Māori Law Review

Te Kōti Pīra – Court of Appeal

Judicial review - jurisdiction of the Judicial Conduct Commissioner - Reihana v Judicial Conduct Commissioner [2026] NZCA 76 - Elizabeth Derby

Te Kōti Matua – High Court

Parliamentary privilege - principle of non-interference in Parliamentary proceedings - Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu v Minister of Conservation [2026] NZHC 722 - Elizabeth Derby

Judicial review - jurisdiction to review party discipline - improper expulsion process - Kapa-Kingi v Tamihere [2026] NZHC 517 - Elizabeth Derby

Judicial review - stay of proceedings - abuse of process - Reihana v Reihana [2026] NZHC 568 - Elizabeth Derby

Te Kōti Pīra Māori – Māori Appellate Court

Appeal - status of dwelling - two-stage test not applied - Moetara v Rakete - Pakanae 2W1B [2026] Māori Appellate Court MB 39 - Elizabeth Derby

Appeal - status of land - estoppel - Round Corner Limited v Deputy Registrar - Moutere 8B2 Sec 1 Lot 3 Deposited Plan 20707 and Moutere 8B2 Sec 1 Lot 5 Deposited Plan 20707 [2026] Māori Appellate Court MB 190 - Elizabeth Derby

Costs - Special Aid Fund - Malcolm v Hahipene - Te Karaka 1B2B1 [2026] Māori Appellate Court MB 108 - Elizabeth Derby

Costs - 90% costs awarded - Phillips v Scott - Ōuri 1A3 [2026] Māori Appellate Court MB 165 - Elizabeth Derby

2026 Māori Appellate Court judgments - index

2025 Māori Appellate Court judgments - index

Te Kōti Whenua Māori – Māori Land Court

Procedure - judicial recusal - Mio - Tōrere Pā Reserve and Others (2026) 363 Waiariki MB 47 - Elizabeth Derby

Injunction - occupation of house - removal of trustees - Povey v Diamond - Otakanini L (2026) 308 Taitokerau MB 155 - Elizabeth Derby

Trusts - inappropriate use of trust funds - breach of trustee obligations - Miru v Te Awa - Te Komiti 2A1A (2026) 309 Taitokerau MB 300 - Elizabeth Derby

2026 Māori Land Court judgments - index

2025 Māori Land Court judgments - index

[2026] Māori Appellate Court MB 39 (2026 APPEAL 39)

17 February 2026

Appeal from a decision of the Māori Land Court that a garage on Pakanae 2W1B block was owned by the Ngā Uri o Iehu Moetara Ahu Whenua Trust (the Trust). The appellant argued that his whānau owned the garage. Leave to appeal out of time and leave to advance new matters granted.

Download Moetara v Rakete - Pakanae 2W1B (249 KB PDF). read more

Kapa-Kingi v Tamihere

Te Kōti Matua o Aotearoa - High Court

[2026] NZHC 517

10 March 2026

Successful application for judicial review of decisions made to suspend and expel Mariameno Kapa-Kingi from Te Pāti Māori.

Download Kapa-Kingi v Tamihere (4.3 MB PDF). read more

[2026] Māori Appellate Court MB 165

6 March 2026

Application for costs following an appeal against a costs decision made by the Māori Land Court.

Download Phillips v Scott - Ōuri 1A3 (201 KB PDF). 

read more

[2026] Māori Appellate Court MB 190 (2026 APPEAL 190)

19 March 2026

Appeal against a decision of the Māori Land Court confirming the status of two blocks of land as Māori freehold land and dismissing an application to change the status of the land to General land.

Download Round Corner Limited v Deputy Registrar - Moutere 8B2 Sec 1 Lot 3 Deposited Plan 20707 and Moutere 8B2 Sec 1 Lot 5 Deposited Plan 20707 (280 KB PDF). 

read more

Miru v Te Awa - Te Komiti 2A1A

(2026) 309 Taitokerau MB 300 (309 TTK 300)

9 March 2026

Decision on whether some of the trustees of the Te Komiti 2A1A Māori Reservation also known as Waiotea Aotea Marae breached their trustee obligations by inappropriately authorising payment of trust funds.

Download Miru v Te Awa - Te Komiti 2A1 (271 KB PDF). read more

Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu v Minister of Conservation 

Te Kōti Matua o Aotearoa - High Court

[2026] NZHC 722

25 March 2026

Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu sought declarations relating to the Government's proposed changes to conservation legislation with the Conservation Act (Land Management and Other Matters) Amendment Bill. The Minister of Conservation sought a stay of proceedings on the basis that such declarations would breach Parliamentary privilege and the principle of non-interference.

Download Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu v Minister of Conservation (245 KB PDF). read more

Court of Appeal [2026] NZCA 76

18 March 2026

Unsuccessful appeal against a decision of the High Court declining an application for judicial review.

Download Reihana v Judicial Conduct Commissioner (153 KB PDF).

read more

[2026] NZHC 568

12 March 2026

Application for judicial review referred to the Court by the Registrar under s 164A of the Senior Courts Act 2016 as an abuse of the process of the Court.

Download Reihana v Reihana (121 KB PDF). read more