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.
22 September 2026
Case information summary (as at 18 September 2026) – Cases where leave granted (PDF, 112 KB)
Case information summary (as at 18 September 2026) – Currently unavailable
All years
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
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
Case name
Wikitoria Rangihuna v The King
Case number
SC 157/2021
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B We make an 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 is permitted.
9 February 2022
B We make an 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 is permitted.
9 February 2022
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
John Norrie Seymour v New Zealand Police
Case number
SC 159/2021
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
4 April 2022
4 April 2022
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
William Allan Berkland v The King
Case number
SC 40/2020
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is granted (Berkland v R [2020] NZCA 150)
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal's decision was correct.
17 November 2020
___________________________________________________________
A Mr Berkland’s appeal in SC 40/2020 is allowed. His sentence of 12 years and nine months’ imprisonment, together with a 50 per cent MPI, is quashed, and a sentence of eight years and eight months’ imprisonment is substituted.
B Mr Harding’s appeal in SC 64/2020 is allowed. His sentence of 28 and a half years is quashed, and a new sentence of 21 years is substituted. There is no adjustment to the MPI.
7 December 2022
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal's decision was correct.
17 November 2020
___________________________________________________________
A Mr Berkland’s appeal in SC 40/2020 is allowed. His sentence of 12 years and nine months’ imprisonment, together with a 50 per cent MPI, is quashed, and a sentence of eight years and eight months’ imprisonment is substituted.
B Mr Harding’s appeal in SC 64/2020 is allowed. His sentence of 28 and a half years is quashed, and a new sentence of 21 years is substituted. There is no adjustment to the MPI.
7 December 2022
Date of hearing
23 March 2021
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, William Young, Glazebrook, Ellen France and Williams JJ
Transcripts
- Hearing date 23 - 24 March 2021 (PDF, 799 KB)
Case Synopses
- Hearing date 23 March 2021 (PDF, 288 KB)
Media Releases
- MR [2022] NZSC 143 (PDF, 261 KB)
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
Substantive judgment
Case name
John Frederick Ericson v Chief Executive of the Department of Corrections
Case number
SC 46/2020
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring civil 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 There is no order as to costs.
23 July 2020
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
C There is no order as to costs.
23 July 2020
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
[2020] NZSC 69 (PDF, 40 KB)
Case name
Brownie Joseph Harding v The King
Case number
SC 64/2020
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 against conviction is dismissed (Harding v R [2019] NZCA 259).
C The application for leave to appeal against sentence is granted (Harding v R [2020] NZCA 217). The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal against sentence.
D The Registrar is to set down the appeal against sentence to be heard together with the appeal against sentence in Berkland v R [2020] NZSC 125.
17 November 2020
________________________________________________________________
A Mr Berkland’s appeal in SC 40/2020 is allowed. His sentence of 12 years and nine months’ imprisonment, together with a 50 per cent MPI, is quashed, and a sentence of eight years and eight months’ imprisonment is substituted.
B Mr Harding’s appeal in SC 64/2020 is allowed. His sentence of 28 and a half years is quashed, and a new sentence of 21 years is substituted. There is no adjustment to the MPI.
7 December 2022
B The application for leave to appeal against conviction is dismissed (Harding v R [2019] NZCA 259).
C The application for leave to appeal against sentence is granted (Harding v R [2020] NZCA 217). The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal against sentence.
D The Registrar is to set down the appeal against sentence to be heard together with the appeal against sentence in Berkland v R [2020] NZSC 125.
17 November 2020
________________________________________________________________
A Mr Berkland’s appeal in SC 40/2020 is allowed. His sentence of 12 years and nine months’ imprisonment, together with a 50 per cent MPI, is quashed, and a sentence of eight years and eight months’ imprisonment is substituted.
B Mr Harding’s appeal in SC 64/2020 is allowed. His sentence of 28 and a half years is quashed, and a new sentence of 21 years is substituted. There is no adjustment to the MPI.
7 December 2022
Date of hearing
23 March 2021
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, William Young, Glazebrook, Ellen France and Williams JJ
Transcripts
- Hearing date 23 - 24 March 2021 (PDF, 799 KB)
Case Synopses
- Hearing date 23 March 2021 (PDF, 288 KB)
Media Releases
- MR [2022] NZSC 143 (PDF, 261 KB)
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
Substantive judgment
Case name
IAG New Zealand Limited v Graeme Moore
Case number
SC 71/2020
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.
13 November 2020
B The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
13 November 2020
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
David John Hampton v Minter Ellison Rudd Watts, Official Assignee and Commissioner of Inland Revenue
Case number
SC 72/2020
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 costs of $1,250 to each of the second and third respondents.
13 November 2020
B The applicant must pay costs of $1,250 to each of the second and third respondents.
13 November 2020
High Court decision
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Clarence John Faloon v The Planning Tribunal at Wellington, The Attorney-General sued on behalf of Palmerston North Joint Venture Airport, The Attorney-General sued on behalf of Minister of Lands, The Clerk of the Executive Council, The High Court of New
Case number
SC 77/2020
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for an extension of time for leave to appeal (Faloon v The Planning Tribunal at Wellington [2020] NZCA 170) is dismissed.
B The application for leave to appeal (Faloon v The Planning Tribunal at Wellington [2020] NZCA 361) is dismissed.
C The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
16 November 2020
____________________________________________
A The application of 27 November 2020, including the application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 16 November 2020 (Faloon v The Planning Tribunal at Wellington [2020] NZSC 124), is dismissed.
B The application to review the Registrar’s decision of 19 November 2020 is dismissed.
16 December 2020
B The application for leave to appeal (Faloon v The Planning Tribunal at Wellington [2020] NZCA 361) is dismissed.
C The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
16 November 2020
____________________________________________
A The application of 27 November 2020, including the application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 16 November 2020 (Faloon v The Planning Tribunal at Wellington [2020] NZSC 124), is dismissed.
B The application to review the Registrar’s decision of 19 November 2020 is dismissed.
16 December 2020
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Recall judgment
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