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.

22 September 2026

Case information summary (as at 18 September 2026) –  Cases where leave granted (PDF, 112 KB)
Case information summary (as at 18 September 2026)  – Currently unavailable

All years

Case name
Ethan Webster v The King
Case number
SC 3/2026
Summary

Criminal Appeal
Result

A Leave to appeal is granted (Webster v R [2025] NZCA 679).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal.
16 April 2026
Date of hearing
16 July 2026
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, Ellen France, Williams, Kós and Cooke JJ
Submissions from counsel
Transcripts
Case Synopses
High Court decision
R v CANDY, R v WEBSTER (SENTENCING) [2023] NZHC 414 [6 March 2023]
Court of Appeal decision
WEBSTER v R [2025] NZCA 679 [18 December 2025]
Leave judgment - leave granted
WEBSTER v R [2026] NZSC 32 [16 April 2026] (PDF, 107 KB)
Videos
Case name
Russell Thomas Hoban v Attorney-General
Case number
SC 8/2026
Summary

Civil Appeal 
Result

A Leave to appeal is granted (Hoban v Attorney-General [2025] NZCA 644).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal.
5 May 2026
Date of hearing
07 October 2026 - 08 October 2026
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, Ellen France, Williams, Kós and Campbell JJ
Case Synopses
High Court decision
HOBAN v ATTORNEY-GENERAL [2022] NZHC 3235 [5 December 2022]
Court of Appeal decision
[2025] NZCA 644
Leave judgment - leave granted
HOBAN v ATTORNEY-GENERAL [2026] NZSC 48 [5 May 2026] (PDF, 117 KB)
Videos
Case name
Lego Holding A/S and Lego A/S v Zuru New Zealand Limited, Zuru Toys New Zealand Limited and Zuru Inc
Case number
SC 13/2026
Summary

Civil Appeal
Result

A Leave to appeal is granted (Zuru New Zealand Ltd v Lego Holding A/S [2025] NZCA 650).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to allow the appeal.
07 May 2026
Date of hearing
17 November 2026 - 18 November 2026
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, Ellen France, Williams, Kós and Campbell JJ
High Court decision
ZURU NEW ZEALAND LIMITED v LEGO JURIS A/S [2023] NZHC 1808 [12 July 2023]
Court of Appeal decision
ZURU NEW ZEALAND LTD v LEGO HOLDING A/S [2025] NZCA 650 [10 December 2025]
Leave judgment - leave granted
LEGO HOLDING A/S v ZURU NEW ZEALAND LTD [2026] NZSC 55 [7 May 2026] (PDF, 116 KB)
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, Kós and Campbell JJ
Submissions from counsel
Transcripts
Case Synopses
High Court decision
WORKSAFE NEW ZEALAND | MAHI HAUMARU AOTEAROA v RH & JY TRUST [2024] NZHC 315 [26 February 2024]
Court of Appeal decision
[2026] NZCA 12
Leave judgment - leave granted
RH & JY TRUST v WORKSAFE NEW ZEALAND [2026] NZSC 57 [13 May 2026] (PDF, 126 KB)
Videos
Case name
Tuahuroa Tamati Cairns, Tohu Rangikauwhata Haa, Tauhopa Te Wano Hepi, Toriwai Rotarangi and Anthony Ralph Matara Rotarangi and Pouākani Claims Trust v Mercury NZ Limited, Māori Land Court, Attorney-General, Raukawa Settlement Trust and Te Kotahitanga O Ng
Case number
SC 44/2026
Summary

Civil Appeal
Result

A Leave to appeal and cross-appeal is granted (Mercury NZ Limited v Māori Land Court [2026] NZCA 91).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct (1) to dismiss the applicants’ appeal and cross-appeal, (2) to allow the first and second respondents’ appeals in part, and (3) to reinstate paragraphs [30(c)] and [30(d)] of the applicants’ amended statement of claim.
25 August 2026
Date of hearing
19 April 2027 - 22 April 2027
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, Ellen France, Kós, Campbell and Glazebrook JJ
High Court decision
MERCURY NZ LIMITED v MĀORI LAND COURT [2023] NZHC 1644 [29 June 2023]
Court of Appeal decision
[2026] NZCA 91
Leave judgment - leave granted
CAIRNS v MERCURY NZ LTD [2026] NZSC 114 [25 August 2026] (PDF, 147 KB)
Case name
Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Manawa v CNI Iwi Holdings Limited, Tūhoe Establishment Trust, Te Mana O Ngāti Rangitihi, Tūwharetoa Settlement Trust, Te Komiti Nui O Ngāti Whakaue, Te Rūnanga O Ngāti Whare, Raukawa Settlement Trust, Te Pūmautanga O Te Arawa Trust and
Case number
SC 47/2026
Summary

Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
High Court decision
CNI IWI HOLDINGS LIMITED v TŪHOE ESTABLISHMENT TRUST [2022] NZHC 1880 [2 August 2022]
Court of Appeal decision
TE RŪNANGA O NGĀTI MANAWA v CNI IWI HOLDINGS LIMITED &ORS [2026] NZCA 92 [27 March 2026]
Case name
Rhys Warren v Chief Executive of the Department of Corrections
Case number
SC 49/2026
Summary

Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result

A The application for an extension of time to file the notice of application for leave to appeal is granted.
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed. 
10 June 2026
High Court decision
R v WARREN [2017] NZHC 1913 [11 August 2017]
Court of Appeal decision
KING TE RANGATIRA v CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS [2026] NZCA 104 [1 April 2026]
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
WARREN v CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS [2026] NZSC 74 [10 June 2026] (PDF, 110 KB)
Case name
M (SC 58-2026) 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
High Court decision
MONROE v HEALTH NEW ZEALAND | TE WHATU ORA [2025] NZHC 115 [11 February 2025]
Court of Appeal decision
[2026] NZCA 230
Case name
VXO v Te Whatu Ora | Health New Zealand
Case number
SC 72/2026
Summary

Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Employment Court decision
Not publicly available
Case name
Michael John Smith v Attorney-General
Case number
SC 10/2025
Summary

Civil Appeal 
Result

A Leave to appeal is granted (Smith v Attorney-General [2024] NZCA 692, [2025] 2 NZLR 1).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal.
19 December 2025
Date of hearing
17 August 2026 - 19 August 2026
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, Ellen France, Williams, Kós and Cooke JJ | Venue: Auckland High Court, Courtroom 11
Submissions from counsel
Transcripts
Case Synopses
High Court decision
SMITH v THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL [2022] NZHC 1693 [15 July 2022]
Court of Appeal decision
SMITH v ATTORNEY-GENERAL [2024] NZCA 692 [19 December 2024]
Leave judgment - leave granted
SMITH v ATTORNEY-GENERAL [2025] NZSC 198 [19 December 2025] (PDF, 136 KB)
Videos
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