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.

19 June 2026

Case information summary (as at 19 June 2026) –  Cases where leave granted (PDF, 89 KB)
Case information summary (as at 19 June 2026)  – Cases where leave to appeal decision not yet made (PDF, 126 KB) 

All years

Case name
David Stewart Boyd v Chief Executive of the Department of Corrections and the Minister for Corrections
Case number
SC 27/2026
Summary

Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal

Result

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed. 
20 March 2026

Case name
Robert Erwood v Graeme Edward Minchin and Anthony David Banbrook
Case number
SC 21/2025
Summary

Civil appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal

Result

A    The application for an extension of time is dismissed.
B    Costs of $500 are awarded to the first respondent.                                                      
22 August 2025
____________________________________________________

The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 22 September 2025 (Erwood v Minchin [2025] NZSC 122) is dismissed.
20 November 2025

Case name
David Allen Falamoe v The King
Case number
SC 58/2025
Summary

Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal

Result

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.                                                                    
9 October 2025

Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Saletaulua Charles Faamanatu Maka and Tonga Seini Fata as Trustees of the Samoan Independent Seventh Day Adventist Property Trust v Siaosi David Sootaga Toailoa, Feu Seimaalii, Peniata Saunia, Attorney-General and Samoan Independent Seventh Day Adventist
Case number
SC 65/2025
Summary

Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal

Result

A The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.
B The applicants in the two proposed appeals must pay the first to third respondents one set of costs of $2,500.

Case name
The Samoan Independent Seventh Day Adventist Church (SISDAC) Charitable Trust Board v Siaosi David Sootaga Toailoa, Feu Seimaalii, Peniata Saunia, Attorney-General and Saletaulua Charles Faamanatu Maka and Tonga Seini Fata as Trustees of the Samoan Indepe
Case number
SC 71/2025
Summary

Civil appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal

Result

A The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.
B The applicants in the two proposed appeals must pay the first to third respondents one set of costs of $2,500.

Case name
Nigel David Rimmer and Nicola Rimmer v Carolyn Mary Wilton as Administrator of the Estate of David Rimmer
Case number
SC 97/2025
Summary

Civil Appeal 

Result

A Leave to appeal is granted (Rimmer v Wilton as administrator of the estate of Rimmer [2025] NZCA 374).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal.
31 October 2025

Date of hearing
17 March 2026
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, Williams, Kós, Miller and Cooke JJ Venue: Christchurch High Court, Courtroom 12
Case name
Andrew Alexander Douglas, Ian Stuart Petry, Leonard Ellsworth Kurpuis and John Francis Mather v Body Corporate 102029, Maud Johns Limited, Joanne Lee Underdown, Veer Charan and Le Mans Property Limited
Case number
SC 116/2025
Summary

Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal

Result

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

Case name
Estate of Eric John Tupai Ruru and Alan Parekura Torohina Haronga v Attorney-General, Waitangi Tribunal, Tanya Rogers and David Brown, Owen Lloyd, David Thomas Hawea and Anthony Tapp
Case number
SC 178/2025
Summary

Civil appeal 

Result

A Leave to appeal is granted in part (Estate of Ruru v Attorney- General [2025] NZCA 597).
B The approved questions are:
   (a) whether the Court of Appeal erred in its approach to the requirements for resumption in s 8HB of the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975; and
   (b) whether the Court of Appeal erred in its approach to the Waitangi Tribunal’s discretion to award compensation under sch 1 of the Crown Forest Assets Act 1989.
C The application for leave to appeal is otherwise dismissed.
10 June 2026

Date of hearing
03 November 2026 - 05 November 2026
Judges
TBC
Case name
David Ikenna Obiaga v Attorney-General
Case number
SC 4/2024
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.
6 May 2024
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
David Ian Henderson v Attorney-General of New Zealand
Case number
SC 17/2024
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 respondent costs of $2,500.
29 May 2024