20 Jun 2023
FIONA MARGARET MEAD v LILACH PAUL [2023] NZSC 70
- Citation
- [2023] NZFLR 75
- Court
- Supreme Court
Majority (3–2) held a three‑person triangular relationship is not itself a qualifying de facto relationship under the PRA because the statutory definition requires a relationship between two persons, but a triangular relationship can be subdivided into dyadic qualifying relationships where each pair satisfies s 2D indicia; exclusivity is not required and ss 52A/52B demonstrate Parliament contemplated contemporaneous qualifying relationships, so the Family Court has jurisdiction to determine property orders as between qualifying pairs.