We maintain a database of significant Art Law decisions from New Zealand Courts and Tribunals which we publish here, subject to any suppression orders and copyright restrictions.
Often a single proceeding will involve several decisions, for instance where a party appeals the decision of a lower court to a higher one or if procedural points must be addressed before a substantive hearing. We will not include every decision in a proceeding and will only list those with relevant insights.
Several decisions listed here are no longer good law but may be of historical interest.
This is a work in progress, and we encourage any interested users to send us any new (or old) decisions of note that are not listed.
| Case Name | Citation / Download (if available) | Our Insights | Art Law Issues / Artist | External Media |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matchitt v Matchitt (12 February 2026) | [2026] NZHC 198 | Application to remove and replace trustees; artistic legacy; Paratene Temokopuorongo Matchitt (Para); Substantive decision | About the Artist: Auckland Art Gallery, Public Art Heritage, Wikipedia | |
| Agam v Moon (2 October 2025) | [2025] NZCA 510 | Interim injunction of sale of artworks; Contractual dispute (artist/printer); Artificer’s lien; Yaacov Agam | Article | |
| Matchitt v Matchitt (18 July 2025) | [2025] NZHC 1991 | Application to remove and replace trustees; artistic legacy; Paratene Temokopuorongo Matchitt (Para); Procedural decision | About the Artist: Auckland Art Gallery, Public Art Heritage, Wikipedia; Article | |
| Agam v Moon (11 June 2025) | [2025] NZHC 1748 | Stay of enforcement ahead of art auction; Yaacov Agam | ||
| Agam v Moon (11 June 2025) | [2025] NZHC 1498 | Application to amend Interim Injunction; Contractual dispute (artist/printer); Recission of Order; Yaacov Agam | ||
| Alalääkkölä v Palmer (7 March 2025) | [2025] NZSC 12 | Relationship Property (artist’s copyright); Copyright; Sirpa Alalääkkölä | ||
| Agam v Moon (18 December 2024) | [2024] NZHC 3907 | Contracts in the Art World: Lessons from the Courts | Interim Injunction; Contractual dispute (artist/printer); Artificer’s lien; Statutory lien; Conversion; Yaacov Agam | Judge blocks printing company from selling Israeli artist’s work |
| Pickering v R (2 December 2024) | [2024] NZHC 3641 | Burglary (art gallery); reparations | Article | |
| Re Ron and Joan Gillatt Charitable Trust Board (13 November 2024) | [2024] NZHC 3374 | Charitable purpose (collections of art and other cultural objects); public benefit requirement; minimum standard of value | ||
| LF v JN | [2024] NZDT 345 | Loss of stored artwork; Insolvency; Bailee liability in contract, negligence & conversion; Official Assignee liability | ||
| Alalaakkola v Palmer (21 February 2024) | [2024] NZCA 24 | Relationship Property (artist’s copyright); Copyright; Sirpa Alalääkkölä | ||
| Smith-West v Discovery NZ Ltd (20 December 2022) | BSA 2022-110 | Broadcasting standards; Promotion of illegal or antisocial behaviour; Free speech; Alleged vandalism; Tāme Iti; Dean Proudfoot | Vandalism or value?: Owner of artwork ‘corrected’ by Tāme Iti expects prosecution, artist says he appreciates it | |
| DC v JBD Limited (11 March 2021) | [2021] NZDT 1379 | Missing painting; Consignment agreement; Evidence of possession | ||
| Johnson v Nixon (3 December 2020) | [2020] NZHC 3193 | Restitution of stolen art; Title (ownership); Bona fide purchaser for value; Nemo dat; Limitation; Relationship Property; Constructive trust; Conversion / Theft; Goldie; | The Widow Ngaheke, Perira te Kahikura | |
| R v Hill (24 September 2020) | [2020] NZDC 19895 | Sentencing for Burglary of USD $250,000 art collection; | ||
| Northland Environmental Protection Society Inc v Chief Executive of the Ministry of Primary Industries (9 November 2018) | [2018] NZSC 105 | Exporting objects under the Protected Objects Act 1975 | Protected Objects; Export; Swamp Kauri | |
| Northland Environmental Protection Society Inc v Chief Executive of the Ministry of Primary Industries (19 December 2017) | [2017] NZCA 607 | Exporting objects under the Protected Objects Act 1975 | Protected Objects; Export; Swamp Kauri | |
