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.

3 July 2026

Case information summary (as at 3 July 2026) –  Cases where leave granted (PDF, 88 KB)
Case information summary (as at 3 July 2026)  – Cases where leave to appeal decision not yet made (PDF, 127 KB) 

All years

Case name
Liyun Chen v Tawa Trade Finance Limited and LC1521319 Development Co Limited
Case number
SC 1/2026
Summary

Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal

Result

A The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.
B The applications to file reply submissions are dismissed.
C The applications for stay of execution are dismissed.
D The application to admit new evidence is dismissed.
E The first applicant must pay each respondent costs of $2,500.
1 May 2026
______________________________________________________________________________
The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 1 May 2026 (Chen v Goodmore Investments (New Zealand) Ltd [2026] NZSC 40) is dismissed.
8 May 2026

Case name
Liyun Chen and Liyun Chen as trustee of the Royall Family Trust v Goodmore Investments (New Zealand) Limited, LC1521319 Development Co Limited and RHC Property Investment Limited
Case number
SC 2/2026
Summary

Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal

Result

A The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.
B The applications to file reply submissions are dismissed.
C The applications for stay of execution are dismissed.
D The application to admit new evidence is dismissed.
E The first applicant must pay each respondent costs of $2,500.
1 May 2026
______________________________________________________________________________
The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 1 May 2026 (Chen v Goodmore Investments (New Zealand) Ltd [2026] NZSC 40) is dismissed.
8 May 2026

Case name
Hailing Wang and Linda Wu v Body Corporate 406198, The Parties Listed in Schedule 1, Argon Construction Limited and Auckland Council
Case number
SC 20/2026
Summary

Civil Appeal - application for leave to bring an appeal

Result

A The application for an extension of time to apply for leave to appeal the High Court judgment is dismissed.
B The application for an extension of time to apply for leave to appeal the Court of Appeal judgment is granted.
C The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
D The application for leave to adduce further evidence is dismissed.
E The application for an oral leave hearing is dismissed.
F The applicants must pay the first respondent costs of $2,500.
26 May 2026

Case name
George Charles Desmond Kerr, Lothian Partners Capital Limited, Glencoe Land (Joint Venture) Limited, Galt Nominees Limited and Pyne Holdings (In Receivership) v Bank of New Zealand
Case number
SC 14/2025
Summary

Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal

Result

A The application to adduce further evidence is declined.
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
C The applicants must pay the respondent one set of costs of $2,500.
24 July 2025

Case name
Lei Zhou and Qiuying Zhang v Elizabeth Watson
Case number
SC 27/2025
Summary

Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal

Result

A The application to adduce new evidence is dismissed.
B The application for an extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is granted.
C The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
D The applicants must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.                                              
24 July 2025 

Case name
Mary Louise Shores v Charles Alan Howden and Withers & Co Trustee Co Ltd as Trustees of the Charles Alan Howden Family Trust and Carolyn Ann Howden and Withers & Co Trustee Co Ltd as Trustees of the Carolyn Ann Howden Family Trust
Case number
SC 53/2025
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 one set of costs of $2,500.                        
4 September 2025

Case name
Peter Allan Work and Robyn Margaret Work v IAG New Zealand Limited
Case number
SC 90/2025
Summary

Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal

Result

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

Case name
Scott Watson v The King
Case number
SC 109/2025
Summary

Criminal Appeal 

Result

A Leave to appeal is granted in part (Watson v R [2025] NZCA 455). The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to conclude no miscarriage of justice arose from the decision of the trial Judge to admit the visual identification evidence of Guy Wallace.
B The application for leave to appeal is otherwise dismissed.
10 March 2026

Date of hearing
20 October 2026 - 21 October 2026
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, Ellen France, Williams, Kós and Cooke JJ
Leave judgment - leave granted
Case name
Liyun Chen, LC1521319 Development Co Limited, RHC Property Limited and Liyun Chen as trustee of the Royall Family Trust v Goodmore Investments (New Zealand) Limited
Case number
SC 175/2025
Summary

Civil appeal - application for leave to bring an appeal

Result

A The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.
B The applications to file reply submissions are dismissed.
C The applications for stay of execution are dismissed.
D The application to admit new evidence is dismissed.
E The first applicant must pay each respondent costs of $2,500.
1 May 2026
______________________________________________________________________________
The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 1 May 2026 (Chen v Goodmore Investments (New Zealand) Ltd [2026] NZSC 40) is dismissed.
8 May 2026

Case name
Liyun Chen and LC1521319 Development Co Limited v Tawa Trade Finance Limited
Case number
SC 176/2025
Summary

Civil appeal - application for leave to bring an appeal

Result

A The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.
B The applications to file reply submissions are dismissed.
C The applications for stay of execution are dismissed.
D The application to admit new evidence is dismissed.
E The first applicant must pay each respondent costs of $2,500.
1 May 2026
______________________________________________________________________________
The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 1 May 2026 (Chen v Goodmore Investments (New Zealand) Ltd [2026] NZSC 40) is dismissed.
8 May 2026