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.
11 July 2024
Case information summary 2024 (as at 5 July 2024) – Cases where leave granted (123 KB)
Case information summary 2024 (as at 5 July 2024) – Cases where leave to appeal decision not yet made (PDF, 126 KB)
All years
Case name
R v Legal Services Commissioner
Case number
SC 101/2019
Summary
Civil Appeal – Legal Services Act 2011, s 7 – Whether the High Court erred in finding that an “administrative tribunal or judicial authority” does not include the United Nations Human Rights Committee.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B There is no order as to costs.
6 December 2019
B There is no order as to costs.
6 December 2019
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Case name
Harjit Dheil v The Queen
Case number
SC 106/2019
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Appeal against conviction – Evidence Act 2006, ss 22A and 122 – Whether a recorded conversation should have been admitted at trial – Whether the recorded conversation was hearsay evidence – Whether the trial Judge should have given a direction in relation to the hearsay evidence – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the appeal.
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
HARJIT DHEIL v R [2019] NZSC 153 [20 December 2019] (PDF, 46 KB)
Case name
Zen PULEMOANA v The Queen
Case number
SC 112/2019
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether a juror should have been discharged – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the appeal against conviction.
Result
A An extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is granted.
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
19 November 2019
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
19 November 2019
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
ZEN PULEMOANA v R [2019] NZSC 131 [19 November 2019] (PDF, 41 KB)
High Court decision
Case name
P (SC 124/2019) v The Queen
Case number
SC 124/2019
Summary
Criminal appeal - application for leave to bring appeal
Result
Leave to appeal is dismissed.
20 April 2020
20 April 2020
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
LINDA JUDITH POND v R [2020] NZSC 37 [20 April 2020] (PDF, 161 KB)
Case name
Silapea Momoisea v The Queen
Case number
SC 128/2019
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
13 March 2020
13 March 2020
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
SILAPEA MOMOISEA v R [2020] NZSC 19 [13 March 2020] (PDF, 131 KB)
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
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
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)
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
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