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.
4 September 2026
Case information summary (as at 4 September 2026) – Cases where leave granted (PDF, 116 KB)
Case information summary (as at 4 September 2026) – Cases where leave to appeal decision not yet made (PDF, 132 KB)
All years
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.
5 May 2026
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.
5 May 2026
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
- Hearing date 3 - 4 August 2026 Appellant's submissions (PDF, 924 KB)
- Hearing date 3 - 4 August 2026 Respondent's submissions (PDF, 1.1 MB)
- Hearing date 3 - 4 August 2026 Intervener's submissions (PDF, 349 KB)
- Hearing date 3 - 4 August 2026 Case Synopsis (PDF, 443 KB)
- SC 157/2025 Lori-Lea Wairoa Te Wini v The King & SC 158/2025 Courtney Pauline Churchward v The King (Recorded, 4 August 2026)
- SC 157/2025 Lori-Lea Wairoa Te Wini v The King & SC 158/2025 Courtney Pauline Churchward v The King (Recorded, 3 August 2026)
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
- Hearing date 3 - 4 August 2026 Appellant's submissions (PDF, 282 KB)
- Hearing date 3 - 4 August 2026 Respondent's submissions (PDF, 1.1 MB)
- Hearing date 3 - 4 August 2026 Intervener's submissions (PDF, 349 KB)
- Hearing date 3 - 4 August 2026 Case Synopsis (PDF, 443 KB)
- SC 157/2025 Lori-Lea Wairoa Te Wini v The King & SC 158/2025 Courtney Pauline Churchward v The King (Recorded, 4 August 2026)
- SC 157/2025 Lori-Lea Wairoa Te Wini v The King & SC 158/2025 Courtney Pauline Churchward v The King (Recorded, 3 August 2026)
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
4 May 2026
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
15 April 2026
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay the respondents one set of costs of $2,500.
13 March 2026
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
20 February 2026
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay the second respondents one set of costs of $2,500.
4 May 2026
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
A notice of abandonment having been filed, the application for leave to appeal is abandoned
21 July 2026.