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.

31 July 2026

Case information summary (as at 31 July 2026) –  Cases where leave granted (PDF, 87 KB)
Case information summary (as at 31 July 2026)  – Cases where leave to appeal decision not yet made (PDF, 131 KB) 

All years

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
Donna Pokere-Phillips v Trustees of Te Hanataua Trust
Case number
SC 95/2025
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 is granted. 
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.   
C The application for a stay of enforcement of the Court of Appeal costs award is dismissed. 
D The applicant must pay the respondents one set of costs of $2,500. 
23 October 2025

Case name
Auimatagi Mos Auimatagi, Erika Samu Lafoa'i and Eleni Mason v Mangere Congregational Church of Jesus Trust Board and Leni Palelei, Tagara Uli, Luisa Tuisaula, Vila Seumanu, Ailini Nunn and Aloali'I Asoafo
Case number
SC 107/2025
Summary

Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal

Result

A notice of abandonment having been filed, the application for leave to appeal is abandoned. 

Case name
FCL CL Ltd as trustee of the FCL CL Trust v Monique Hune Lynch, Luke Alexander Sansom and Marta Yates
Case number
SC 162/2025
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.
13 March 2026

Case name
UV Limited and WX v AB Limited as Trustee of the CD Trust and EF Trust, GH, IJ and KL as trustees of the MN Trust, GH and KL as trustees of the OP Trust, GH and QR as trustees of the ST Trust, A Limited, B, C And D, E and F
Case number
SC 173/2025
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 first to sixth respondents one set of costs of $2,500.
15 April 2026

High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
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
_________________________________________
A The application for recall of this Court’s judgments of 1 May  2026 (Chen v Goodmore Investments (New Zealand) Ltd [2026] NZSC 40) and 8 May 2026 (Chen v Goodmore Investments (New Zealand) Ltd [2026] NZSC 54) is dismissed. 
B The first applicant must pay the respondent in SC 175/2025 and SC 2/2026 costs of $1,200. 
C The Registrar is directed not to accept for filing any further applications for recall in this proceeding.
26 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
Allan Geoffrey Halse v Employment Court of New Zealand, The Employment Relations Authority and Rangiura Trust Board
Case number
SC 26/2024
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.
12 August 2024
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Case name
Kevin Moore v Māori Land Court and Sheldon Ngatai, Georgina Te Otiana Johansen, Roselle Taylor, Bridget Taylor and Vincent George Brown as trustees of Waitara East Section 81B (Rohutu) Trust
Case number
SC 46/2024
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The application for a stay of enforcement of the injunction pending determination of the appeal is dismissed.
C There is no order as to costs.
12 September 2024
Case name
Louise Buchanan, Keith Marshall and Alistair Donald as trustees of the Buchanan Marshall Family Trust v Tasman District Council
Case number
SC 49/2024
Summary
Civil Appeal
Result
A Leave to appeal is granted (Tasman District Council v Louise Buchanan, Keith Marshall and Alistair Donald as Trustees of the Buchanan Marshall Family Trust [2024] NZCA 133).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to hold that there was no duty of care owed by the respondent to the appellants while carrying out and making statements in relation to pool inspections under the Fencing of Swimming Pools Act 1987.
20 August 2024
____________________________
A notice of abandonment having been filed, the appeal is abandoned.
06 March 2025
Case name
The Trustees of the Motiti Rohe Moana Trust and Te Maru o Ngāti Rangiwewehi v Bay of Plenty Regional Council
Case number
SC 51/2024
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 respondent one set of costs of $2,500.
27 August 2024