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.
19 June 2026
Case information summary (as at 19 June 2026) – Cases where leave granted (PDF, 89 KB)
Case information summary (as at 19 June 2026) – Cases where leave to appeal decision not yet made (PDF, 126 KB)
All years
Case name
Chesterfield Preschools Limited (In Liquidation) and Therese Anne Sisson v Commissioner of Inland Revenue
Case number
SC 17/2021
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.
B The application for leave to adduce further evidence is dismissed.
C The applicant must pay costs of $3,000 to the Commissioner and $1,500 to Chesterfields Preschools Ltd (in liq) plus usual disbursements.
12 July 2021
_________________________________________________________________
A The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 12 July 2021 (Chesterfields Preschools Ltd (in liq) v
Commissioner of Inland Revenue [2021] NZSC 83) is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay costs of $500 to the Commissioner of Inland Revenue.
8 October 2021
B The application for leave to adduce further evidence is dismissed.
C The applicant must pay costs of $3,000 to the Commissioner and $1,500 to Chesterfields Preschools Ltd (in liq) plus usual disbursements.
12 July 2021
_________________________________________________________________
A The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 12 July 2021 (Chesterfields Preschools Ltd (in liq) v
Commissioner of Inland Revenue [2021] NZSC 83) is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay costs of $500 to the Commissioner of Inland Revenue.
8 October 2021
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Recall judgment
Case name
Chesterfield Preschools Limited (In Liquidation) and Therese Anne Sisson v Commissioner of Inland Revenue
Case number
SC 18/2021
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.
B The application for leave to adduce further evidence is dismissed.
C The applicant must pay costs of $3,000 to the Commissioner and $1,500 to Chesterfields Preschools Ltd (in liq) plus usual disbursements.
12 July 2021
_________________________________________________________________
A The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 12 July 2021 (Chesterfields Preschools Ltd (in liq) v
Commissioner of Inland Revenue [2021] NZSC 83) is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay costs of $500 to the Commissioner of Inland Revenue.
8 October 2021
B The application for leave to adduce further evidence is dismissed.
C The applicant must pay costs of $3,000 to the Commissioner and $1,500 to Chesterfields Preschools Ltd (in liq) plus usual disbursements.
12 July 2021
_________________________________________________________________
A The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 12 July 2021 (Chesterfields Preschools Ltd (in liq) v
Commissioner of Inland Revenue [2021] NZSC 83) is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay costs of $500 to the Commissioner of Inland Revenue.
8 October 2021
Recall judgment
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Paul Malcolm Johnson v The Queen
Case number
SC 73/2021
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
10 December 2021
10 December 2021
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Thecircle.co.nz Limited and David Alan Johnson v Trends Publishing Limited (In Liquidation and in receivership) and Callaghan Innovation
Case number
SC 78/2021
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Civil Appeal - Respondents application for leave to bring an appeal
Civil Appeal - Respondents application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The application for leave to cross appeal is dismissed.
C There is no order as to costs.
2 November 2021
B The application for leave to cross appeal is dismissed.
C There is no order as to costs.
2 November 2021
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Attorney-General v Mariya Ann Taylor and Robert Roper
Case number
SC 56/2020
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal.
Result
A The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.
B Leave is reserved for the applicants to make a further application for leave to appeal to this Court on the issue of false imprisonment if the application to the Court of Appeal for recall of its judgment is unsuccessful.
C The Attorney General must pay Ms Taylor costs of $1,250.
22 December 2020
B Leave is reserved for the applicants to make a further application for leave to appeal to this Court on the issue of false imprisonment if the application to the Court of Appeal for recall of its judgment is unsuccessful.
C The Attorney General must pay Ms Taylor costs of $1,250.
22 December 2020
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Robert Roper v Mariya Ann Taylor and Attorney-General
Case number
SC 57/2020
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal.
Result
A The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.
B Leave is reserved for the applicants to make a further application for leave to appeal to this Court on the issue of false imprisonment if the application to the Court of Appeal for recall of its judgment is unsuccessful.
C The Attorney General must pay Ms Taylor costs of $1,250.
22 December 2020
B Leave is reserved for the applicants to make a further application for leave to appeal to this Court on the issue of false imprisonment if the application to the Court of Appeal for recall of its judgment is unsuccessful.
