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
Ngāti Ruatakenga v Christina Davis on behalf of Ngāti Muriwai Hapū and Ors
Case number
SC 129/2023
Summary

Civil Appeal

Result

The applications for leave to appeal are granted (Whakatōhea Kotahitanga Waka (Edwards) v Te Kāhui and Whakatōhea Māori Trust Board [2023] NZCA 504) on the question of the correctness of the judgment of the Court of Appeal.
17 April 2024
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A The application by Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Porou for leave to intervene is granted.
B Costs are reserved on this application and on the substantive hearing.
23 July 2024
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A The application by Te Kāhui Takutai Moana o Ngā Whānau me Ngā Hapū o Te Whakatōhea for a prospective costs order against the Attorney-General is granted.
B The respondent must pay the applicants prospective costs of $97,500, collectively.
C The respondent must pay the applicants costs on the application of $7,500 together with usual disbursements.
20 September 2024
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A The appeal (by the Attorney-General in relation to s 58 of the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011) is allowed.
B Costs are reserved.
2 December 2024
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A The Attorney-General’s appeals on the navigable rivers issue and challenging the award of PCRs to Ngāti Muriwai are dismissed.
B With the qualification that the part of WKW’s appeal regarding the boundaries of CMT Order 1 does not need to be determined, WKW’s appeal is dismissed.
C Te Upokorehe’s appeals are dismissed.
D Ngāti Muriwai’s appeal is allowed on the terms set out below at [258].
E Ngāti Ruatākenga’s appeal challenging the award of PCRs to Ngāti Muirwai is dismissed.
F Kuatere Marae’s appeal is allowed on the terms set out below at [271].
G Te Kāhui’s appeal in relation to Whakaari and Te Paepae o Aotea is allowed. The question of whether the test for CMT under s 58 of MACA is met in regard to Whakaari and Te Paepae o Aotea is remitted to the High Court for reconsideration.
H To the extent it remains live, Te Kahui’s appeal in relation to the decision to remit CMT Order 1 to the High Court is dismissed.
I CMT Order 2 is formally amended to capture the Ōhiwa Harbour in full.
J Whakatāne District Council, and Ngāti Muriwai and Kutarere Marae’s applications to adduce further evidence are allowed.
K The application by Te Kāhui to adduce further evidence is to be addressed by the High Court.
L The applications to file submissions out of time are allowed.
M Costs are reserved. If costs cannot be agreed, the parties should file memoranda on costs on or before Friday 10 October 2025.                                    
15 August 2025

Date of hearing
04 November 2024 - 15 November 2024
Judges
Glazebrook, Ellen France, Williams, Kós and French JJ
Submissions from counsel
Case Synopses
Media Releases
Case name
Glenn Michael Soroka as Trustee of the Pakau Trust v Waikato District Council
Case number
SC 133/2023
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.
20 December 2024
Case name
The Pathway Trust v NZME Publishing Limited and Stuff Limited, Joseph James Brider and The King
Case number
SC 138/2023
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Case name
Todd William Frank Sutton and Todd William Frank Sutton and Hoffman Trustees Limited as trustees of the Todd Sutton Trust v Joana Elisia Bell
Case number
SC 8/2022
Summary
Civil Appeal
Result
A Leave to appeal is granted (Sutton v Bell [2021] NZCA 645).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal.
12 April 2022
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A The appeal is dismissed.
B The appellants must pay the respondent costs of $25,000 plus usual disbursements.
1 June 2023
Date of hearing
02 August 2022
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, Glazebrook, O'Regan, Ellen France and Kós JJ
Media Releases
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Substantive judgment
Case name
Clive Anthony Quinn and Philip Samson Wells (As trustees of the CA Quinn Trust) v Victoria Toon (As liquidator of Investacorp Holdings Limited), Bruce James Thompson, Caroline Mary Thompson and Stewartco Trustee Services Limited (As trustees of the CM Tho
Case number
SC 11/2022
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 respondent costs of $2,500.
6 May 2022
Case name
Jack Kain, Molly Kain, Rachel Kain, Stanley Kain, Wolsey Kain, George Couper McHardy Kain, Asta Kain, Madeline Kain, George Pavey Kain, Michael Kain, Rupert Kain, Samuel Kain and Marnie Coupie Forcer Kain v Public Trust and Georgina Kain, George Chalres K
Case number
SC 17/2022
Summary
Civil Appeal -  Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The applications for leave to appeal in SC 17/2022 and SC 18/2022 are dismissed.
B Leave is reserved for submissions to be filed if costs are in issue.
24 May 2022
Case name
Georgina Kain, George Charles Kain, George Harry Couper Kain, George Michael Kain v Public Trust, Mary Hutton, Marnice Couper Forcer Kain, Jack Kain, Molly Kain, Rachel Kain, Stanley Kain, Wolsey Kain, George Couper McHardy Kain, Asta Kain, Madeline Kain,
Case number
SC 18/2022
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The applications for leave to appeal in SC 17/2022 and SC 18/2022 are dismissed.
B Leave is reserved for submissions to be filed if costs are in issue.
24 May 2022
Case name
Alexander Charles Mason v Vicki Ann Treizenberg and Paul Morley Dodd as Trustees of the Mamari Trust and Mamari (No 2) Trust
Case number
SC 51/2022
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 costs of $2,500.
22 August 2022
Case name
Peter Daniel Staite, Jean Tanirau-Carston and Lynette Kathleen Palmer as trustees and representatives of the beneficiaries of the Whaoa No 1 Lands Trust, Peter Daniel Staite, Jean Tanirau-Carston, Teressa Hurihanganui, Dorothy Raroa and Lynette Kathleen P
Case number
SC 72/2022
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 respondents costs of $2,500.
20 October 2022
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
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 83/2022
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for leave to appeal in SC 83/2022 is dismissed.
B The application for leave to appeal in SC 87/2022 is dismissed.
C The applicants must pay the respondent one set of costs of $2,500.
13 December 2022
High Court decision
Not publicly available