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
Criminal Appeal
A Mr Hoggart’s application for an extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is granted.
B The applications for leave to appeal are granted in part ([W] v R [2023] NZCA 155). The approved questions are:
1 Whether the Court of Appeal was correct to conclude that a media take down order was not required in the circumstances of this case.
2 Whether the Court of Appeal was correct to conclude that the verdicts were not unreasonable in light of admissible evidence relating to the potential culpability of Lester Hamilton (deceased).
C The applications for leave to appeal are otherwise dismissed.
D Interim order suppressing the name of W and any identifying particulars made on 9 June 2023 is to continue until further order.
12 December 2023
_____________________________________________
A The appeals are allowed.
B The appellants’ convictions are set aside.
C An order is made under ss 233(3)(a) and 241(2) of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 that judgments of acquittal be entered.
D The interim order suppressing Mr Wilson’s name and any identifying particulars made on 9 June 2023 is to expire on the release of this judgment.
7 July 2026
- Hearing date 6_7 August 2024 (PDF, 490 KB)
- MR [2026] NZSC 88 (PDF, 302 KB)
B The applicant must pay the respondents costs of $2,500.
10 August 2023
27 October 2023
B The applicants must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
10 November 2023
B The approved questions are as follows:
(a) Was the Court of Appeal correct to conclude, for the purposes of s 9(1) of the Copyright Act 1994, that a copyright holder’s consent is not necessary for a work to be “in circulation”?
(b) Was the Court of Appeal correct to conclude, for the purposes of s 9(1) of the Copyright Act 1994, that circulation outside of New Zealand could constitute “circulation”?
7 December 2023
_____________________________________________
A The appeal is allowed.
B The High Court order awarding damages is reinstated.
C The respondent must pay the appellants costs of $25,000, plus usual disbursements. We allow for second counsel.
D Costs in the Courts below, if not agreed, can be settled by those Courts.
25 March 2025
- Hearing date 26 April 2024 Appellants Submissions (PDF, 2.3 MB)
- Hearing date 26 April 2024 Appellants Chronology Fact (PDF, 194 KB)
- Hearing date 26 April 2024 Appellants Chronology WCT dates (PDF, 215 KB)
- Hearing date 26 April 2024 Appellants Roadmap (PDF, 177 KB)
- Hearing date 26 April 2024 Appellants Further Submissions (PDF, 279 KB)
- Hearing date 26 April 2024 Respondent submissions (PDF, 351 KB)
- Hearing date 26 April 2024 Respondent Roadmap (PDF, 225 KB)
- Hearing date 26 April 2024 Respondent Further Submissions (PDF, 870 KB)
- Hearing date 26 April 2024 (PDF, 471 KB)
- Hearing date 26 April 2024 (PDF, 447 KB)
- MR [2025] NZSC 18 (PDF, 291 KB)
B Any application must be filed on or before 20 working days after the Court of Appeal’s judgment on the substantive appeal.
2 November 2023
_________________________________________________________________________
A notice of abandonment having been filed, the application for leave to appeal is abandoned.
28 March 2025
B The applicant must pay the respondents one set of costs of $5,000.
6 August 2024
- Hearing date 25 July 2024 SC 104/2023 (PDF, 170 KB)
B The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
8 December 2023
B The applicants must pay the first and third, the fourth, and the fifth and sixth respondents three sets of costs of $1,000.
8 February 2024
B The applicants must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
15 February 2024