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
Richard Lincoln v New Zealand Law Society
Case number
SC 132/2019
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for an extension of time to file an application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay costs of $2,500 to the respondent.
14 February 2020
B The applicant must pay costs of $2,500 to the respondent.
14 February 2020
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Nicholas Paul Alfred Reekie v Chief executive of the Department of Corrections and Visiting Justice to Spring Hill Correctional Facility
Case number
SC 133/2019
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 applicant must pay costs of $250 to the first respondent.
9 April 2020
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
C The applicant must pay costs of $250 to the first respondent.
9 April 2020
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Nicholas Paul Alfred Reekie v Attoney-General (sued on behalf of the Department of Corrections) Attorney-General and District Court of Waitakere
Case number
SC 135/2019
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 applicant must pay one set of costs of $250 to the first and second respondents.
6 April 2020
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
C The applicant must pay one set of costs of $250 to the first and second respondents.
6 April 2020
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Christopher Lorraine Pickering and Aqatar Limited v Detection Services Pty Limited & Detection Solutions Pty Limited
Case number
SC 138/2019
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 costs of $2,500 to the respondents.
17 April 2020
B The applicants must pay costs of $2,500 to the respondents.
17 April 2020
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Dermot Gregory Nottingham v Maltese Cat Limited, Clyde Alexander Maclean and Elizabeth May Currie
Case number
SC 139/2019
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 one set of costs of $2,500 to the respondents.
17 April 2020
B The applicant must pay one set of costs of $2,500 to the respondents.
17 April 2020
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Geoffrey James Bird v The New Zealand Guardian Trust Company, Philip Anthony Bird, David Andrew Bird and Allen Roger Bird
Case number
SC 1/2018
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the High Court erred in removing the applicant as executor and trustee – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing an application for review of the Deputy Registrar’s decision not to dispense with security for costs.
Result
A The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.
B The applicant is to pay costs of $2,500 to the second, third and fourth respondents. 8 February 2018
B The applicant is to pay costs of $2,500 to the second, third and fourth respondents. 8 February 2018
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Jinyue Young and Hsiang-Fen Ying v Zie Zhang
Case number
SC 4/2018
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the applicant’s appeal to set aside the consent order – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the appellant’s appeal against finding of contempt.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed. B No order as to costs. 28 March 2018
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Paul Geoffrey Myall v Tower Insurance Limited
Case number
SC 5/2018
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in the way it allowed for professional fees when estimating the notional cost of rebuilding a house payable under an insurance policy – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in adjusting the notional cost of rebuilding to reflect an understatement of the floor area.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant is to pay costs of $2,500.
17 April 2018
B The applicant is to pay costs of $2,500.
17 April 2018
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
William George Graham Cameron Cleary v Ewart & Ewart
Case number
SC 9/2018
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether Court of Appeal erred in upholding the High Court’s dismissal of the applicant’s claim against his lawyer for negligence and breach of fiduciary duty.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant is to pay costs of $2,500 to the respondent.
12 April 2018
B The applicant is to pay costs of $2,500 to the respondent.
12 April 2018
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
CLEARY v EWART & EWART [2018] NZSC 28 [12 April 2018] (PDF, 206 KB)
Case name
Northland Environmental Protection Society Incorporated v The Chief Executive of the Ministry for Primary Industries, Comptroller of Customs and The Chief Executive of the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Case number
SC 10/2018
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in its interpretation of the Forests Act 1949 and the Protected Objects Act 1975
Result
A Leave to appeal is granted (Northland Environmental Protection Society Incorporated v Chief Executive of the Ministry for Primary Industries [2017] NZCA 607).
B The approved questions are:
(a) Was the Court of Appeal correct in its interpretation of “finished or manufactured indigenous timber product” and the effect of the export restrictions in s 67C of the Forests Act 1949?
(b) Was the Court of Appeal correct to hold that some or all swamp kauri is not a “protected New Zealand object” as defined in s 2(1) of the Protected Objects Act 1975?
19 April 2018
___________________________
A The appeal relating to the interpretation of the export restriction in s 67C(1)(b) of the Forests Act 1949 is allowed.
B The appeal relating to the Protected Objects Act 1975 is dismissed.
C Costs are reserved.
9 November 2018
B The approved questions are:
(a) Was the Court of Appeal correct in its interpretation of “finished or manufactured indigenous timber product” and the effect of the export restrictions in s 67C of the Forests Act 1949?
(b) Was the Court of Appeal correct to hold that some or all swamp kauri is not a “protected New Zealand object” as defined in s 2(1) of the Protected Objects Act 1975?
19 April 2018
___________________________
A The appeal relating to the interpretation of the export restriction in s 67C(1)(b) of the Forests Act 1949 is allowed.
B The appeal relating to the Protected Objects Act 1975 is dismissed.
C Costs are reserved.
9 November 2018
Transcripts
- Hearing date 20 June 2018 (PDF, 394 KB)
Media Releases
- MR [2018] NZSC 105 (PDF, 61 KB)
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
Page 48 of 110