New Zealand's top court has dismissed appeals from a convicted drug baron who argued authorities breached the Bills of Rights Act in illegally listening to phone calls to his lawyer.

An insurer has gone to the Supreme Court to argue against a decision which could mean higher payouts for Canterbury homeowners who are yet to settle quake claims.

Christine Thompson, who today won a share of $8 million received by her ex-husband, wanted to "set the law straight for other women", says her lawyer.

The Government is not 'shopping around' for a report that will allow it to dodge paying David Bain compensation, Prime Minister John Key says.

A Supreme Court ruling that clears up a contentious area of insolvency law could put a hand brake on liquidators trying to claw back funds.

The Supreme Court has today unanimously reversed an earlier ruling on liquidators' abilities to claw back money, which subcontractors and tradespeople had rallied against.

A grief-stricken father is trying to make sense of his daughter's death in Cairns, on what should have been her 14th birthday.

A woman, who spewed a barrage of expletives at a judge during the sentencing of a high-profile businessman, threatened to kill the victims in the case the day after a jury found him guilty.

Victims will now be freer to express their raw feelings in court, though judges will still be called on to prevent impact statements from going too far.

Two lawyers have been suspended from practice this week - including a Tauranga woman who never turned up court to answer her own charges of dangerous driving.

An intellectually disabled teenager has lost a Supreme Court battle for a share in his stepfather's $2.2 million estate because he was unborn when his mother married.

A Nelson liquidator convicted of theft by a person in a special relationship has lost a bid to take his case to the Supreme Court.

Attorney General Chris Finlayson wants a new law to set the Supreme Court straight on what parliamentary privilege means following a decision he believes was wrong.

Susan Couch would have been banned from suing the Probation Service under legislation which will give negligent public servants immunity from civil lawsuits.

An intellectually disabled teen who received none of his stepfather's $2.2 million estate is fighting in the Supreme Court for a share of the inheritance.

Dame Sian Elias and fellow judges of the Supreme Court made a remarkable declaration of confidence in you and me and our adherence to a constitution this week.

The Government's proposal to close courts and shift registries to nearby towns is another welcome sign that crime is on the wane.

District court staff, reeling from court closures and job losses, were hit yesterday with the extra blow of a consultation document that overstated the number of positions to be axed.

More than 100 jobs will be lost in a wide-ranging district court shake-up in which four courts will be closed and nine will have their hours slashed.

Details of a major shake-up to court services around the country will be announced tomorrow and court staff will learn whether there will be any job losses.

The Crown has conceded there was a miscarriage of justice in the trial of a musician convicted of assaulting his son.

The Supreme Court of New Zealand has knocked back a Commerce Commission action against an Australian businessman.

Chief Justice, Prime Minister, thank you both for your warm welcome.