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 July 2026
Case information summary (as at 17 July 2026) – Cases where leave granted (PDF, 87 KB)
Case information summary (as at 17 July 2026) – Cases where leave to appeal decision not yet made (PDF, 128 KB)
All years
Case name
Georgina Kain, George Charles Kain, George Harry Couper Kain, George Michael Kain v Public Trust, Mary Hutton, Marnice Couper Forcer Kain, Jack Kain, Molly Kain, Rachel Kain, Stanley Kain, Wolsey Kain, George Couper McHardy Kain, Asta Kain, Madeline Kain,
Case number
SC 18/2022
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The applications for leave to appeal in SC 17/2022 and SC 18/2022 are dismissed.
B Leave is reserved for submissions to be filed if costs are in issue.
24 May 2022
B Leave is reserved for submissions to be filed if costs are in issue.
24 May 2022
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
KAIN v PUBLIC TRUST [2022] NZSC 65 [24 May 2022] (PDF, 203 KB)
Case name
Michael Shane Henry Lihou v The Queen
Case number
SC 48/2022
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for an extension of time to apply for leave to appeal against sentence is dismissed.
10 June 2022
10 June 2022
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Michael John Smith v The Attorney-General
Case number
SC 80/2022
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A notice of abandonment having been filed, the application for leave to appeal is deemed to be dismissed.
9 September 2023
9 September 2023
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Case name
Michael Rawiri Taia v Auckland Standards Committee 5 and Southland Standards Committee
Case number
SC 121/2022
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 respondents costs of $2,000.
9 March 2023
B The applicant must pay the respondents costs of $2,000.
9 March 2023
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Darryn Michael Horton v The Queen
Case number
SC 44/2021
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
12 August 2021
12 August 2021
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Alistair Michael Moosa v The Queen
Case number
SC 56/2021
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B We make an order prohibiting publication of the judgment and any part of the proceedings (including the result) in news media or on the internet or other publicly available database until final disposition of trial. Publication in law report or law digest is permitted.
25 June 2021
B We make an order prohibiting publication of the judgment and any part of the proceedings (including the result) in news media or on the internet or other publicly available database until final disposition of trial. Publication in law report or law digest is permitted.
25 June 2021
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Michael John Smith v Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited, Genesis Energy Limited, Dairy Holdings Limited, New Zealand Steel Limited, Z Energy Limited, New Zealand Refining Company Limited and BT Mining Limited
Case number
SC 149/2021
Summary
Civil Appeal
Result
A Leave to appeal is granted (Smith v Fonterra Co-Operative Group Ltd [2021] NZCA 522).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal and allow the cross appeal.
31 March 2022
__________________________________________________
A The appeal is allowed.
B The appellant’s claim is reinstated.
C There is no order as to costs.
7 February 2024
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal and allow the cross appeal.
31 March 2022
__________________________________________________
A The appeal is allowed.
B The appellant’s claim is reinstated.
C There is no order as to costs.
7 February 2024
Date of hearing
15 August 2022
- 17 August 2022
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, Glazebrook, Ellen France, Williams and Kós JJ
Submissions from counsel
- Hearing date Monday 15 Wednesday 17 August 2022 Appellant submissions (PDF, 1.1 MB)
- Hearing date Monday 15 Wednesday 17 August 2022 First to fifth respondents submissions (PDF, 422 KB)
- Hearing date Monday 15 Wednesday 17 August 2022 Sixth respondent Channel Infrastructure NZ Limited submissions (PDF, 177 KB)
- Hearing date Monday 15 Wednesday 17 August 2022 Seventh respondent BT Mining submissions (PDF, 235 KB)
- Hearing date Monday 15 Wednesday 17 August 2022 Intervener LCANZI submissions (PDF, 354 KB)
- Hearing date Monday 15 Wednesday 17 August 2022 Intervener Te Hunga Roia Maori submissions (PDF, 737 KB)
- Hearing date Monday 15 Wednesday 17 August 2022 Intervener Human Rights Commission submissions (PDF, 358 KB)
Transcripts
- Hearing date 15 - 17 August 2022 (PDF, 1.6 MB)
Case Synopses
Media Releases
- MR [2024] NZSC 5 (PDF, 334 KB)
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
Substantive judgment
[2024] NZSC 5 (PDF, 693 KB)
Videos
- Michael John Smith v Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited SC 149/2021 - 17 August 2022 (Recorded, 17 August 2022)
- Michael John Smith v Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited SC 149/2021 - 16 August 2022 (Recorded, 16 August 2022)
- Michael John Smith v Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited SC 149/2021 - 15 August 2022 (Recorded, 15 August 2022)
Case name
Michael Main v New Zealand Police
Case number
SC 41/2020
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
12 June 2020
12 June 2020
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Michael Richard Smith v The Queen
Case number
SC 59/2020
Summary
Criminal Appeal - application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.
B The application for bail is dismissed.
10 September 2020
B The application for bail is dismissed.
10 September 2020
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Case name
Michael John Denney v The Queen
Case number
SC 83/2020
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 9 June 2017 (Denney v R [2017] NZSC 85) is dismissed.
22 December 2020
22 December 2020
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
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