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
Geoffrey James Bird v The New Zealand Guardian Trust Company, Philip Anthony Bird, David Andrew Bird and Allen Roger Bird
Case number
SC 1/2018
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the High Court erred in removing the applicant as executor and trustee – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing an application for review of the Deputy Registrar’s decision not to dispense with security for costs.
Result
A The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.
B The applicant is to pay costs of $2,500 to the second, third and fourth respondents. 8 February 2018
B The applicant is to pay costs of $2,500 to the second, third and fourth respondents. 8 February 2018
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Akosita Vaeafisi v The Queen
Case number
SC 2/2018
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the sentence appeal.
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
17 April 2018
17 April 2018
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
AKOSITA VAEAFISI v R [2018] NZSC 33 [17 April 2018] (PDF, 229 KB)
Case name
Leonard Gus Nattrass-Bergquist v The Queen
Case number
SC 3/2018
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Evidence Act 2006, s 124 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the applicant’s appeal against conviction – Whether the trial Judge was required to give a lies direction – Whether the trial Judge misdirected the jury.
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
13 April 2018
13 April 2018
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Jinyue Young and Hsiang-Fen Ying v Zie Zhang
Case number
SC 4/2018
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the applicant’s appeal to set aside the consent order – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the appellant’s appeal against finding of contempt.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed. B No order as to costs. 28 March 2018
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Paul Geoffrey Myall v Tower Insurance Limited
Case number
SC 5/2018
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in the way it allowed for professional fees when estimating the notional cost of rebuilding a house payable under an insurance policy – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in adjusting the notional cost of rebuilding to reflect an understatement of the floor area.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant is to pay costs of $2,500.
17 April 2018
B The applicant is to pay costs of $2,500.
17 April 2018
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Orlando Shepherd v Auckland Council
Case number
SC 6/2018
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the High Court erred in its application of s 58 of the Dog Control Act 1996 – Whether the conviction entered is inconsistent with s 25(c) of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990.
Result
A The application for an extension of time to appeal is allowed. B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed. 27 March 2018
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
M v The Queen
Case number
SC 7/2018
Summary
ORDER PROHIBITING PUBLICATION OF THE JUDGMENT AND ANY PART OF THE PROCEEDINGS (INCLUDING THE RESULT) IN NEWS MEDIA OR ON THE INTERNET OR OTHER PUBLICLY AVAILABLE DATABASE UNTIL FINAL DISPOSITION OF RETRIAL. PUBLICATION IN LAW REPORT OR LAW DIGEST PERMITTED.
Result
ORDER PROHIBITING PUBLICATION OF THE JUDGMENT AND ANY PART OF THE PROCEEDINGS (INCLUDING THE RESULT) IN NEWS MEDIA OR ON THE INTERNET OR OTHER PUBLICLY AVAILABLE DATABASE UNTIL FINAL DISPOSITION OF RETRIAL. PUBLICATION IN LAW REPORT OR LAW DIGEST PERMITTED.
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
High/District Court judgment
Not publicly available
Case name
T v The Queen
Case number
SC 8/2018
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the appeals against conviction and sentence.
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
16 April 2018
16 April 2018
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
T (SC 8/2018) v R [2018] NZSC 31 [16 April 2018] (PDF, 206 KB)
Case name
William George Graham Cameron Cleary v Ewart & Ewart
Case number
SC 9/2018
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether Court of Appeal erred in upholding the High Court’s dismissal of the applicant’s claim against his lawyer for negligence and breach of fiduciary duty.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant is to pay costs of $2,500 to the respondent.
12 April 2018
B The applicant is to pay costs of $2,500 to the respondent.
12 April 2018
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
CLEARY v EWART & EWART [2018] NZSC 28 [12 April 2018] (PDF, 206 KB)
Case name
Northland Environmental Protection Society Incorporated v The Chief Executive of the Ministry for Primary Industries, Comptroller of Customs and The Chief Executive of the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Case number
SC 10/2018
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in its interpretation of the Forests Act 1949 and the Protected Objects Act 1975
Result
A Leave to appeal is granted (Northland Environmental Protection Society Incorporated v Chief Executive of the Ministry for Primary Industries [2017] NZCA 607).
B The approved questions are:
(a) Was the Court of Appeal correct in its interpretation of “finished or manufactured indigenous timber product” and the effect of the export restrictions in s 67C of the Forests Act 1949?
(b) Was the Court of Appeal correct to hold that some or all swamp kauri is not a “protected New Zealand object” as defined in s 2(1) of the Protected Objects Act 1975?
19 April 2018
___________________________
A The appeal relating to the interpretation of the export restriction in s 67C(1)(b) of the Forests Act 1949 is allowed.
B The appeal relating to the Protected Objects Act 1975 is dismissed.
C Costs are reserved.
9 November 2018
B The approved questions are:
(a) Was the Court of Appeal correct in its interpretation of “finished or manufactured indigenous timber product” and the effect of the export restrictions in s 67C of the Forests Act 1949?
(b) Was the Court of Appeal correct to hold that some or all swamp kauri is not a “protected New Zealand object” as defined in s 2(1) of the Protected Objects Act 1975?
19 April 2018
___________________________
A The appeal relating to the interpretation of the export restriction in s 67C(1)(b) of the Forests Act 1949 is allowed.
B The appeal relating to the Protected Objects Act 1975 is dismissed.
C Costs are reserved.
9 November 2018
Transcripts
- Hearing date 20 June 2018 (PDF, 394 KB)
Media Releases
- MR [2018] NZSC 105 (PDF, 61 KB)
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
Page 82 of 252