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) 

2026

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
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 and Kós JJ