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.
5 June 2026
Case information summary (as at 5 June 2026) – Cases where leave granted (PDF, 89 KB)
Case information summary (as at 5 June 2026) – Cases where leave to appeal decision not yet made (PDF, 124 KB)
All years
Case name
Jamie Ronaki Kissling v The Queen
Case number
SC 69/2021
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.
7 October 2021
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
7 October 2021
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Deo Datt Sharma v Nirmala Wati
Case number
SC 75/2021
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 August 2021
B The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
30 August 2021
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Benjamin Morland Easton v Registrar of the High Court of New Zealand
Case number
SC 82/2021
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 applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
22 September 2021
__________________________________________________________________
A The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 22 September 2021 (Easton v Registrar of the High Court of New Zealand [2021] NZSC 123) is dismissed.
B There is no order as to costs.
22 July 2022
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
C The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
22 September 2021
__________________________________________________________________
A The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 22 September 2021 (Easton v Registrar of the High Court of New Zealand [2021] NZSC 123) is dismissed.
B There is no order as to costs.
22 July 2022
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Recall judgment
Case name
D (SC 83/2021) v High Court Auckland
Case number
SC 83/2021
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
09 August 2021
09 August 2021
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
P (SC 84/2021) v The Queen
Case number
SC 84/2021
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
C (SC 85/2021) v The Queen
Case number
SC 85/2021
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for an extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is dismissed.
10 December 2021
10 December 2021
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
C (SC 85/2021) v R [2021] NZSC 177 [10 December 2021] (PDF, 165 KB)
Case name
Ikon Building Co-operation Limited v Pourushasp Rohinton Dumasia and David Hilliam
Case number
SC 86/2021
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 respondents one set of costs of $2,500.
13 October 2021
B The applicant must pay the respondents one set of costs of $2,500.
13 October 2021
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Wairarapa Moana Ki Pouākani Incorporation v Mercury NZ Limited and The Waitangi Tribunal and Ors
Case number
SC 93/2021
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 We extend time for the first respondent to apply for leave to cross-appeal in SC 93/2021.
B We grant leave to the first respondent in SC 93/2021 to cross-appeal.
C The approved question is whether the High Court’s decision on the first respondent’s claim in that Court was correct.
15 December 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
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 We extend time for the first respondent to apply for leave to cross-appeal in SC 93/2021.
B We grant leave to the first respondent in SC 93/2021 to cross-appeal.
C The approved question is whether the High Court’s decision on the first respondent’s claim in that Court was correct.
15 December 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
Transcripts
- Hearing date 1 October 2021 (PDF, 310 KB)
- Hearing date 9 - 10 February 2022 (PDF, 1 MB)
Media Releases
- MR [2022] NZSC 142 (PDF, 276 KB)
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
Leave judgment - leave granted
Substantive judgment
Case name
Lillian Alice Taylor v The Attorney-General on behalf of the Ministry of Social Development
Case number
SC 94/2021
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 to amend the application for leave to appeal is granted.
C All other interlocutory applications are dismissed.
D The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
E There is no order as to costs.
F A copy of this judgment is to be provided to the Ombudsman.
4 November 2021
B The application to amend the application for leave to appeal is granted.
C All other interlocutory applications are dismissed.
D The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
E There is no order as to costs.
F A copy of this judgment is to be provided to the Ombudsman.
4 November 2021
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Isaac Kerehoma Stevens v The Queen
Case number
SC 96/2021
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal direct to this Court is declined.
30 March 2022
30 March 2022
Date of Judgment
01 January 2021
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
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