Department of Corrections
Case number
SC 148/2021
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
7 April 2022
7 April 2022
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Michael John Smith v Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited, Genesis Energy Limited, Dairy Holdings Limited, New Zealand Steel Limited, Z Energy Limited, New Zealand Refining Company Limited and BT Mining Limited
Case number
SC 149/2021
Summary
Civil Appeal
Result
A Leave to appeal is granted (Smith v Fonterra Co-Operative Group Ltd [2021] NZCA 522).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal and allow the cross appeal.
31 March 2022
__________________________________________________
A The appeal is allowed.
B The appellant’s claim is reinstated.
C There is no order as to costs.
7 February 2024
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal and allow the cross appeal.
31 March 2022
__________________________________________________
A The appeal is allowed.
B The appellant’s claim is reinstated.
C There is no order as to costs.
7 February 2024
Date of hearing
15 August 2022
- 17 August 2022
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, Glazebrook, Ellen France, Williams and Kós JJ
Submissions from counsel
- Hearing date Monday 15 Wednesday 17 August 2022 Appellant submissions (PDF, 1.1 MB)
- Hearing date Monday 15 Wednesday 17 August 2022 First to fifth respondents submissions (PDF, 422 KB)
- Hearing date Monday 15 Wednesday 17 August 2022 Sixth respondent Channel Infrastructure NZ Limited submissions (PDF, 177 KB)
- Hearing date Monday 15 Wednesday 17 August 2022 Seventh respondent BT Mining submissions (PDF, 235 KB)
- Hearing date Monday 15 Wednesday 17 August 2022 Intervener LCANZI submissions (PDF, 354 KB)
- Hearing date Monday 15 Wednesday 17 August 2022 Intervener Te Hunga Roia Maori submissions (PDF, 737 KB)
- Hearing date Monday 15 Wednesday 17 August 2022 Intervener Human Rights Commission submissions (PDF, 358 KB)
Transcripts
- Hearing date 15 - 17 August 2022 (PDF, 1.6 MB)
Case Synopses
Media Releases
- MR [2024] NZSC 5 (PDF, 334 KB)
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
Substantive judgment
[2024] NZSC 5 (PDF, 693 KB)
Videos
- Michael John Smith v Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited SC 149/2021 - 17 August 2022 (Recorded, 17 August 2022)
- Michael John Smith v Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited SC 149/2021 - 16 August 2022 (Recorded, 16 August 2022)
- Michael John Smith v Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited SC 149/2021 - 15 August 2022 (Recorded, 15 August 2022)
Case name
NZDSOS Inc. and NZTSOS Inc. v Minister for COVID-19 Response, Director-General of Health and The Attorney-General
Case number
SC 150/2021
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for leave to bring a direct appeal to this Court is dismissed.
B Costs are reserved.
24 November 2021
B Costs are reserved.
24 November 2021
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Supreme court decision
Case name
Alusi Limited, Openyd Limited, Rudayna Ibrahim, Abdulah Abdulqadir and Omar Jassim v G J Lawrence Dental Limited and Gary John Lawrence and Jason Peter Silk as trustees of the G J Lawrence Family Trust, and Diane Sheryl Lawrence and Jason Peter Silk as tr
Case number
SC 151/2021
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 respondents costs of $2,500.
22 February 2022
B The applicants must pay the respondents costs of $2,500.
22 February 2022
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
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