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.
17 August 2026
Case information summary (as at 17 August 2026) – Cases where leave granted (PDF, 87 KB)
Case information summary (as at 17 August 2026) – Cases where leave to appeal decision not yet made (PDF, 128 KB)
All years
Case name
Brook Valley Community Group Incorporated v Brook Waimarama Sanctuary Trust, Minister for the Environment and Nelson City Council
Case number
SC 7/2019
Summary
Civil Appeal – Resource Management Act 1991, ss 13, 15 and 360(1)(h) – Whether the discharge of brodifacoum was unlawful – Whether the exempting regulations made under s 360(1)(h) of the Resource Management Act were unlawful – Whether the reduction in the costs award in the High Court was sufficient to reflect the public interest in the case – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the appeal.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay costs of $4,500 to the respondents (to be divided equally among them, unless they agree otherwise) as well as the respondents’ usual disbursements.
21 May 2019
B The applicant must pay costs of $4,500 to the respondents (to be divided equally among them, unless they agree otherwise) as well as the respondents’ usual disbursements.
21 May 2019
Transcripts
- Hearing date 2 May 2019 (PDF, 113 KB)
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Jenny Lyn Walker v Nelson District Court and Nelson City Council
Case number
SC 9/2019
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether a Court of Appeal Judge erred in declining to review a Deputy Registrar’s security for costs decision.
Result
A The applications for a stay and for leave to appeal are dismissed.
B The applicant must pay the second respondent costs of $2,500.
11 March 2019
B The applicant must pay the second respondent costs of $2,500.
11 March 2019
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Vipassana Foundation Charitable Trust Board v Auckland Council, Raymond Myles O'Brien and Victoria Mei Sien Pichler and Auckland Shooting Club Incorporated
Case number
SC 37/2019
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in concluding that the respondent Council properly considered the noise effects of the proposed activity when issuing a certificate of compliance under s 139 of the Resource Management Act 1991 (even though the Court of Appeal set aside that certificate).
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B Costs of $2,500 are awarded to the respondents.
12 July 2019
B Costs of $2,500 are awarded to the respondents.
12 July 2019
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Franco Belgiorno-Nettis v Auckland Unitary Plan Independent Hearings Panel and Auckland Council
Case number
SC 53/2019
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in not setting aside the recommendations of the respondents in a judicial review claim having regard to all circumstances including the gravity of the respondent’ s error and prejudice to the applicant.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay costs of $2,500 to the second respondent.
10 October 2019
B The applicant must pay costs of $2,500 to the second respondent.
10 October 2019
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
S and M v Vector Limited, Auckland District Court and H
Case number
SC 58/2019
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 remains in force. 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 remains in force. Publication in law report or law digest permitted.
21 September 2020
21 September 2020
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Case name
Anthony Milton Mawhinney v Auckland Council
Case number
SC 77/2019
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring a pre-trial appeal
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B 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 the trial. Publication in a law report or law digest permitted.
10 September 2019
B 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 the trial. Publication in a law report or law digest permitted.
10 September 2019
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
District/High Court judgment
Not publicly available
Case name
Calim Ioan v Scott Technology NZ Limited
Case number
SC 99/2019
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal correctly applied s 67B of the Employment Relations Act 2000 in relation to the termination of the applicant’s employment – Whether the applicant was unjustifiably dismissed based on the notice period.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B Costs of $2,500 are awarded to the respondent.
19 November 2019
B Costs of $2,500 are awarded to the respondent.
19 November 2019
Employment Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Port Otago Limited v Environmental Defence Society Incorporated , Otago Regional Council, Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand Incorporated and Marlborough District Council
Case number
SC 107/2019
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 $2,000 plus usual disbursements to each of the first, second and third respondents.
22 April 2020
B The applicant must pay costs of $2,000 plus usual disbursements to each of the first, second and third respondents.
22 April 2020
Transcripts
- Hearing date 18 March 2020 (PDF, 217 KB)
Additional document
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Orlando Shepherd v Auckland Council
Case number
SC 6/2018
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the High Court erred in its application of s 58 of the Dog Control Act 1996 – Whether the conviction entered is inconsistent with s 25(c) of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990.
Result
A The application for an extension of time to appeal is allowed. B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed. 27 March 2018
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Mangawhai Ratepayers' & Residents' Association Inc, Richard Bruce Rogan and Heather Elizabeth Rogan v Northland Regional Council and Kaipara District Council
Case number
SC 30/2018
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in its application of s 5 of the Judicature Amendment Act 1972 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in its findings under the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B Costs of $4,500 plus usual disbursements are awarded to the respondents.
6 August 2018
B Costs of $4,500 plus usual disbursements are awarded to the respondents.
6 August 2018
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
High Court judgments
Transcript leave hearing
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