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)

2007

Case name
Colin Todd Parker v The Queen
Case number
SC 92/2007
Summary
Criminal – appeal against conviction of indecently assaulting a girl under 12 years – whether the Court of Appeal erred by holding that the fact the defence had not produced evidence of a motive for the complainant to give false evidence was relevant to the jury’s assessment of her credibility – whether the trial judge’s summing up conformed with R v T [1998] 2 NZLR 257 - whether R v T should represent the law in New Zealand insofar as it allows juries to regard a complainant’s evidence as more likely to be true where the defence has not offered any evidence for why the defendant might lie – whether R v T reverses the onus of proof in breach of sections 25(c) and (d) of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990. [2007] NZCA 534 CA 479/07 CA 572/07 CA 211/06 22 November 2007
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed. 15 April 2008
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Vince and Jane Siemer and Paragon Services Limited v Kate Fardell, Executrix for Robert Fardell
Case number
SC 93/2007
Summary
Summary Civil – interlocutory – applicants seeking trial by jury in proceedings for negligence and breach of fiduciary duty – whether Court of Appeal erred in confirming decision of High Court to grant respondent’ s application for an order that the trial be held before a Judge alone – applicability of s 19A(5)(a) and/or (b) Judicature Act 1908 – applicants alleging conflicts of interest on part of High Court and Court of Appeal Judges.[2007] NZCA 530 CA 171/07 22 November 2007
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed. Costs $1500 to respondent. 28 February 2008
Case name
Greenpeace New Zealand Incorporated v Genesis Power Limited
Case number
SC 94/2007
Summary
Summary Civil – interpretation of ss 70A and 104E of the Resource Management Act 1991 – under those sections, consent authorities are prohibited from having regard to the effects of greenhouse gas discharges on climate change, except to the extent that the use and development of renewable energy enables a reduction in the discharge into air of greenhouse gases, either in absolute terms or relative to non-renewable energy – whether Court of Appeal was wrong to hold that the exception only applies to renewable energy applications – whether the Court of Appeal erred in its decision to exercise its jurisdiction to grant declaratory relief.[2007] NZCA 569 CA 372/07 11 December 2007
Result
Application for leave to appeal granted.
11 February 2008
_________________
Appeal dismissed.
19 December 2008
Judgment appealed from
Transcription
Hearing date : 28 May 2008
Elias CJ, Blanchard, Tipping, McGrath, Wilson JJ