Supreme Court Rejects Informal Appeal Application

OUTCOME: Dismissed

RE [NAME] [2026] NZSC 69 [29 May 2026]

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF NEW ZEALAND I TE KŌTI MANA NUI O AOTEAROA SC UR 6/2026 [2026] NZSC 69

RE [NAME] Applicant Counsel: [redacted] Judgment: 29 May 2026

JUDGMENT OF MILLER J

The application for review of the decision of the Registrar not to accept documents for filing is dismissed. ____________________________________________________________________

REASONS [1] [NAME] has sought review of a Registrar’s decision declining to accept documents for filing. [2] The documents concerned comprised an informal email sent to the Court on 24 December 2025. It appears, though this is unclear, that [NAME] was seeking to appeal a decision of a single Judge of the Court of Appeal to decline to review a decision of a Deputy Registrar of that Court. The Registrar of this Court reasoned that there was no application for leave to appeal and advised Mr [NAME] that such application must be made in accordance with the Supreme Court Rules 2004. [3] There followed a series of emails in which [NAME] contended that the Registrar must accept an informal leave application. [4] I am satisfied that the Registrar was exercising a power under r 6(3), which provides that a document that does not comply with the rules may be received for

filing only with the leave of the Registrar or a Judge. The Registrar’s exercise of that power may be reviewed under r 5A(3). [5] I confirm the Registrar’s decision. No application for leave to appeal has been filed, and the email of 24 December was no substitute. It did not clearly identify the decision appealed from and give the Court and other parties notice of the grounds of appeal. It is no answer to these requirements to say that that the informality was deliberate. [6] The application for review is dismissed.