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.
17 August 2026
Case information summary (as at 17 August 2026) – Cases where leave granted (PDF, 87 KB)
Case information summary (as at 17 August 2026) – Cases where leave to appeal decision not yet made (PDF, 128 KB)
All years
Case name
Quake Outcasts v Minister of Canterbury Earthquake Recovery and The Chief Executive, Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority
Case number
SC 101/2016
Summary
Civil Appeal – Judicial Review – Direct Appeal from High Court – Whether the High Court erred in concluding that the Minister’ s decision was not inconsistent with previous Supreme Court judgment. [2016] NZHC 1959 CIV-2016-409-000050
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed
B The applicants must pay costs of $1,000 to the respondents
13 December 2016
B The applicants must pay costs of $1,000 to the respondents
13 December 2016
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Friedrich Joachim Fehling v Attorney-General
Case number
SC 103/2016
Summary
Civil appeal – Whether the Supreme Court has jurisdiction to hear the proposed appeal – Whether the claimed dismissal of a statement of claim for a local body election should be nullified. CIV 2016-418-000020
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant is to pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
24 November 2016
B The applicant is to pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
24 November 2016
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Fehling v The Crown HC Greymouth, CIV-2016-418-20, 26 July 2016 (Minute of Nation J) - not available
Case name
Friedrich Joachim Fehling v West Coast District Health Board
Case number
SC 104/2016
Summary
Civil appeal – Whether the Supreme Court has jurisdiction to hear the proposed appeal – Whether the Human Rights Review Tribunal erred in not accepting certain documents for filing.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant is to pay the respondent costs of $1,500.
24 November 2016
B The applicant is to pay the respondent costs of $1,500.
24 November 2016
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Hawke's Bay Regional Investment Company Limited v Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand Incorporated and Minister of Conservation
Case number
SC 106/2016
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in its interpretation of the Conservation Act 1987, s 18(7). [2016] NZCA 411 CA118/2016
Result
A The applications for leave to appeal are granted (Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand Incorporated v Minister of Conservation [2016] NZCA 411).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to allow the appeal and dismiss the cross-appeal.
13 December 2016
_____________________
A The appeals are dismissed.
B Costs are reserved. If an order for costs is sought, the parties may file written submissions within one month of the date of judgment.
6 July 2017
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to allow the appeal and dismiss the cross-appeal.
13 December 2016
_____________________
A The appeals are dismissed.
B Costs are reserved. If an order for costs is sought, the parties may file written submissions within one month of the date of judgment.
6 July 2017
Transcripts
- Hearing date 27 - 28 February 2017 (PDF, 1.2 MB)
Media Releases
- MR [2017] NZSC 106 (PDF, 267 KB)
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
Case name
Minister of Conservation v Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand Incorporated and Hawke's Bay Regional Investment Company Limited
Case number
SC 107/2016
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in its interpretation of the Conservation Act 1987, s 18(7). [2016] NZCA 411 CA118/2016
Result
A The applications for leave to appeal are granted (Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand Incorporated v Minister of Conservation [2016] NZCA 411).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to allow the appeal and dismiss the cross-appeal.
13 December 2016
__________________________
A The appeals are dismissed.
B Costs are reserved. If an order for costs is sought, the parties may file written submissions within one month of the date of judgment.
6 July 2017
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to allow the appeal and dismiss the cross-appeal.
13 December 2016
__________________________
A The appeals are dismissed.
B Costs are reserved. If an order for costs is sought, the parties may file written submissions within one month of the date of judgment.
6 July 2017
Transcripts
- Hearing date 27 - 28 February 2017 (PDF, 1.2 MB)
Media Releases
- MR [2017] NZSC 106 (PDF, 267 KB)
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
Case name
An Li Tao v Strata Title Administration Ltd, Jigar Pandya and Body Corporate 198693
Case number
SC 109/2016
Summary
Civil appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred by declining to review the Deputy Registrar’s decision declining to dispense with or reduce security for costs. [2016] NZCA 437 CA226/2016
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
9 November 2016
9 November 2016
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Morris Burton Suckling v The Queen
Case number
SC 112/2016
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the applicant’s appeals against conviction and sentence.[2016] NZCA 187 CA468/2015
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B There is no order for costs.
4 October 2016
B There is no order for costs.
4 October 2016
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Kawarau Village Holdings Limited and Melview (Kawarau Falls Station) Investments Limited (in receivership) v Ho Kok Sun, Peninsula Road Limited (in receivership & in liquidation) and Russell McVeagh
Case number
SC 115/2016
Summary
Civil appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in its interpretation of a sale and purchase agreement – Whether there was breach of an essential obligation – Whether the purchasers were required to settle the agreement when called upon.NZCA 427 CA105/2015
Result
A Leave to appeal is granted (Sun and Ors v Peninsula Road Ltd (in rec and in liq) [2016] NZCA 427).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to allow the respondents’ appeal to that Court.
21 December 2016
_______________________________
A The appeal is dismissed.
B The appellants must pay the first respondents costs of $35,000 plus reasonable disbursements (to be fixed by the Registrar if necessary). We allow for two counsel.
6 October 2017
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to allow the respondents’ appeal to that Court.
21 December 2016
_______________________________
A The appeal is dismissed.
B The appellants must pay the first respondents costs of $35,000 plus reasonable disbursements (to be fixed by the Registrar if necessary). We allow for two counsel.
6 October 2017
Transcripts
- Hearing date 6 - 7 April 2017 (PDF, 1 MB)
Media Releases
- MR [2017] NZSC 150 (PDF, 252 KB)
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
Substantive judgment
Case name
NR v MR and Jackson Russell and District Court at Auckland
Case number
SC 116/2016
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the process followed by the Court of Appeal in determining the applicant’s appeal was consistent with the principles of natural justice. [2016] NZCA 429 CA461/2014
Result
A The applications for recusal and leave to appeal are dismissed.
B Costs of $5,000 are awarded to the first respondent.
6 December 2016
B Costs of $5,000 are awarded to the first respondent.
6 December 2016
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
NR v MR [2016] NZSC 160 [6 December 2016] (PDF, 89 KB)
Case name
Rae Beverly Adlam v John Tionga Savage, Lawrence Te Aokahari Niao, Patrick Mayne Savage, Samuel Kelvin Barnes and Tamati Drawbridge as Trustees of the Matata Parish 39A 2A Ahu Whenua Trust; and Helen Maria Savage and Raelyn Arihia Peita as Trustees of
Case number
SC 120/2016
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in reinstating the order of the Māori Land Court requiring the applicant to account to the Bath Trust in the amount of $11,200,000. [2016] NZCA 454 CA223/2015
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B Costs of $2,500 are awarded to the first respondents.
C The order for stay of the determination of the Court of Appeal made on 23 November 2016 is discharged.
17 February 2017
B Costs of $2,500 are awarded to the first respondents.
C The order for stay of the determination of the Court of Appeal made on 23 November 2016 is discharged.
17 February 2017
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
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