Subscribe to the RSS feed Print this page

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
Paki Hoani Taiatini v The Queen
Case number
SC 2/2014
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Evidence Act 2006, s 25 – Whether or not the Court of Appeal erred in its conclusion that the evidence from the complainant’ s mother was not expert evidence.[2013] NZCA 593  CA 100/2013
Result
The application for leave to appeal is granted.
The approved questions are:
Was the evidence of the complainant’s mother and her boyfriend admissible in terms of the veracity or propensity provisions of the Evidence Act 2006?
If the evidence was admissible:
should there have been a direction from the trial judge as to the use that could be made of the evidence?
was Mr Taiatini placed at any disadvantage from the fact that the evidence arose in the course of the trial?
If the evidence was not admissible, did its admission and/or the absence of a direction from the trial judge create the risk of a miscarriage of justice?
25 March 2014
__________
Appeal dismissed.
5 September 2014
Transcripts
Media Releases
Leave judgment - leave granted
PAKI HOAINI TAIATINI v R [2014] NZSC 2 [25 March 2014] (PDF, 70 KB)
Substantive judgment
PAKI HOANI TAIATINI v R [2014] NZSC 122 [5 September 2014] (PDF, 190 KB)
Case name
Paul Anthony Thompson v The Queen
Case number
SC 7/2014
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding that a general challenge to the credibility of a witness is sufficient to satisfy a trial counsel’s duty to run a defendant’s alibi defence – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that the trial counsel’ s questions did not involve an implicit acceptance of facts.[2013] NZCA 640 CA 110/2013
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed.
4 April 2014
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
PAUL ANTHONY THOMPSON v R [2014] NZSC 36    4 April 2014 (PDF, 51 KB)
Judgment appealed from

NAMANA V R CA98/2013 [2013] NZCA 640  11 December 2013
Case name
DH v The Queen
Case number
SC 9/2014
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that the trial judge was correct to admit expert evidence – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that the trial judge’s directions in relation to the expert evidence was adequate – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that the trial judge’s directions in relation to evidence of no prior convictions was appropriate.[2013] NZCA 670 CA 87/2012
Result
A Leave to appeal is granted. 
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the conviction appeal.
2 May 2014
_____________
Appeal dismissed.
16 April 2015
Media Releases
Leave judgment - leave granted
DH (SC9/2014) v R [2014] NZSC 50 [2 May 2014] (PDF, 8 KB)
Substantive judgment
DH (SC 9/2014) v R [2015] NZSC 35 [16 April 2015] (PDF, 366 KB)
Case name
SSK v The Queen
Case number
SC 15/2014
Summary
[2013] NZHC 3487   CRI 2012 093 13988
Result
The application for leave to appeal directly to this Court is dismissed. Publication of the judgment or its contents in the news media, or on the internet or other publicly available database, is prohibited prior to trial.  Publication in a law report or law digest is permitted, however. 18 February 2014
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
K v R [2014] NZSC 3 (18 February 2014)
Case Number

SC  15/2014
Judgment appealed from

not available online
Case name
Bon Vincent Namana v The Queen
Case number
SC 18/2014
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding that a general challenge to the credibility of a witness is sufficient to satisfy a trial counsel’s duty to run a defendant’s alibi defence – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that the trial counsel’ s questions did not involve an implicit acceptance of facts.[2013] NZCA 640    CA 98/2013
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed.
4 April 2014
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
PAUL ANTHONY THOMPSON v R [2014] NZSC 36    4 April 2014 (PDF, 51 KB)
Judgment appealed from

NAMANA V R CA98/2013 [2013] NZCA 640    11 December 2013
Case name
Karl Teangiotau Nuku v The Queen
Case number
SC 20/2014
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether a miscarriage of justice occasioned due to counsel error – Whether an extension of time should be allowed.[2012] NZCA 595   CA 516/2011
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed.
1 May 2014
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
KARL TEANGIOTAU NUKU v R [2014] NZSC 45    1 May 2014 (PDF, 49 KB)
Judgment appealed from

PANDEY-JOHNSON & ANOR V R COA CA515/2011    19 December 2012
Case name
Vincent Ross Siemer v Official Assignee
Case number
SC 21/2014
Summary
Civil Appeal – Judicature Act 1908, s 61A – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding that there was no jurisdiction under s 61A(1) – Whether the Court of Appeal erred is understanding the respective role of the Judge and Registrar in regards to r 35(6) of the Court of Appeal (Civil) Rules 2005[2014] NZCA 9   CA 863/2013
Result
The application for leave to appeal are dismissed. The applicant is to pay costs of $2,500 plus reasonable disbursements to be fixed, if necessary, by the Registrar.
30 April 2014
___________
Application for recall dismissed.
26 May 2014
_______________
Second application for recall dismissed.
5 June 2014
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
VINCENT ROSS SIEMER v OFFICIAL ASSIGNEE [2014] NZSC 42 [30 April 2014] (PDF, 51 KB)
Recall judgment
VINCENT ROSS SIEMER v OFFICIAL ASSIGNEE [2014] NZSC 60 [26 May 2014] (PDF, 43 KB)
Judgment appealed from

SIEMER V OFFICIAL ASSIGNEE CA863/2013 [2014] NZCA 9 [11 February 2014]
Case name
Vincent Ross Siemer v Michael Peter Stiassny and Korda Mentha
Case number
SC 23/2014
Summary
Civil Appeal – Judicature Act 1908, s 61A – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding that there was no jurisdiction under s 61A(1) – Whether the Court of Appeal erred is understanding the respective role of the Judge and Registrar in regards to r 35(6) of the Court of Appeal (Civil) Rules 2005[2014] NZCA 3   CA 104/2013
Result
The application for leave to appeal are dismissed. The applicant is to pay costs of $2,500 plus reasonable disbursements to be fixed, if necessary, by the Registrar.
30 April 2014
__________
Application for recall dismissed.
26 May 2014
______________
Second application for recall dismissed.
5 June 2014
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
VINCENT ROSS SIEMER v OFFICIAL ASSIGNEE [2014] NZSC 42 [30 April 2014] (PDF, 51 KB)
Recall judgment
VINCENT ROSS SIEMER v OFFICIAL ASSIGNEE [2014] NZSC 60 [26 May 2014] (PDF, 43 KB)
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Jeffrey Ugochukwu Orji v The Queen
Case number
SC 24/2014
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Immigration – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in upholding the trial judge’s decision that a defence of reasonable excuse was not available under s 142(1)(d)(ii) of the Immigration Act 1987 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the allegation of prosecutorial misconduct – Evidence – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in upholding the trial judge’s decision to exclude evidence – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the applicant’s application to admit new evidence.[2013] NZCA 629    CA 167/2012
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed. 21 May 2014
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
JEFFERY UGOCHUKWU ORJI v R [2014] NZSC 59   21 May 2014 (PDF, 53 KB)
Judgment appealed from

ORJI v R CA167/2012 [2013] NZCA 629  11 December 2013
Case name
Mark Lee v The Queen
Case number
SC 27/2014
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal lacked jurisdiction to hear the appeal because there was no question of law to be decided – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in setting aside the stay granted by the High Court.[2013] NZCA 483  CA  828/2012
Result
Application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
4 July 2014
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
TERRY JONES v R [2014] NZSC 85   4 July 2014 (PDF, 88 KB)
Judgment appealed from

R V ANTONIEVIC & ORS CA818/2012 & ORS [2013] NZCA 483  15 October 2013
Page 42 of 79