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
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
A notice of abandonment having been filed, the application for leave to appeal is abandoned.
10 March 2026
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.
4 June 2026
B There is no order as to costs.
6 May 2024
B The first applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
31 May 2024
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
2 May 2024
Civil Appeal
A The applications for extensions of time to apply for leave to appeal are granted.
B Leave to appeal is granted (J v Attorney-General [2023] NZCA 660).
C The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeals.
18 April 2024
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A The appeal is allowed in part. The approach of the Court of Appeal to s 85 of the Intellectual Disability (Compulsory Care and Rehabilitation) Act 2003 was incorrect. The Family Court, in considering this matter in the context of a review under Part 6 of the Act, is to address J’s condition and status in accordance with our approach to s 85.
B The further evidence described below at [156] is admitted.
C The application for recall of this Court’s leave judgment of 18 April 2024 (J, Compulsory Care Recipient, by his Welfare Guardian, T v Attorney General [2024] NZSC 34) is allowed only to clarify the matters which are properly before the Court.
D The judgment of this Court of 18 April 2024 (J, Compulsory Care Recipient, by his Welfare Guardian, Tv Attorney General [2024] NZSC 34) is reissued accordingly.
E Costs are reserved.
15 August 2025
- Hearing 20 and 21 August 2024 Appellant submissions (PDF, 390 KB)
- Hearing date 20 and 21 August 2024 Transcript (PDF, 836 KB)
- Hearing date 20 and 21 August 2024 (PDF, 482 KB)
- MR [2025] NZSC 103 (PDF, 286 KB)
Civil Appeal
A The applications for extensions of time to apply for leave to appeal are granted.
B Leave to appeal is granted (J v Attorney-General [2023] NZCA 660).
C The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeals.
18 April 2024
_______________________________________
A The appeal is allowed in part. The approach of the Court of Appeal to s 85 of the Intellectual Disability (Compulsory Care and Rehabilitation) Act 2003 was incorrect. The Family Court, in considering this matter in the context of a review under Part 6 of the Act, is to address J’s condition and status in accordance with our approach to s 85.
B The further evidence described below at [156] is admitted.
C The application for recall of this Court’s leave judgment of 18 April 2024 (J, Compulsory Care Recipient, by his Welfare Guardian, T v Attorney General [2024] NZSC 34) is allowed only to clarify the matters which are properly before the Court.
D The judgment of this Court of 18 April 2024 (J, Compulsory Care Recipient, by his Welfare Guardian, Tv Attorney General [2024] NZSC 34) is reissued accordingly.
E Costs are reserved. 15 August 2025
- Hearing 20 and 21 August 2024 Appellant submissions (PDF, 390 KB)
- Hearing date 20 and 21 August 2024 (PDF, 482 KB)
- MR [2025] NZSC 103 (PDF, 286 KB)
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct in the answers the Court gave to the questions of law before the Court.
9 May 2024__________________________________________________________________A We answer the questions of law as follows: copyrights are property for purposes of the Property (Relationships) Act 1976 and they may be relationship property.
B The appeal is dismissed. We direct that the proceeding be remitted to the Family Court to decide the value and distribution or sale of the artworks and copyrights in them.
C The appellant must pay the respondent costs of $15,000 plus usual disbursements. We allow for second counsel.
6 March 2025
- Hearing date 24 October 2024 Appellant Submissions (PDF, 435 KB)
- Hearing date 24 October 2024 Respondent Submissions (PDF, 378 KB)
- Hearing date 24 October 2024 Appellant oral outline (PDF, 249 KB)
- Hearing date 24 October 2024 Respondent oral outline (PDF, 143 KB)
- Hearing date 24 October 2024 (PDF, 546 KB)
- Hearing date 24 October 2024 Case Synopsis (PDF, 318 KB)
- MR [2025] NZSC 9 (PDF, 438 KB)
- SC 22/2024 Sirpa Elise Alalääkkölä v Paul Anthony Palmer (Recorded, 24 October 2024)
B The application for recall of this Court’s minute of 29 August 2024 is dismissed.
C The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
D The applicant must pay the respondents one set of costs of $2,500.
1 November 2024
_____________________________________________________________
A The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 1 November 2024 (Deliu v Attorney-General [2024] NZSC 147) is dismissed.
B There is no order as to costs.
C The Registrar is directed not to accept for filing any further recall applications relating to this matter.
22 November 2024
B The applicant must pay the respondents one set of costs of $2,500.
30 July 2024