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.
24 June 2024
Case information summary 2024 (as at 21 June 2024) – Cases where leave granted (121 KB)
Case information summary 2024 (as at 21 June 2024) – Cases where leave to appeal decision not yet made (PDF, 125 KB)
All years
Case name
Da (David) Jiang Fan v The Queen
Case number
SC 107/2017
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in its interpretation and application of the City of Auckland Operative District Plan 1999 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the applicant’s appeal against sentence.
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed. 6 December 2017
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
DA JIANG FAN v R [2017] NZSC 184 [6 December 2017] (PDF, 86 KB)
Judgment appealed from
Case name
George Charlie Baker v The Queen
Case number
SC 109/2017
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Sentence Appeal – Whether the High Court erred in imposing a minimum term of preventive detention longer than the maximum period of imprisonment for the offending.
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
19 December 2017
19 December 2017
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
High Court decision
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Graeme Andrew Joblin v The Queen
Case number
SC 110/2017
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Appeal against conviction – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding there was no miscarriage of justice at trial.
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.
19 December 2017
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
19 December 2017
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Benjamin Vainu V The Queen
Case number
SC 114/2017
Result
The application for an extension of time to appeal is dismissed.
9 February 2018
9 February 2018
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
BENJAMIN VAINU v R [2018] NZSC 12 [9 February 2018] (PDF, 198 KB)
Court of Appeal decision
Case name
M v The Queen
Case number
SC 115/2017
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding there was no miscarriage of justice despite the cumulative effect of multiple alleged trial deficiencies.
Result
A An extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is granted. B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed. 22 March 2018
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
M (SC 115/2017) v R [2018] NZSC 21 [22 March 2018] (PDF, 192 KB)
Judgment appealed from
not publicly available
Case name
K v The Queen
Case number
SC 116/2017
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Criminal Procedure Act 2011, s 200 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the applicant’s appeal against the refusal of the High Court to suppress certain parts of the proceedings.
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
21 December 2017
21 December 2017
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Court of Appeal decision
not publicly available
Case name
Michael Thrift Murray v The Queen
Case number
SC 123/2017
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Crimes Act 1961, s 48 – Whether Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the applicant’s appeal against conviction – Whether the trial Judge gave adequate directions on the elements of self-defence and defence of another.
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
23 February 2018
23 February 2018
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
not publicly available
Case name
Carl Kiatika Ngawhika v The Queen
Case number
SC 130/2017
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the applicant’s appeals against conviction and sentence.
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
17 April 2018
17 April 2018
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
CARL KIATIKA NGAWHIKA v R [2018] NZSC 32 [17 April 2018] (PDF, 180 KB)
Case name
Douglas John Williamson v The Queen
Case number
SC 7/2016
Summary
Criminal appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that no miscarriage of justice occurred despite trial counsel acting inconsistently with his client’s instructions – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in its application of the Animal Welfare Act 1999, s 28 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in declining an application to adduce further evidence. [2015] NZCA 621 CA 398/2014
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed.
26 April 2016
26 April 2016
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
John Blackwood Williamson v The Queen
Case number
SC 8/2016
Summary
Criminal appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that no miscarriage of justice occurred despite trial counsel acting inconsistently with his client’s instructions – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in its application of the Animal Welfare Act 1999, s 28 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in declining an application to adduce further evidence.[2015] NZCA 621 CA 399/2014
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed. 26 April 2016
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
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