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.
28 November 2025
Case information summary 2025 (as at 28 November 2025) – Cases where leave granted (PDF, 87 KB)
Case information summary 2025 (as at 28 November 2025) – Cases where leave to appeal decision not yet made (PDF, 120 KB)
All years
Civil Appeal
A The applications for leave to appeal and cross-appeal are granted (Whangarei District Council v Daisley [2024] NZCA 161).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to (1) dismiss the appeal against the High Court’s finding that the applicant was liable in negligence; and (2) allow the appeal against the High Court’s finding that the applicant was liable for misfeasance in public office, for which it should pay exemplary damages.
25 September 2024
- Hearing date 18 March 2025 Appellant submissions (PDF, 2.3 MB)
- Hearing date 18 March 2025 Respondent Submissions (PDF, 295 KB)
- Hearing date 18 March 2025 Cross Appellants submissions (PDF, 232 KB)
- Hearing date 18 March 2025 Cross Respondent submissions (PDF, 1.6 MB)
- Hearing date 18 March 2025 Appellant submissions on Continuing Breach (PDF, 1.5 MB)
- Hearing date 18 March 2025 Appellant oral outline (PDF, 2.4 MB)
- Hearing date 18 March 2025 Respondent oral outline on appellant's appeal (PDF, 5.6 MB)
- Hearing date 18 March 2025 Respondent oral outline on Cross Appeal (PDF, 6.3 MB)
- Hearing date 18 19 March 2025 Transcript (PDF, 990 KB)
- Hearing date 18 19 March 2025 Case Synopsis (PDF, 461 KB)
- SC 59/2024 Whangarei District Council v Malcolm James Daisley (Recorded, 19 March 2025)
- SC 59/2024 Whangarei District Council v Malcolm James Daisley (Recorded, 18 March 2025)
B There is no order as to costs.
8 July 2024
B The applicant must pay one set of costs of $2,500 to the first, second, third and fifth respondents.
27 August 2024
B The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
6 September 2024
B The applicant must pay the third respondent costs of $2,500.
25 September 2024
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
21 May 2025
Civil Appeal
A Leave to appeal is granted (Zhou v Lassnig [2024] NZCA 177).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct in its analysis under s 182 of the Family Proceedings Act 1980.
17 September 2024
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A The appeal is dismissed. The orders made by the Court of Appeal as to the resettlement of the Trust stand.
B The appellant must pay the first respondent costs of $30,000 plus usual disbursements. We allow for second counsel.
15 September 2025
- Hearing date 4 March 2025 Appellant submissions (PDF, 1.2 MB)
- Hearing date 4 March 2025 Respondent submissions (PDF, 388 KB)
- Hearing date 4 March 2025 Respondent oral outline (PDF, 213 KB)
- Hearing date 4 March 2025 transcript (PDF, 439 KB)
- Hearing date 4 March 2025 (PDF, 444 KB)
- MR [2025] NZSC 116 (PDF, 274 KB)
B We make an order prohibiting publication of this judgment until 2.00 pm on 22 October 2024.
8 October 2024
18 September 2024
9 October 2024