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
David Wayne Tamihere v The King
Case number
SC 82/2024
Summary

Criminal Appeal

Result

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
__________________________________________________
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

Date of hearing
18 August 2025 - 20 August 2025
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, Glazebrook, Ellen France, Williams and Kós JJ | Venue: Auckland High Court, Courtroom 11
Media Releases
Leave judgment - leave granted
Substantive judgment
Case name
Dharmendra Maheta v Christopher John Griggs
Case number
SC 85/2024
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.
23 October 2024
Employment Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Grant Nicolson v Isaac Lowther, Steven Khov and Kieran Jones
Case number
SC 86/2024
Summary
Civil 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 is dismissed.
C The applicant must pay the respondents one set of costs of $2,500.
8 October 2024
_______________________________________
A The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 8 October 2024 (Nicolson v Lowther [2024] NZSC 135) is dismissed.
B There is no order as to costs.
6 December 2024
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Sarah Gordon and Giles Newton-Howes v Attorney-General and Director-General of Health
Case number
SC 89/2024
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for leave to file submissions in reply is granted.
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
C There is no order as to costs.
6 November 2024
Case name
Amitesh Kumar Sharma v Auckland Council
Case number
SC 91/2024
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 is dismissed.
22 October 2024
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
T (SC 95/2024) v Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand
Case number
SC 95/2024
Summary

Civil appeal - Application for leave to bring civil appeal

Result

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
_________________________________________________________________________
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

Date of hearing
13 March 2025
Judges
Glazebrook, Ellen France, Williams, Kós and Miller JJ
Case name
Arena Alceon NZ Credit Partners, LLC and Quaestor Advisors, LLC v Damien Mitchell Grant and Adam Stevenson Botterill as Liquidators of Ormiston Rise Limited (in receivership and liquidation) and Damien Mitchell Grant and Adam Stevenson Botterill as Liquid
Case number
SC 99/2024
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 one set of costs of $2,500.
5 December 2024
Case name
Rasier Operations BV, Uber Portier BV, Uber BV, Portier New Zealand Limited and Rauser New Zealand Limited v E Tū Incorporated and First Union Incorporated
Case number
SC 105/2024
Summary

Civil Appeal

Result

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
______________________________________________________

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

Date of hearing
08 July 2025 - 09 July 2025
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, Glazebrook, Ellen France, Williams and Miller JJ
Case name
Daniel Clinton Fitzgerald v Attorney-General
Case number
SC 107/2024
Summary

Civil Appeal

Result

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

Date of hearing
20 March 2025 - 21 March 2025
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, Glazebrook, Williams, O’Regan and Mallon JJ
Case name
Christopher Walker v The King
Case number
SC 108/2024
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal.
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
14 November 2024
District Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed