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
RH & JY Trust, Jocelyn Yvette Brown and Perpetual Trust Limited v WorkSafe New Zealand
Case number
SC 32/2026
Summary

Criminal Appeal 

Result

A Leave to appeal is granted (RH & JY Trust v WorkSafe New Zealand [2026] NZCA 12).
B The approved question is whether a trust and/or the trustees of a trust acting collectively is a “person” within the meaning of s 16 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015?
13 May 2026

Date of hearing
28 July 2026
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, Ellen France, Williams and Kós JJ
Case name
Razdan Rafiq v New Zealand Post Group trading as New Zealand Post
Case number
SC 35/2026
Summary

Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal

High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Case name
Shalinee Dowlut v Aurecon New Zealand Limited
Case number
SC 38/2026
Summary

Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal

Result

A The application for leave to appeal against the decision of the Court of Appeal is dismissed.
B We grant an extension of time to apply for leave to appeal against the decision of the Employment Court.
C The application for leave to appeal against the decision of the Employment Court is dismissed.
D The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
28 May 2026

Employment Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Aislyn Monroe v Te Whatu Ora | Health New Zealand, Chief Executive of Oranga Tamariki | Ministry for Children and President of the Paediatric Society of New Zealand
Case number
SC 58/2026
Summary

Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal

Case name
Lena Nedelcheva Duncan v The Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Incorporated and District Court
Case number
SC 7/2025
Summary
Civil appeal - Application for leave to bring appeal
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B There is no order as to costs.                                                                                                   
28 March 2025
Case name
Stewart Robert Coulson v New Zealand Police
Case number
SC 13/2025
Summary

Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal

Result

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.                                                            
1 August 2025

District Court decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
George Charles Desmond Kerr, Lothian Partners Capital Limited, Glencoe Land (Joint Venture) Limited, Galt Nominees Limited and Pyne Holdings (In Receivership) v Bank of New Zealand
Case number
SC 14/2025
Summary

Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal

Result

A The application to adduce further evidence is declined.
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
C The applicants must pay the respondent one set of costs of $2,500.
24 July 2025

Case name
W (SC 17/2025) v New Zealand Police
Case number
SC 17/2025
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
1 May 2025
District Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
NZ Tramways & Public Passenger Transport Employees Union Wellington Incorporated v Tranzurban Hutt Valley Limited
Case number
SC 23/2025
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.                                                
2 July 2025

Case name
Robert Winston v Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora, Te Toka Tumai Auckland and the Chief Executive of Oranga Tamariki
Case number
SC 25/2025
Summary

 Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal

Result

A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B There is no order as to costs.                                                                                          
03 April 2025