Māori Law Review

Te Kōti Pīra – Court of Appeal

Appeal - allocation of CNI forests land - tikanga-based resolution process - Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Manawa v CNI Iwi Holdings Limited [2026] NZCA 92 - Elizabeth Derby

Appeal - jurisdiction of the Māori Land Court - indefeasibility of registered title - Waikato River - Mercury NZ Limited v Māori Land Court [2026] NZCA 91 - Elizabeth Derby

Te Kōti Matua – High Court

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

Te Kōti Pīra Māori – Māori Appellate Court

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

Succession - whāngai - previous succession to biological parent - Larkin - Succession to Tamati Noema Tawio (2026) 313 Taitokerau MB 192 - Elizabeth Derby

Alienation - definition of preferred class of alienees - Moratti - Lot 3 Deposited Plan 440262 (2026) 532 Aotea MB 172 - Elizabeth Derby

2026 Māori Land Court judgments - index

2025 Māori Land Court judgments - index

Court of Appeal [2026] NZCA 92

27 March 2026

Appeals against decisions of the High Court regarding the distribution of Central North Island forests land among the Central North Island iwi.

Download Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Manawa v CNI Iwi Holdings Limited (495 KB PDF).

read more

Court of Appeal [2026] NZCA 91

26 March 2026

This decision concerns claims to the bed and waters of the Waikato River. Twelve hapū and the Pouākani Claims Trust No 2 (the Pouākani claimants) appeal against a High Court decision that the Māori Land Court has no jurisdiction to inquire into fiduciary duty claims to General land or Crown land and no jurisdiction to make declarations about the ownership of water. Mercury NZ Limited, which holds certificates of title over parts of the river bed, appeals against the High Court's decision not to strike out the Pouākani claimants' customary land claim.

Download Mercury NZ Limited v Māori Land Court (872 KB PDF).

read more