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.
31 July 2026
Case information summary (as at 31 July 2026) – Cases where leave granted (PDF, 87 KB)
Case information summary (as at 31 July 2026) – Cases where leave to appeal decision not yet made (PDF, 131 KB)
All years
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
A The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.
B Costs are reserved.
3 October 2025
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B There is no order as to costs.
28 August 2025
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B There is no order as to costs.
16 October 2025
Civil Appeal
A Leave to appeal is granted (Chief Executive of Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment v Hairland Holdings Ltd [2025] NZCA 219).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to allow the appeal on the basis that the Employment Relations Authority does not have jurisdiction to hear an application, brought by a purported employer against the Chief Executive of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, the Labour Inspector and/or its workers, for a bare declaration that its workers are not employees under s 6(1) of the Employment Relations Act 2000.
1 October 2025
- Hearing date 5 May 2026 Appellant's submissions (PDF, 283 KB)
- Hearing date 5 May 2026 Respondent's submissions (PDF, 459 KB)
- Hearing date 5 May 2026 Transcript (PDF, 332 KB)
- Hearing date 5 May 2026 Case Synopsis (PDF, 444 KB)
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
A A notice of abandonment having been filed, the application for leave to appeal is abandoned.
B A notice of abandonment having been filed, the application for leave to cross-appeal is abandoned.
6 August 2025
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
A The application for leave to adduce further evidence is
dismissed.
B The application for leave to file submissions in reply on the
above application is dismissed.
C Costs are reserved.
15 October 2025
_________________________________________________
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicants must pay the respondent one set of costs of $2,500.
21 November 2025
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicants must pay the first, second and third respondents one set of costs of $2,500.
18 December 2025
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicants must pay the second to fifth respondnets one set of costs of $2,500.
21 November 2025
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
7 May 2026
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay the respondents one set of costs of $2,500.
13 March 2026