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
John Frederick Ericson v Chief Executive of the Department of Corrections
Case number
SC 46/2020
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring civil appeal
Result
A The application for an extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is granted.
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
C There is no order as to costs.
23 July 2020
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
C There is no order as to costs.
23 July 2020
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
[2020] NZSC 69 (PDF, 40 KB)
Case name
Fredrick Hill v Māori Trustee and Official Assignee
Case number
SC 49/2020
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for an oral hearing is dismissed.
B The application to adduce further evidence is dismissed.
C The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
D The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
1 September 2020
B The application to adduce further evidence is dismissed.
C The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
D The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
1 September 2020
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Asher Pradeepkumar Ratnam v The Queen
Case number
SC 62/2020
Summary
Criminal Appeal - application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
7 October 2020
7 October 2020
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Daniel Clinton Fitzgerald v The Queen
Case number
SC 67/2020
Summary
Criminal Appeal
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is granted in part (Fitzgerald v R [2020] NZCA 292).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to find that s 106 of the Sentencing Act 2002 does not apply to Mr Fitzgerald.
C The application for leave to appeal is otherwise dismissed.
D The application to amend the applicant’s notice of application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
3 November 2020
_______________________________________________________
A The appeal against conviction is dismissed.
B The appeal against sentence is allowed. The proceeding is remitted to the High Court for re-sentencing.
7 October 202
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to find that s 106 of the Sentencing Act 2002 does not apply to Mr Fitzgerald.
C The application for leave to appeal is otherwise dismissed.
D The application to amend the applicant’s notice of application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
3 November 2020
_______________________________________________________
A The appeal against conviction is dismissed.
B The appeal against sentence is allowed. The proceeding is remitted to the High Court for re-sentencing.
7 October 202
Date of hearing
23 February 2021
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, William Young, Glazebrook, O'Regan and Williams JJ
Transcripts
- Hearing date 23 February 2021 (PDF, 536 KB)
Media Releases
- MR [2021] NZSC 131 (PDF, 197 KB)
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
Substantive judgment
Case name
Kinara Trustee Limited v Infinity Enterprises NZ Limited
Case number
SC 69/2020
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.
23 November 2020
B The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
23 November 2020
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
K v Z
Case number
SC 73/2020
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.
27 October 2020
B There is no order as to costs.
27 October 2020
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
K v Z [2020] NZSC 116 [27 October 2020] (PDF, 41 KB)
Case name
Clarence John Faloon v The Planning Tribunal at Wellington, The Attorney-General sued on behalf of Palmerston North Joint Venture Airport, The Attorney-General sued on behalf of Minister of Lands, The Clerk of the Executive Council, The High Court of New
Case number
SC 77/2020
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for an extension of time for leave to appeal (Faloon v The Planning Tribunal at Wellington [2020] NZCA 170) is dismissed.
B The application for leave to appeal (Faloon v The Planning Tribunal at Wellington [2020] NZCA 361) is dismissed.
C The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
16 November 2020
____________________________________________
A The application of 27 November 2020, including the application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 16 November 2020 (Faloon v The Planning Tribunal at Wellington [2020] NZSC 124), is dismissed.
B The application to review the Registrar’s decision of 19 November 2020 is dismissed.
16 December 2020
B The application for leave to appeal (Faloon v The Planning Tribunal at Wellington [2020] NZCA 361) is dismissed.
C The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
16 November 2020
____________________________________________
A The application of 27 November 2020, including the application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 16 November 2020 (Faloon v The Planning Tribunal at Wellington [2020] NZSC 124), is dismissed.
B The application to review the Registrar’s decision of 19 November 2020 is dismissed.
16 December 2020
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Recall judgment
Case name
Attorney-General v Family First New Zealand
Case number
SC 79/2020
Summary
Civil Appeal
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is granted (Family First New Zealand v Attorney General [2020] NZCA 366).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to allow the appeal.
18 December 2020
_______________________________________________________
A The appeal is allowed.
B The declaration made by the Court of Appeal that the respondent qualifies for registration under the Charities Act 2005 is set aside.
C There is no order as to costs.
28 June 2022
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to allow the appeal.
18 December 2020
_______________________________________________________
A The appeal is allowed.
B The declaration made by the Court of Appeal that the respondent qualifies for registration under the Charities Act 2005 is set aside.
C There is no order as to costs.
28 June 2022
Date of hearing
24 June 2021
- 25 June 2021
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, William Young, Glazebrook, O'Regan and Williams JJ
Transcripts
- Hearing date 24 June 2021 (PDF, 819 KB)
Case Synopses
- Hearing date 24 June 25 June 2021 (PDF, 428 KB)
Media Releases
- MR [2022] NZSC 80 (PDF, 320 KB)
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
Substantive judgment
Case name
M v Attorney General (in respect of the Ministry of Health), Waitemata District Health Board and Capital and Coast District Health Board
Case number
SC 82/2020
Summary
Civil Appeal
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is granted in part (M (CA677/2017) v Attorney-General [2020] NZCA 311).
B The approved question is:
Was the applicant detained unlawfully after 20 December 2008 because the direction of the Attorney-General under s 31(4) of the Criminal Procedure (Mentally Impaired Persons) Act 2003 that he be detained as a care recipient under the Intellectual Disability (Compulsory Care and Rehabilitation) Act 2003 was not issued until 14 January 2009, and, if so, for how long?
C In all other respects the application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
16 December 2020
The application for reconsideration of the approved question on which leave was given in this Court’s judgment of 16 December 2020 (M (SC 82/2020) v Attorney-General [2020] NZSC 145) is dismissed.
23 March 2021
____________________________________________________________
A The appeal is allowed.
B A declaration is made that the appellant was detained unlawfully from 21 December 2008 until 14 January 2009.
17 September 2021
B The approved question is:
Was the applicant detained unlawfully after 20 December 2008 because the direction of the Attorney-General under s 31(4) of the Criminal Procedure (Mentally Impaired Persons) Act 2003 that he be detained as a care recipient under the Intellectual Disability (Compulsory Care and Rehabilitation) Act 2003 was not issued until 14 January 2009, and, if so, for how long?
C In all other respects the application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
16 December 2020
The application for reconsideration of the approved question on which leave was given in this Court’s judgment of 16 December 2020 (M (SC 82/2020) v Attorney-General [2020] NZSC 145) is dismissed.
23 March 2021
____________________________________________________________
A The appeal is allowed.
B A declaration is made that the appellant was detained unlawfully from 21 December 2008 until 14 January 2009.
17 September 2021
Date of hearing
27 April 2021
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, William Young, O'Regan, Ellen France and Williams JJ
Transcripts
- Hearing date 27 April 2021 (PDF, 372 KB)
Media Releases
- MR [2021] NZSC 118 (PDF, 195 KB)
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
Additional document
Substantive judgment
Case name
Michael John Denney v The Queen
Case number
SC 83/2020
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 9 June 2017 (Denney v R [2017] NZSC 85) is dismissed.
22 December 2020
22 December 2020
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
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