Supreme Court case information
Listed below are the substantive Supreme Court cases for the year along with appeals still to be determined or cases awaiting hearing.
Information giving an overview of the case is included along with media releases and links to judgments being appealed when available.
All 2024 - 2014 Supreme Court cases dismissed or deemed to be dismissed where a notice of abandonment was received can be found here.
Transcripts for cases heard before the Supreme Court are included provided they are not suppressed. Transcripts from pre-trial hearings are not published until the final disposition of trial. These are unedited transcripts and they are not a formal record of the Court’s proceedings. The Ministry of Justice does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of any material and recommends that users exercise their own skill and care with respect to its use.
23 December 2024
Case information summary 2024 (as at 23 December 2024) – Cases where leave granted (126 KB)
Case information summary 2024 (as at 23 December 2024) – Cases where leave to appeal decision not yet made (PDF, 116 KB)
All years
Case name
SHAY O’ CARROLL v the Queen
Case number
SC 129/2019
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal against a decision of the High Court – Whether s 155 of the Cook Islands Act 1915 (NZ) provides a jurisdictional bar to the imposition of a sentence of home detention
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is granted (Carroll v R [2019] NZCA 657).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal.
C Bail is extended on the same conditions until the determination of the appeal.
5 March 2020
________________________
A The appeal is allowed.
B The sentence of 22 months’ imprisonment is quashed and a sentence of 10 months’ home detention is substituted. The sentence is subject to the conditions listed at [55] of the judgment.
14 September 2020
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal.
C Bail is extended on the same conditions until the determination of the appeal.
5 March 2020
________________________
A The appeal is allowed.
B The sentence of 22 months’ imprisonment is quashed and a sentence of 10 months’ home detention is substituted. The sentence is subject to the conditions listed at [55] of the judgment.
14 September 2020
Date of hearing
11 June 2020
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, Glazebrook, O'Regan, Ellen France and Williams JJ
Transcripts
- Hearing date 11 June 2020 (PDF, 184 KB)
Media Releases
- MR [2020] NZSC 92 (PDF, 153 KB)
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
SHAY O’ CARROLL v R [2020] NZSC 15 [5 March 2020] (PDF, 31 KB)
Substantive judgment
SHAY O’CARROLL v R [2020] NZSC 92 (PDF, 104 KB)
Case name
Frucor Beverages Limited, Harry Wang and Hayley Skarratt v Ilan Blumberg, Peter Boardman and Rachel Mackay
Case number
SC 130/2019
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A notice of abandonment having been filed the application for leave to appeal is deemed to be dismissed.
3 February 2020
3 February 2020
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Case name
Robert Matti Neho v The Queen
Case number
SC 131/2019
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
4 March 2020
4 March 2020
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
ROBERT MATTI NEHO v R [2020] NZSC 13 [4 March 2020] (PDF, 156 KB)
Case name
Richard Lincoln v New Zealand Law Society
Case number
SC 132/2019
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for an extension of time to file an application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay costs of $2,500 to the respondent.
14 February 2020
B The applicant must pay costs of $2,500 to the respondent.
14 February 2020
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Nicholas Paul Alfred Reekie v Chief executive of the Department of Corrections and Visiting Justice to Spring Hill Correctional Facility
Case number
SC 133/2019
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for an extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is granted.
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
C The applicant must pay costs of $250 to the first respondent.
9 April 2020
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
C The applicant must pay costs of $250 to the first respondent.
9 April 2020
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Nicholas Paul Alfred Reekie v Attoney-General (sued on behalf of the Department of Corrections) Attorney-General and District Court of Waitakere
Case number
SC 135/2019
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for an extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is granted.
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
C The applicant must pay one set of costs of $250 to the first and second respondents.
6 April 2020
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
C The applicant must pay one set of costs of $250 to the first and second respondents.
6 April 2020
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Kruti Patel v Immigration and Protection Tribunal and Minister of Immigration
Case number
SC 137/2019
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The applications for an extension of time to file the applications for leave to appeal are granted.
B The applications to adduce further evidence are dismissed.
C The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.
2 April 2020
B The applications to adduce further evidence are dismissed.
C The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.
2 April 2020
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Christopher Lorraine Pickering and Aqatar Limited v Detection Services Pty Limited & Detection Solutions Pty Limited
Case number
SC 138/2019
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicants must pay costs of $2,500 to the respondents.
17 April 2020
B The applicants must pay costs of $2,500 to the respondents.
17 April 2020
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Dermot Gregory Nottingham v Maltese Cat Limited, Clyde Alexander Maclean and Elizabeth May Currie
Case number
SC 139/2019
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay one set of costs of $2,500 to the respondents.
17 April 2020
B The applicant must pay one set of costs of $2,500 to the respondents.
17 April 2020
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Mikaere Oketopa AKA Michael Wayne October v The Queen
Case number
SC 140/2019
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for an extension of time to apply for leave to
appeal is dismissed.
31 July 2020
appeal is dismissed.
31 July 2020
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
MIKAERE OKETOPA v R [2020] NZSC 75 [31 July 2020] (PDF, 61 KB)
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