Supreme Court case information

Civil Appeal 

A Leave to appeal is granted (Students for Climate Solutions Inc v Minister of Energy and Resources [2024] NZCA 152, [2024] 2 NZLR 822).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal.
24 February 2025
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Civil Appeal

A Leave to appeal is granted (Zhou v Lassnig [2024] NZCA 177).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct in its analysis under s 182 of the Family Proceedings Act 1980.
17 September 2024
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A The appeal is dismissed. The orders made by the Court of Appeal as to the resettlement of the Trust stand.
B The appellant must pay the first respondent costs of $30,000 plus usual disbursements. We allow for second counsel.
15 September 2025

Criminal Appeal 

A The application for leave to appeal is granted.
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal.
5 March 2026

Criminal Appeal

A Leave to appeal is granted (Tamihere v R [2024] NZCA 300).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct not to exercise its jurisdiction under s 406(1)(a) of the Crimes Act 1961 to quash Mr Tamihere’s convictions.
20 December 2024
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A The application to adduce further evidence is dismissed.
B The appeal is allowed.
C We exercise the Court’s jurisdiction under s 406(1)(a) of the Crimes Act 1961 to quash Mr Tamihere’s convictions. We make an order directing a retrial.
D Order redacting paragraphs [49]–[61], [79]–[120], [147]– [161], [163]–[164] and [167]–[170] from the judgment delivered on 31 March 2026.
E Order prohibiting publication of the unredacted version of the judgment pending final disposition of retrial.     
31 March 2026

Civil appeal - Application for leave to bring civil appeal

A Leave to appeal is granted (T (SC 95/2024) v Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand [2024] NZCA 390).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal.
C Costs are reserved.
25 September 2024
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A The appeal is dismissed.
B We make an prohibiting publication of the name, address, occupation and identifying particulars of the appellant.
16 September 2025

Civil Appeal

A Leave to appeal is granted (Rasier Operations BV v E Tū Inc [2024] NZCA 403).
B The approved question is whether the four Uber drivers are employees in terms of s 6 of the Employment Relations Act 2000.
19 December 2024
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A The appeal is dismissed.
B The appellants must pay the respondents one set of costs of $50,000 plus usual disbursements. We allow for second counsel.
17 November 2025

Civil Appeal

A Leave to appeal is granted (Fitzgerald v Attorney-General of New Zealand [2024] NZCA 419).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to allow the appeal.
18 December 2024

Criminal Appeal — Application for leave to refer a question of law

A We grant leave to the Solicitor-General to refer the following questions of law (arising from Nikoloff v R [2024] NZCA 318) to this Court under s 317 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011:
Was the defect in the leave given on behalf of the Attorney-General able to be remedied or rectified by the instrument of ratification?
Was the trial at which Mr Nikoloff was convicted a nullity?
B We appoint Mr S J Shamy as counsel to assist the Court on the appeal under s 318(3)(a) of the Criminal Procedure Act.
27 November 2024
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We answer the questions of law as follows:
(a) Was the defect in the leave given on behalf of the Attorney-General able to be remedied or rectified by the instrument of ratification?
No.
(b) Was the trial at which Mr Nikoloff was convicted a nullity?
Yes.
18 September 2025

Criminal Appeal

A  Leave to appeal is granted (R v Bailey [2024] NZCA 552).
B  The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to allow the appeal.
5 March 2025 
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A The appeal is allowed.

B The application under s 147 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 is remitted to the District Court for rehearing.   
30 March 2026

Civil Appeal 

A    Kea Investments Ltd’s application for leave to appeal is granted (Wikeley v Kea Investments Ltd [2024] NZCA 609, [2024] 3 NZLR 901).
B    The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to discharge the permanent anti-suit and anti-enforcement injunctions awarded to Kea Investments Ltd in the High Court.
C    Counsel to assist the Court will be appointed by the Registrar.
D    The applications to adduce further evidence are dismissed.
E    The application to extend the stay in Wikeley v Kea Investments Ltd [2024] NZCA 686, (2024) 26 PRNZ 667 is granted pending determination of the appeal. 
 4 July 2025
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A The application for adjournment is dismissed.
B Costs are reserved.                                                                                
30 September 2025
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A The appeal from the decision of the Court of Appeal in Wikeley v Kea Investments Ltd [2024] NZCA 609, [2024] 3 NZLR 901 is allowed.
B The orders made by the High Court in Kea Investments Ltd v Wikeley Family Trustee Ltd (in interim liq) [2023] NZHC 3260 at [156(a)(i) - (iv)], and in Kea Investments Ltd v Wikeley Family Trustee Ltd (in interim liq) [2023] NZHC 3532 at [7], are reinstated.
C Costs are reserved. 
10 November 2025