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) 

All years

Case name
Stewart Robert Coulson v High Court at Auckland
Case number
SC 136/2024
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.
14 March 2025
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Kenneth David Wikeley v Kea Investments Limted and Wikeley Family Trustee Limited (In Interim Liquidation)
Case number
SC 137/2024
Summary

Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal

Result

A The applications to adduce further evidence are dismissed.
B Mr Wikeley’s application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
C The applicant must pay the respondents one set of costs of $2,500.                
4 July 2025

Case name
Kaimai Properties Limited and Bartons Kaimai Farm Limited v Queen Elizabeth the Second National Trust and Registrar-General of Land
Case number
SC 139/2024
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 first respondent one set of costs of $2,500.
08 April 2025
Case name
Sustainable Otakiri Incorporated v Whakatāne District Council and Otakiri Springs Limited
Case number
SC 1/2023
Summary

Civil Appeal

Result

A Subject to C, the applications for leave to appeal are granted (Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa v Bay of Plenty Regional Council [2022] NZCA 598).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeals.
C The application for leave to appeal on costs is dismissed (Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa v Bay of Plenty Regional Council [2022] NZCA 598).
D An extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is granted (Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa v Bay of Plenty Regional Council [2020] NZHC 3388).
E The application for leave to appeal is granted (Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa v Bay of Plenty Regional Council [2020] NZHC 3388).
F The approved question is whether the High Court erred in upholding the Environment Court’s decision in relation to the negative tikanga effects.
17 April 2023
______________________________
A Sustainable Otakiri Inc’s appeal is dismissed.
B Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa’s appeal is dismissed.
C Costs are reserved.
12 November 2025

Date of hearing
22 November 2023 - 24 November 2023
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, Glazebrook, Ellen France, Williams and Kós JJ
Case name
Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa v Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Otakiri Springs Limited
Case number
SC 2/2023
Summary

Civil Appeal

Result

A Subject to C, the applications for leave to appeal are granted (Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa v Bay of Plenty Regional Council [2022] NZCA 598).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeals.
C The application for leave to appeal on costs is dismissed (Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa v Bay of Plenty Regional Council [2022] NZCA 598).
D An extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is granted (Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa v Bay of Plenty Regional Council [2020] NZHC 3388).
E The application for leave to appeal is granted (Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa v Bay of Plenty Regional Council [2020] NZHC 3388).
F The approved question is whether the High Court erred in upholding the Environment Court’s decision in relation to the negative tikanga effects.
17 April 2023
_______________________________
A Sustainable Otakiri Inc’s appeal is dismissed.
B Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa’s appeal is dismissed.
C Costs are reserved.
12 November 2025

Date of hearing
22 November 2023 - 24 November 2023
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, Glazebrook, Ellen France, Williams and Kós JJ
Case name
D (SC 5/2023) v N
Case number
SC 5/2023
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B We make no order as to costs.
10 March 2023
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Ken Legler and Laila Sun Legler Klaui v Maria Guillaumina Cornelia Johanna Formannoij and Kaahu Trustee Limited
Case number
SC 8/2023
Summary
Civil Appeal
Result
A Leave to appeal is granted (Legler v Formannoij [2022] NZCA 607).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal.
4 May 2023
_______________________________________________
A The appeal is dismissed.
B The appellants must pay the respondents total costs of $25,000 plus usual disbursements.
18 December 2024
Date of hearing
10 October 2023
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, Glazebrook, O'Regan, Williams and Miller JJ
Case name
Danella Tapahinga Roebeck and Ngāti Paoa Trust Board v Attorney-General and Glen Andrew Tupuhi and ors as Trustees of the Ngāti Pāoa Iwi Trust
Case number
SC 10/2023
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 one set of costs of $2,500.
31 July 2023
Case name
Beca Carter Hollings & Ferner Limited v Wellington City Council
Case number
SC 11/2023
Summary
Civil Appeal
Result
A Leave to appeal is granted (Beca Carter Hollings & Ferner Limited v Wellington City Council [2022] NZCA 624).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was right to conclude that the Building Act longstop provisions do not apply to a contribution claim.
21 April 2024
_________________________________________________
A The appeal is dismissed.
B The claim by Wellington City Council against Beca Carter Hollings & Ferner Ltd is not time-barred.
C The appellant must pay the respondent costs of $25,000 plus usual disbursements. We allow for second counsel. 18 September 2024
Date of hearing
18 October 2023
Judges
Glazebrook, O’Regan, Ellen France, Williams and Kós JJ
Case name
MC (SC 17/2023) v Family Court at Manukau and Chief Executive of Oranga Tamariki | Ministry for Children
Case number
SC 17/2023
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 against the High Court judgment (MC v Family Court at Manukau [2022] NZHC 870) is dismissed.
B The application for leave to appeal against the Court of Appeal judgment (MC (CA266/2022) v Manukau Family Court [2022] NZCA 571) is dismissed.
C The applicant must pay the second respondent costs of $2,500.
15 May 2023