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)
2023
Case name
Mahia Tamiefuna v The King
Case number
SC 51/2023
Summary
Criminal Appeal
Result
A Leave to appeal is granted (Tamiefuna v R [2023] NZCA 163).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal.
28 July 2023
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal.
28 July 2023
Date of hearing
06 March 2024
- 07 March 2024
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, Glazebrook, Ellen France, Williams and Kós JJ
Submissions from counsel
- Hearing date 6 and 7 March 2024 Appellant submissions (PDF, 1.2 MB)
- Hearing date 6 and 7 March 2024 Respondent submissions (PDF, 1.2 MB)
- Hearing date 6 and 7 March 2024 Intervener Submissions (PDF, 824 KB)
- Hearing date 6 and 7 March 2024 Joint Chronology (PDF, 94 KB)
Transcripts
- Hearing date 6 March 2024 transcript (PDF, 947 KB)
Case Synopses
- Hearing date 6 and 7 March 2024 SC 51/2023 (PDF, 483 KB)
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
MAHIA TAMIEFUNA v R [2023] NZSC 93 [28 July 2023] (PDF, 161 KB)
Case name
Siu Jun Zhou and Levonz Investment Limited v Commissioner of Police
Case number
SC 52/2023
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
D (SC 53/2023) v N (SC 53/2023) and Ors
Case number
SC 53/2023
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay costs of $500 to the New Zealand Law Society (the first respondent in CA452/2022).
28 July 2023
B The applicant must pay costs of $500 to the New Zealand Law Society (the first respondent in CA452/2022).
28 July 2023
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
H (SC 54/2023) v The King
Case number
SC 54/2023
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
8 September 2023
8 September 2023
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
H (SC 54/2023) v R [2023] NZSC 120 [8 September 2023] (PDF, 161 KB)
Case name
Christopher Joseph O'Neill v Judicial Conduct Commissioner
Case number
SC 55/2023
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B There is no order as to costs. 21 July 2023
B There is no order as to costs. 21 July 2023
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Christopher Joseph O'Neill v Judiciary of Auckland High Court, Registry of Auckland High Court and persons as yet unknown
Case number
SC 56/2023
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B There is no order as to costs.
10 August 2023
B There is no order as to costs.
10 August 2023
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
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
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