Burden v ESR Group (NZ) Limited

[2023] NZSC 159

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF NEW ZEALAND

I TE KŌTI MANA NUI O AOTEAROA

 SC 96/2023
 [2023] NZSC 159

BETWEEN	IAN JAMES BURDEN First Applicant PGT RECLAIMED (INTERNATIONAL) LIMITED Second Applicant PLANTATION GROWN TIMBERS (VIETNAM) LIMITED Third Applicant
AND	ESR GROUP (NZ) LIMITED Respondent

Court:	Glazebrook, O’Regan and Ellen France JJ
Counsel:	A H Brown KC, J Oliver‑Hood and J R E Wach for Applicants J G Miles KC and A J Pietras for Respondent
Judgment:	7 December 2023

JUDGMENT OF THE COURT

A      The application for leave to appeal is granted (ESR Group (NZ) Ltd v Burden [2023] NZCA 335).

B      The approved questions are as follows:

(a)Was the Court of Appeal correct to conclude, for the purposes of s 9(1) of the Copyright Act 1994, that a copyright holder’s consent is not necessary for a work to be “in circulation”?

(b)Was the Court of Appeal correct to conclude, for the purposes of s 9(1) of the Copyright Act 1994, that circulation outside of New Zealand could constitute “circulation”?

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Solicitors:
James & Wells Solicitors, Auckland for Applicants
AJ Pietras & Co, Lower Hutt for Respondent