| Northland Environmental Protection Society Inc v Chief Executive of the Ministry of Primary Industries (1 March 2017) | [2017] NZHC 308 | Exporting objects under the Protected Objects Act 1975 | Protected Objects; Export; Swamp Kauri | |
| Re BU (Migrant Investor) (29 September 2016) | [2016] NZIPT 203435 | Immigration decision; Han dynasty Chinese antiques; Proof of title; Provenance | ||
| Newbery v AA Insurance Ltd (8 October 2015) | [2015] NZHC 2457 | Insurance (works of art (sculpture / ornaments – definition)); LLadro | ||
| Bambury v Jensen (2 October 2015) | [2015] NZHC 2384 | Contracts in the Art World: Lessons from the Courts | Contractual dispute (artist/dealer); Agency; Fiduciary Duty | |
| Sydney v Sydney (1 June 2012) | [2012] NZFC 2685 | Relationship property (artworks produced during and after relationship; artworks acquired and gifted during relationship; artworks gifted or held on trust prior to relationship; artworks as family chattels; artworks inherited); Taonga; Grahame Sydney | ||
| R v Davies (18 November 2011) | DC Wellington CRI-2011-083-1826 | Theft; Medals; Books; Memorabilia | Arrest for theft of 800 military medals | |
| Van Wakeren v R (3 October 2011) | [2011] NZCA 503 | Burglary; Medals; Goldie; Colin McCahon; Rare book | Stolen medals returned to army museum; Goldie painting stolen from Auckland University | |
| PJC v JC (20 December 2010) | FAMC Christchurch FAM-2010-009-2693, 20 December 2010 Family Court, Christchurch | Relationship property (art collection); Inheritance; Family chattels | ||
| Colmore-Williams v Prendergrast (31 August 2010) | HC Auckland CIV-2010-404-337 | Fraud allegation / Authenticity; Goldie | ||
| R v Kapa (26 August 2010) | DC Auckland CRI-2008-083-2487 | Burglary; Medals; Victoria Cross; Charles Upham VC; George Cross | Second medals thief named | |
| Police v Spiteri (18 January 2010) | DC Whanganui CRI-2009-083-2490 | Theft of paintings | Article | |
| R v Marshall (17 December 2007) | [2007] NZCA 583 | Theft of sculpture; Receiving (sculpture); Blackmail / ransom | Article | |
| R v Baleitavuki (15 September 2006) | HC Auckland CRI-2005-004-22544 | Receiving (stolen paintings); Peter Beadle; Paolo Canetti | Press release; Article | |
| Solicitor-General v Uren (11 April 2006) | HC Christchurch CIV-2005-409-1662, 11 April 2006 | Paintings (Ruifrok) as proceeds of crime; Forfeiture application; Disputed ownership; Unauthorised sale (nemo dat) | ||
| RH v AF (27 February 2006) | FAMC Auckland FAM-2005-004-1312, 27 January 2006 Family Court, Auckland | Relationship property; Painting as family chattel or heirloom | ||
| Heineken Billboard Advertisement (9 August 2005) | [2005] NZASA 262 | Advertising standards; Graffiti as art | ||
| Lampp v Police (1 September 2004) | HC Auckland CRI-2004-404-281 | Allegation of wilful damage to artwork (sculpture) | ||
| Van der Plaat v District Court at Invercargill (11 August 2004) | HC Invercargill CIV-2004-425-165, 11 August 2004 High Court, Invercargill | Dispute as to ownership of painting; Attempted private prosecution; Fraud allegation; Gottfried Lindauer | ||
| Perry v West (15 December 2003) | HC Auckland CIV2003-404-002114, 15 December 2003 | Relationship property; Taonga; Colin McCahon | ||
| Page v Page (7 May 2002) | HC Wellington AP1 02 | Relationship property (art collection); Secret Trust; Evelyn Page | ||
| Petterson v Rawleigh (28 November 2001) | HC Wellington B320/00, 28 November 2001 High Court, Wellington | Dispute over ownership of paintings; Inheritance | ||
| McIntyre v International Art Centre Ltd (4 April 2001) | DC Auckland NP3884/00, 4 April 2001 District Court, Auckland | Dispute over ownership of painting; Interim injunction; Order restraining destruction of documentation relating to ownership; Interpleader | ||
| Allen’s Enterprises Ltd v Bank of New Zealand (8 December 2000) | HC Auckland CL27/00, 8 December 2000 High Court, Auckland | Authenticity of antique pottery horse; Online auction; Breach of merchant agreement by bank | ||
| MacDonald v Weir (17 October 2000) | HC Auckland CP217im00, 17 October 2000 High Court, Auckland | Copyright infringement; “Artistic study”; Sculpture; Injunction; Delivery up; Richard MacDonald “Nureyev”; Michael Weir | ||
| R v Genovese (24 September 1999) | HC Auckland T982633 | Theft of painting (armed robbery); Auckland Art Gallery; James Tissot | Portrait of a Museum Robbery; Tissot robber tells all; | |
