3.3 NEUTRAL CITATION

Element Case name Year Court identifier Judgment number Pinpoint reference
Example Attorney-General v X [2007] NZCA 388 at [70]
Rule 3.3.1 3.3.2 3.3.3 3.3.4 3.3.1

Eg Attorney-General v X [2007] NZCA 388 at [70].

When citing a case, the neutral citation should always be given (if available). Only use official neutral citations provided on the original copy of the judgment.

Some websites, such as the New Zealand Legal Information Institute, available at <www.nzlii.org>, have catalogued judgments using a numbering system that looks like a neutral citation. Do not use these numbers as they are not universally associated with the judgment and are liable to cause confusion. For guidance on when the various New Zealand courts and tribunals adopted neutral citations, see rules 3.3.3(b) and 3.3.3(c).

3.3.1 Case name and pinpoint reference

Cite the case name and pinpoint reference in accordance with the relevant rules for reported judgments: see rules 3.2.1 and 3.2.8.

3.3.2 Year

Give the year as it appears in the official neutral citation on the judgment in square brackets. This will be the year in which the case was decided.

3.3.3 Court identifier

(a) General rule

Use the official court identifier adopted by the court. The identifier will generally indicate both the jurisdiction and the court. Given this information is provided as part of the core citation, it is not necessary to include a court identifier after the starting page.
Eg Attorney-General v X [2007] NZCA 388.

(b) New Zealand courts

The table below lists the New Zealand courts that have adopted neutral citations and indicates the official court identifier.
Court Court identifier Year of adoptionSorted ascending Example
Privy Council UKPC 2001 Commissioner of Inland Revenue v Auckland Harbour Board [2001] UKPC 1
Supreme Court NZSC 2005 Pue v R [2005] NZSC 55
Court of Appeal NZCA 2007 R v Fowler [2007] NZCA 1
Accident compensation appeals in the District Court NZACC 2010 Brown v Accident Compensation Corporation [2011] NZACC 57
Employment Court NZEmpC 2010 Matsuoka v LSG Sky Chefs New Zealand Ltd [2011] NZEmpC 44
Environment Court NZEnvC 2010 Reid v Tararua District Council [2010] NZEnvC 21
High Court NZHC 2012 Smith v Jones [2012] NZHC 20
Family Court NZFC 2012 DKN v RDA [2012] NZFC 278
Youth Court NZYC 2013 R v BT [2016] NZYC 227
District Court NZDC 2015 R v Du-Plessis [2017] NZDC 3994
(c) New Zealand tribunals

The table below lists the New Zealand tribunals that have adopted neutral citations and indicates the official tribunal identifier.
Tribunal Tribunal identifier Year of adoption Example
Accident Compensation Appeal Authority NZACA 2010 Bosman v Accident Compensation Corporation [2011] NZACA 1
Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority NZARLA 2013 Clement v LAL’s Enterprises Ltd [2017] NZARLA 297
Commerce Commission NZCC 2012 Re PMP Print Ltd and APN Print NZ Ltd [2012] NZCC 5
Copyright Tribunal NZCOP 2010 Phonographic Performances (NZ) Ltd v RadioWorks Ltd [2010] NZCOP 1
Customs Appeal Authority NZCAA 2010 X v Chief Executive of the New Zealand Customs Service [2011] NZCAA 1
Deportation Review Tribunal NZDRT 2010 Rogers v Minister of Immigration [2010] NZDRT 26
Human Rights Review Tribunal NZHRRT August 2007 Bullock v Department of Corrections [2008] NZHRRT 4
Immigration Advisors Complaints and Disciplinary Tribunal NZIACDT 2010 JM v DTM [2011] NZIACDT 1
Immigration and Protection Tribunal NZIPT 2010 AB (Afghanistan) [2011] NZIPT 800017
Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (Design Decisions) NZIPODES 2012 Best Berries (NZ) Ltd v Greig [2014] NZIPODES 1
Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (Patent Decisions) NZIPOPAT 2012 Cream Ltd v Crème Ltd [2012] NZIPOPAT 7
Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (Trade Mark Decisions) NZIPOTM 2012 Yates v Ecotricity Group Ltd [2018] NZIPOTM 3
International Education Appeal Authority NZIEAA 2010 Smith v University of New Zealand [2011] NZIEAA 12
Land Valuation Tribunal NZLVT 2010 Napier Lane Ltd v Minister of Lands [2010] NZLVT 3
Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal NZLCDT 2009 Auckland Standards Committee v Comeskey [2010] NZLCDT 19
Legal Aid Tribunal NZLAT 2011 A v B [2011] NZLAT 15
Licensing Authority of Secondhand Dealers and Pawnbrokers NZSHD 2010 Re Southcombe [2011] NZSHD 8
Liquor Licensing Authority NZLLA 2010–2012 Crepin v Beck [2011] NZLLA 43
Motor Vehicle Disputes Tribunal NZMVDT 2010 Spindler v Brian Corric Motors Ltd [2011] NZMVDT 36
Private Security Personnel Licensing Authority NZPSPLA 2011 A v B [2011] NZPSPLA 15
Real Estate Agents Disciplinary Tribunal NZREADT 2010 Complaints Assessment Committee v Downtown Apartments Ltd (in liq) [2010] NZREADT 6
Social Security Appeal Authority NZSSAA 2010 An appeal against a decision of the Benefits Review Committee [2011] NZSSAA 10
Student Allowance Appeal Authority NZSAAA 2010 An appeal against a decision of the Chief Executive, Ministry of Social Development [2010] NZSAAA 8
Taxation Review Authority NZTRA 2010 BB v Commissioner of Inland Revenue [2011] NZTRA 1

In addition, the tribunals listed in the table below have also adopted neutral citations. In the case of these tribunals, the district in which the decision was made is included following the tribunal identifier and before the decision number.
Tribunal Tribunal identifier Year of adoption Example
Employment Relations Authority NZERA 2011

Griffin v Citibus Ltd [2011] NZERA Christchurch 137

Ozieranska v Cintra Quad Group Ltd [2011] NZERA Auckland 407

Tenancy Tribunal NZTT 2010 Smith v Jones [2010] NZTT Wellington 904
Weathertight Homes Tribunal NZWHT 2010

Eggers v Wellington City Council [2011] NZWHT Wellington 26

Chee v Stareast Investment Ltd [2010] NZWHT Auckland 33

Note that Waitangi Tribunal reports should be cited in accordance with rule 3.6.

(d) Decisions without an official neutral citation

If a court or tribunal that normally uses neutral citations fails to include an official neutral citation on a particular judgment or decision, cite that judgment or decision in accordance with the rule applicable for judgments or decisions without a neutral citation (rule 3.4).

3.3.4 Judgment number

The judgment number follows the court identifier. Each judgment issued by the court is given a unique number.

So, for example, the 96th judgment issued by the Court of Appeal in 2008 would be cited as Craggy Range Vineyards Ltd v Campbell [2008] NZCA 96.

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