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.

28 November 2025

Case information summary 2025 (as at 28 November 2025) –  Cases where leave granted (PDF, 87 KB)
Case information summary 2025 (as at 28 November 2025)  – Cases where leave to appeal decision not yet made (PDF, 120 KB)

All years

Case name
George Tama Nicholls v Mark Steven Nicholls, Airini Pirihiria Tukerangi, Delace William James, Kahutoroa Mataia Tukerangi, Viv Tama Nicholls, Anita Mari Norman and Sarah Jane Nicholls as trustees of the Ahu Whenua Trust known as The W T Nicholls Trust
Case number
SC 76/2020
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.
19 February 2021
Court of Appeal decision
NICHOLLS v NICHOLLS & ORS AS TRUSTEES OF THE AHU WHENUA TRUST KNOWN AS THE W T NICHOLLS TRUST [2020] NZCA 346 [13 August 2020]
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
GEORGE TAMA NICHOLLS v MARK STEVEN NICHOLLS, AIRINI PIRIHIRA TUKERANGI, DELACE WILLIAM JAMES, KAHUTOROA MATAIA TUKERANGI, VIV TAMA NICHOLLS, ANITA MARI NORMAN AND SARAH JANE NICHOLLS AS TRUSTEES OF THE AHU WHENUA TRUST KNOWN AS THE W T NICHOLLS TRUST [202 (PDF, 87 KB)
Case name
Neal Medhurst Nicholls v The Queen
Case number
SC 10/2013
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Crimes Act 1961, s 220 – Theft by person in a special relationship – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding that the trial judge had applied the correct test for intention in relation to a s 220 charge – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in concluding that the Crown had established that the appellants knew that the relevant transactions were in breach of the relevant requirements beyond reasonable doubt. [2012] NZCA 610  CA 624/2012
Dates

Application for leave to appeal dismissed.
19 April 2013.
Case name
Grant Stanley Nicholls v Airways Corporation of New Zealand Limited
Case number
SC 72/2012
Summary
[2012] NZCA 444  CA 566/2011
Dates

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
The applicant must pay to the respondent costs of $2,500, together with reasonable disbursements, to be fixed, if necessary, by the Registrar.

14 December 2012
Case name
Austin, Nichols & Co. Inc v Stichting Lodestar
Case number
SC 21/2007
Summary
Civil appeal – Trade Marks Act 1953 – whether, in hearing an appeal from the Assistant Commissioner of Trade Marks, the High Court must have deference to the Assistant Commission’s findings, only overturning a decision that can fairly be characterised as wrong – whether the Court of Appeal erred in its interpretation of its own powers under the Court of Appeal (Civil) Rules 2005 in determining the appeal from the High Court decision – whether the Court of Appeal erred by ignoring the onus on the trade mark applicant to discharge the burden of demonstrating that registration of its trade mark would not lead to a likelihood of confusion or deception. CA 94/05 12 March 2007
Result
Application for leave to appeal granted.
7 June 2007
______________________________
Appeal dismissed. Costs $7,5000 plus disbursements to the respondent.
Transcripts
Media Releases
Court of Appeal decision
STICHTING LODESTAR V AUSTIN, NICHOLS & CO. INC. CA CA94/05 12 March 2007
Leave judgment - leave granted
AUSTIN NICHOLS & CO INC V STICHTING LODESTAR SC SC 21/2007 [6 June 2007] (PDF, 14 KB)
Substantive judgment
AUSTIN, NICHOLS & CO INC V STICHTING LODESTAR SC 21/2007 [11 December 2007] (PDF, 51 KB)