| Campbell-White v Prattley (16 July 1999) | HC Auckland HC39/98 [1999] NZHC 1172 | Authenticity; Application of Property (Relationships) Act to artworks located outside of New Zealand; Benin statue | ||
| Boyd v Police (29 April 1999) | HC Wellington AP68/99, 29 April 1999 | Theft of Painting; Receiving; David Morrison | Article | |
| R v Te Kaha (18 December 1998) | T No. 980938 | Theft of Paintings; Protest; The Urawera Triptych; Colin McCahon | Article | |
| Museum of New Zealand display ‘virgin in condom’ allowed under legislation (1 January 1998) | [1998] NZOmbCN 40043 | Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa; Limits of Ombudsmen jurisdiction over public museums; Relationship between statutory framework, institutional policies and curatorial discretion; “Offensive” art; Tania Kovats, Virgin in a Condom | Virgin in a Condom: Te Papa’s baptism by fire; Article; ‘Virgin in a Condom’ artwork provoked violence month after Te Papa opening | |
| Ansell v State Insurance (27 March 1997) | HC New Plymouth CP12/95, 27 March 1997, High Court, New Plymouth | Fraud allegation; Insurance claim; Art Valuation issues; Tom Keating paintings | ||
| Warwick Henderson Gallery (7 February 1995) | [1994] NZASA 270 | Advertising Standards; Misrepresentation as to availability of advertised art; | ||
| White v Potter (29 July 1994) | DC Auckland Plt387/92 | Theft of Painting (from gallery); Duty of gallery owner as bailee | ||
| Doyle v Borick (1 November 1989) | HC Dunedin M124 89 | Allegations of theft of painting by solicitor (acquitted in later proceedings); Power of attorney; Fraud; Chain of title; Frances Hodgkins | Frances Hodgkins – And Age is the Time of Peace | |
| Department of Internal Affairs v The Poverty Bay Club Inc (14 April 1989) | DC Gisborne, 14 April 1989 | Protected Objects; Export; Captain James Cook; Letters | ||
| R v Sim (30 April 1987) | CA260 86 | Forgery; Goldie; Petrus Van der Velden; Rita Agnus | Karl Sim; Famous forger | |
| Young and Mullens v Commercial Union General Insurance Co Ltd (24 September 1986) | HC Palmerston North A83/84, 24 September 1986 High Court, Palmerston North | Insurance; Replacement of unique antique (or art (obiter)); Measure of indemnity (willing purchaser willing seller for comparable item); | ||
| Cleminson v Cleminson (9 August 1985) | [1985] NZHC 550 | Relationship property; Family chattel; Investment Art; Frances Hodgkins | ||
| Giles v Giles (27 June 1984) | CA138/83, 27 July 1984 | Relationship property; Gift; Goldie | ||
| Attorney General of New Zealand v Ortiz (21 April 1983) | [1984] A.C. 1; [1983] 2 W.L.R. 809; [1983] 2 All E.R. 93; [1983] 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 265; [1983] 4 WLUK 93; (1983) 133 N.L.J. 537; (1983) 127 S.J. 307 | Conflict of laws; Protected Objects; Export; Taonga / Antiquities; Manukonga / Māori Carvings; Forfeiture | ||
| Chandulal v Chandulal (5 November 1981) | HC Hamilton M 414/80 [1981] NZHC 176; (1981) 5 MPC 11 | Relationship or Trust property; Family chattel; Gottfried Lindauer | Gottfried Lindauer in New Zealand (paintings from case visible at 20:01-20:15) | |
| Turner v Baigent (4 February 1952) | SC Auckland [1952] NZPoliceLawRp 3; (1952) 8 New Zealand Police Law Reports 248; [1952] NZLR 271; [1952] GLR 151 | Distinction between art and decoration | ||
| Police v Turner (30 August 1951) | (Magistrates Court, Auckland) [1951] NZMCRp 43; (1951) 46 MCR 130 (30 August 1951) | Artist as a “calling”; Art as a commercial activity | ||
| Clarkson v McCarthy (30 July 1917) | SC Auckland [1917] NZPoliceLawRp 19; (1917) 1 New Zealand Police Law Reports 106; [1917] NZLR 624; [1917] GLR 401 | Distinction between Art and Obscenity & Indecency (context of display); Giorgione “Sleeping Venus” | ||
| Vautier v Fear (13 June 1916) | SC Hamilton [1916] NZGazLawRp 111; (1916) 18 GLR 524 | Sale of goods; Commission of art such as painting or sculpture a contract for supply of goods rather than service (obiter) | ||
| Police v Lawrence (8 October 1906) | (Magistrates Court, Auckland) [1906] NZMCRp 125; (1906) 1 MCR 169 | Distinction between Art and Obscenity & Indecency; Lord Leighton “Psyche’s Bath“; Paul Thumann “Psyche at Nature’s Mirror”; |
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