Supreme Court

The Supreme Court is New Zealand’s final court of appeal. It deals with criminal and civil appeals from the lower courts. The Supreme Court must grant leave before an appeal can begin.

The number of applications for leave to appeal filed in the Supreme Court had been increasing from its establishment in 2004 until June 2011. However, there have been fewer applications in the last 12 months. 

Criminal jurisdiction

In the 12 months ending 30 June 2012, eight separate judgments of the Court disposed of 24 criminal appeals and one further appeal was abandoned (in the 12 months ending 30 June 2011, 14 separate judgments disposed of 16 appeals). As at 30 June 2012, there were three active criminal appeals (awaiting hearing or judgment).

Civil jurisdiction

The number of civil appeals filed in the Supreme Court has been decreasing since mid-2010. In the 12 months ending 30 June 2012, 13 new civil appeals were filed, down from 22 in the 12 months ending 30 June 2011. In the 12 months ending 30 June 2012, 16 separate judgments of the Court disposed of 21 civil appeals and a further two appeals were abandoned (in the 12 months ending 30 June 2011, 13 separate judgments disposed of 14 appeals and one further appeal was abandoned). As at 30 June 2012 there were 10 active civil appeals (awaiting hearing or judgment), a decrease of 50% compared to 30 June 2011.

Statistics