How to read legal citations in New Zealand

Peters v Davison [1999] 2 NZLR 164 (CA)

1. Case name Peters v Davison
   The parties.
2. Year in square brackets [1999]
   The year of the volume.
3. Volume 2
   Volume 2 for that year.
4. Series NZLR
   New Zealand Law Reports.
5. First page 164
   The page where the report begins.
6. Court CA
   The court that decided it: Court of Appeal.

Ellis v R [2022] NZSC 114

1. Case name Ellis v R
   R means the Crown.
2. Year [2022]
   The year of the judgment.
3. Court NZSC
   New Zealand Supreme Court. Other examples: NZCA (Court of Appeal) and NZHC (High Court).
4. Number 114
   The running number of the judgment in that court for that year.

Companies Act 1993, s 131

1. Short title and year Companies Act 1993
   The Act's name and year.
2. Section s 131
   Section 131, which requires directors to act in good faith and in the company's best interests.

Hosking v Runting [2005] 1 NZLR 1 (CA)

1. Case name Hosking v Runting
   The parties. The case on whether New Zealand law protects privacy against publication of facts.
2. Year [2005]
   In square brackets because the volumes are arranged by year.
3. Volume 1
   Volume 1.
4. Report series NZLR
   New Zealand Law Reports.
5. First page 1
   The page where the report begins.
6. Court CA
   Court of Appeal.

New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990, s 6

1. Title and year New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990
   New Zealand's rights statute. It is an ordinary Act, not an entrenched constitution.
2. Section s 6
   Section 6 says that, where a law can be read in a way that is consistent with the rights in the Act, that reading is preferred.