C The Attorney General must pay Ms Taylor costs of $1,250.
22 December 2020
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Robert John Herd and Rhumba Holdings Limited v Rodney David Haines Kathleen Anne Norman
Case number
SC 80/2020
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.
21 December 2020
B The applicants must pay the respondents costs of $2,500.
21 December 2020
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Margaret Ann Wootton v Phillip Garry Wootton
Case number
SC 86/2020
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for a stay pending determination of the applicant’s application for leave to appeal to this Court against the judgment of the Court of Appeal (Wootton v Wootton [2020] NZCA 478) is dismissed.
B There is no order as to costs.
29 October 2020
______________________________
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
11 December 2020
B There is no order as to costs.
29 October 2020
______________________________
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
11 December 2020
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Additional document
Appplication for stay pending determination (PDF, 45 KB)
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
WOOTTON v WOOTTON [2020] NZSC 142 [11 December 2020] (PDF, 45 KB)
Case name
International Consolidated Business Pty Limited v S C Johnson & Son Inc
Case number
SC 32/2019
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in allowing the respondent’s application to trademark of the word ZIPLOC to proceed to registration – Whether the Court of Appeal correctly interpreted s 68(2) of the Trade Marks Act 2002.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal (International Consolidated Business Pty Ltd v S C Johnson & Son Inc [2019] NZCA 61) is granted to the extent set out in B. It is otherwise dismissed.
B The approved ground of appeal is whether the Court of Appeal correctly interpreted s 68(2) of the Trade Marks Act 2002.
9 July 2019
__________________________________________________
A The appeal is dismissed.
B The appellant must pay the respondent costs of $10,000 plus usual disbursements.
15 October 2020
B The approved ground of appeal is whether the Court of Appeal correctly interpreted s 68(2) of the Trade Marks Act 2002.
9 July 2019
__________________________________________________
A The appeal is dismissed.
B The appellant must pay the respondent costs of $10,000 plus usual disbursements.
15 October 2020
Transcripts
- Hearing date 20 February 2020 (PDF, 362 KB)
Media Releases
- MR [2020] NZSC 110 (PDF, 261 KB)
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
Substantive judgment
Hearing date
20 February 2020
Winkelmann CJ, Glazebrook, O’Regan, Ellen France and Williams JJ
Case name
Bryce Brougham v Christine Anne Elizabeth Regan and Mark Jefferey Tuffin as trustees of the Winchester Trust and Racheal Christina Dey
Case number
SC 104/2019
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that a standard form loan agreement was a contract of guarantee under s 27 of the Property Law Act 2007 – Whether imposing guarantee obligations on one of two guarantors named in a contract of guarantee is contingent on both named guarantors signing.
Result
A An extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is granted.
B Leave to appeal is granted (Regan v Brougham [2019] NZCA 401).
C The approved ground is whether the Court of Appeal was right to allow the appeal to that Court.
12 December 2019
_________________________
A The appeal is allowed.
B The orders made in the Court of Appeal are set aside and judgment is entered for the appellant.
C The respondents must pay the appellant costs of $25,000 plus usual disbursements.
D The award of costs and disbursements in the lower Courts in favour of the first respondents is set aside. Such costs and disbursements should be reassessed by the Court of Appeal in light of this judgment. The award of costs in favour of the second respondent stands.
E The first respondents’ interlocutory application to adduce further evidence is dismissed. 30 October 2020
B Leave to appeal is granted (Regan v Brougham [2019] NZCA 401).
C The approved ground is whether the Court of Appeal was right to allow the appeal to that Court.
12 December 2019
_________________________
A The appeal is allowed.
B The orders made in the Court of Appeal are set aside and judgment is entered for the appellant.
C The respondents must pay the appellant costs of $25,000 plus usual disbursements.
D The award of costs and disbursements in the lower Courts in favour of the first respondents is set aside. Such costs and disbursements should be reassessed by the Court of Appeal in light of this judgment. The award of costs in favour of the second respondent stands.
E The first respondents’ interlocutory application to adduce further evidence is dismissed. 30 October 2020
Date of hearing
09 June 2020
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, William Young, Glazebrook, O'Regan and Williams JJ
Transcripts
- Hearing date 9 June 2020 (PDF, 409 KB)
Media Releases
- MR [2020] NZSC 118 (PDF, 189 KB)
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
Substantive judgment
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