Māori Law Review

Ngā ture o ngā iwi taketake - Rights of Indigenous peoples

Wishes are not laws - McGirt v Oklahoma – one of the most important US Supreme Court cases of all time? - Stephen Young

Te Kōti Matua – High Court

Judicial review - interim orders refused - Deed of Settlement ceremony - Ngāti Pāoa Trust Board v Attorney-General [2021] NZHC 580 - Zoe Rose-Curnow

Te Kōti Pīra Māori – Māori Appellate Court

2021 Māori Appellate Court judgments - index

2020 Māori Appellate Court judgments - index

Te Kōti Whenua Māori – Māori Land Court

Chief Judge's powers - succession - whāngai - bloodline connection - King v Te Aretoa - Succession to Puti Green (2021) Chief Judge's MB 132 (2021 CJ 132) - Hinemoana Markham-Nicklin

Chief Judge's powers - succession order amended - Ellison v Jones - Estate of Daniel Ellison (2021) Chief Judge’s MB 150 (2021 CJ 150) - Hinemoana Markham-Nicklin

Status of land - refusal to change status - no whakapapa connection - Toia - Section 67 Town of Tokatoka (2021) 227 Taitokerau MB 226 (227 TTK 226) - Hinemoana Markham-Nicklin

Alienation - gift - assessment of fair value - Lett - Waipu 4A3E1 and others (2021) 431 Aotea MB 100 (431 AOT 100) - Craig Linkhorn

Trusts - enforcement of trustee obligations - Stowers v Short - Tumu Kaituna 14 (2021) 251 Waiāriki MB 144 (251 WAR 144) - Hinemoana Markham-Nicklin

Māori Reservation - trustee removal - non-attendance at meetings -Tait v Kruger - Tauarau Block (2021) 252 Waiariki MB 180 (252 WAR 180) - Craig Linkhorn

2021 Māori Land Court judgments - index

2020 Māori Land Court judgments - index

Te Rōpū Whakamana i Te Tiriti o Waitangi – Waitangi Tribunal

Waitangi Tribunal procedure – urgent inquiry declined – Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009 - Wai 3007, #2.5.5 - Zoe Rose-Curnow

Ngā Whakaturetanga - Legislation

Easing the way for dedicated Māori local government representation - Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Act 2021 - Andrew Geddis

Print version

Download the Māori Law Review April 2021 (491 KB PDF)

McGirt v Oklahoma 

Supreme Court of the United States 140 S.Ct 2452 (2020)

9 July 2020

Stephen Young discusses the United States Supreme Court case of McGirt v Oklahoma, where the State of Oklahoma was found not to have jurisdiction to convict Jimcy McGirt for crimes committed on a Creek Reservation.

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Māori Land Court (2021) 431 Aotea MB 100 (431 AOT 100)

30 April 2021

The Court adjourned an application for a vesting order to give effect to a proposed gift of interests in land, directing that further evidence be provided. The decision explains the Court's role in assessing the fair value of land proposed to be gifted.

Download Lett - Waipu 4A3E1 and others (264 KB PDF) read more

Māori Land Court (2021) 252 Waiariki MB 180 (252 WAR 180)

21 April 2021

The Court declined to remove trustees where removal was sought for failure to attend trustee meetings. There was a particular context to the present dispute the Court took account of concerning different viewpoints about using the mechanism of a Māori reservation operating under Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993.

Download Tait v Kruger - Tauarau Block (303 KB PDF) read more

The Ngāti Pāoa Trust Board v Attorney-General

High Court [2021] NZHC 580

19 March 2021

Unsuccessful application for interim orders by the Ngāti Pāoa Trust Board to prevent the imminent signing of the Deed of Settlement between the Crown and the Ngāti Pāoa Iwi Trust.

Download Ngāti Pāoa Trust Board v Attorney-General (230 KB PDF).

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Māori Land Court (2021) 251 Waiāriki MB 144 (251 WAR MB 144)

13 April 2021

Application seeking to enforce the obligations of the trustees of Tumu Kaituna 14. The Court found that the trustees had breached their duties by failing to hold trustee elections to fill a vacant trustee position. Court ordered trustees to hold an election to fill the position. 

Download Stowers v Short - Tumu Kaituna 14 (243 KB PDF) read more

Ahorangi Professor Andrew Geddis discusses the establishment of dedicated Māori local government representation, and the Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Act 2021 enacted under urgency in 2021.
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Māori Land Court (2021) Chief Judge's MB 132 (2021 CJ 132)

16 March 2021

Application to amend succession orders dismissed. The applicant did not establish any error of law.

Download: King v Te Aretoa - Succession to Puti Green (408 KB PDF)
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Toia - Section 67 Town of Tokatoka

Māori Land Court (2021) 227 Taitokerau MB 226 (227 TTK 226)

26 March 2021

Application to change status of land from General land to Māori Freehold land dismissed. No evidence a change in status would result in remit of rates and no whakapapa connection.

Download Toia - Section 67 Town of Tokatoka (213 KB PDF)  read more

Decision on application for an urgent hearing

Waitangi Tribunal (Wai 3007, #2.5.5)

12 March 2021

Application declined for an urgent inquiry into forfeiture orders granted by the High Court over four properties and into the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009.

Download Decision on application for an urgent hearing (531 KB, PDF). read more