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
Daniel Gary French v The King
Case number
SC 57/2023
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
10 August 2023
10 August 2023
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
DANIEL GARY FRENCH v R [2023] NZSC 103 [10 August 2023] (PDF, 155 KB)
Case name
Abdihafid Ali Mohamed v The King
Case number
SC 58/2023
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
4 September 2023
4 September 2023
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Moetu Kaitai v The King
Case number
SC 59/2023
Summary
Criminal Appeal
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is granted in part (Kaitai v R [2023] NZCA 184). The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal against conviction, so far as it was based on defences of accident, involuntariness and lack of intent.
B The application for leave to appeal is otherwise dismissed.
22 December 2023
B The application for leave to appeal is otherwise dismissed.
22 December 2023
Date of hearing
11 July 2024
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, Glazebrook, Ellen France, Williams and Miller JJ
Case Synopses
- Hearing date 11 July 2024 (PDF, 444 KB)
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
MOETU KAITAI v R [2023] NZSC 169 [22 December 2023 (PDF, 179 KB)
Videos
- Live stream Thursday 11 July 2024 (Livestream, 11 July 2024)
Case name
W (SC 60/2023) v The King
Case number
SC 60/2023
Summary
Criminal Appeal
Result
A Mr Hoggart’s application for an extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is granted.
B The applications for leave to appeal are granted in part ([W] v R [2023] NZCA 155). The approved questions are:
1 Whether the Court of Appeal was correct to conclude that a media take down order was not required in the circumstances of this case.
2 Whether the Court of Appeal was correct to conclude that the verdicts were not unreasonable in light of admissible evidence relating to the potential culpability of Lester Hamilton (deceased).
C The applications for leave to appeal are otherwise dismissed.
D Interim order suppressing the name of W and any identifying particulars made on 9 June 2023 is to continue until further order.
12 December 2023
B The applications for leave to appeal are granted in part ([W] v R [2023] NZCA 155). The approved questions are:
1 Whether the Court of Appeal was correct to conclude that a media take down order was not required in the circumstances of this case.
2 Whether the Court of Appeal was correct to conclude that the verdicts were not unreasonable in light of admissible evidence relating to the potential culpability of Lester Hamilton (deceased).
C The applications for leave to appeal are otherwise dismissed.
D Interim order suppressing the name of W and any identifying particulars made on 9 June 2023 is to continue until further order.
12 December 2023
Date of hearing
06 August 2024
- 07 August 2024
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, Glazebrook, Ellen France, Kós and Miller JJ
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave granted
Case name
Damien Shane Kuru v The King
Case number
SC 61/2023
Summary
Criminal Appeal
Result
A Leave to appeal is granted (Kuru v R [2023] NZCA 150).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal.
10 August 2023
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal.
10 August 2023
Date of hearing
04 March 2024
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, Glazebrook, Ellen France, Williams and Kós JJ
Submissions from counsel
- Hearing date 4 March 2024 Appellant submissions (PDF, 579 KB)
- Hearing date 4 March 2024 Respondent submissions (PDF, 1.6 MB)
Transcripts
- Hearing date 4 March 2024 transcript (PDF, 614 KB)
Case Synopses
- Hearing date 4 March 2024 SC 61/2023 (PDF, 454 KB)
Leave judgment - leave granted
DAMIEN SHANE KURU v R [2023] NZSC 102 [10 August 2023] (PDF, 156 KB)
Videos
- SC 61/2023 Kuru v The King (Recorded, 4 March 2024)
Case name
Donald Dev Kumar Singh v The King
Case number
SC 68/2023
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
27 October 2023
27 October 2023
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
H (SC 69/2023) v The King
Case number
SC 69/2023
Summary
Criminal 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.
20 December 2023
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
20 December 2023
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
[2023] NZSC 166 (PDF, 155 KB)
Case name
Mark Jospeh Hoggart v The King
Case number
SC 77/2023
Summary
Criminal Appeal
Result
A Mr Hoggart’s application for an extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is granted.
B The applications for leave to appeal are granted in part ([W] v R [2023] NZCA 155). The approved questions are:
1 Whether the Court of Appeal was correct to conclude that a media take down order was not required in the circumstances of this case.
2 Whether the Court of Appeal was correct to conclude that the verdicts were not unreasonable in light of admissible evidence relating to the potential culpability of Lester Hamilton (deceased).
C The applications for leave to appeal are otherwise dismissed.
D Interim order suppressing the name of W and any identifying particulars made on 9 June 2023 is to continue until further order.
12 December 2023
B The applications for leave to appeal are granted in part ([W] v R [2023] NZCA 155). The approved questions are:
1 Whether the Court of Appeal was correct to conclude that a media take down order was not required in the circumstances of this case.
2 Whether the Court of Appeal was correct to conclude that the verdicts were not unreasonable in light of admissible evidence relating to the potential culpability of Lester Hamilton (deceased).
C The applications for leave to appeal are otherwise dismissed.
D Interim order suppressing the name of W and any identifying particulars made on 9 June 2023 is to continue until further order.
12 December 2023
Date of hearing
06 August 2024
- 07 August 2024
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, Glazebrook, Ellen France, Kós and Miller JJ
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave granted
Case name
Connor Sean Clayton Nevin v The King
Case number
SC 79/2023
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for an extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is allowed.
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
C The interim suppression order dated 21 July 2023 is lifted.
7 December 2023
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
C The interim suppression order dated 21 July 2023 is lifted.
7 December 2023
District Court decision
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
L (SC 80/2023) v The King
Case number
SC 80/2023
Summary
Criminal Appeal
Result
A Leave to appeal is granted (L (CA631/2021) v R [2023] NZCA 246).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal.
3 November 2023
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal.
3 November 2023
Date of hearing
19 March 2024
Judges
Glazebrook, Ellen France, Williams, Kós, Miller JJ
Submissions from counsel
- Hearing date 19 March 2024 Appellant submissions (PDF, 462 KB)
- Hearing date 19 March 2024 Respondent submissions (PDF, 433 KB)
- Hearing 19 March 2024 Appellant oral outline (PDF, 198 KB)
Case Synopses
- Hearing date 19 March 2024 (PDF, 443 KB)
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
L (SC 80/2023) v R [2023] NZSC 146 [3 November 2023] (PDF, 157 KB)
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