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.
8 November 2024
Case information summary 2024 (as at 8 November 2024) – Cases where leave granted (126 KB)
Case information summary 2024 (as at 8 November 2024) – Cases where leave to appeal decision not yet made (PDF, 116 KB)
2015
Case name
The Queen v P
Case number
SC 131/2015
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the statements made by P in his video interview after the interview recommenced at 4pm on 4 June 2014 should be admissible – Whether the evidence of the walk-through of the scene and further statements made by Mr P to police on 6 June 2014 should be admissible.[2015] NZCA 530 CA 474/2015
Result
Judgment released. Details, including result, are suppressed until final disposition of trial.
Hearing date
21 April 2016
Elias CJ, William Young, Glazebrook, Arnold, O’Regan JJ.
Judgment appealed from
P v R [2015] NZCA 530 11 Nov 2015_ not publicly available
Case name
Galvanising (HB ) Limited and others v John Howard Ross Fisk and Tony Wayne Pattison as liquidators of East Quip Limited (in liquidation)
Case number
SC 132/2015
Summary
Civil Appeal – Companies Act 1993, s 292 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in its interpretation of s 292(4B) of the Companies Act.[2015] NZCA 529 CA 69/2014
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed
B The applicants must pay costs of $2,500 to the respondents
3 May 2016
B The applicants must pay costs of $2,500 to the respondents
3 May 2016
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
High Court decision
Case name
K v The Queen
Case number
SC 133/2015
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether a miscarriage of justice has arisen due to delay in bringing the matter to trial – Whether the trial Judge should have given a reliability warning under s 122 of the Evidence Act 2006 [2015] NZCA 566 CA 665/2014
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
15 March 2016
15 March 2016
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
K (SC 133/2015) v R [2016] NZSC 26 15 March 2016 (PDF, 73 KB)
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Deuce Derrick Junior Evo Savage v The Queen
Case number
SC 134/2015
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Appeal against conviction – Evidence Act 2006, s 126 – Whether verdict unreasonable – Whether Trial Judge failed to direct jury appropriately on requirements to establish guilt – Whether Trial Judge gave adequate identification warning.[2015] NZCA 550 CA 611/2014
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed. 1 March 2016
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Malcolm Edward Rabson v Wayne Seymour Chapman
Case number
SC 135/2015
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in failing to recall its earlier judgment.[2014] NZCA 158 CA 855/2012
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed. 23 February 2016
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Robert Craig Winterburn v The Queen
Case number
SC 136/2015
Summary
Criminal appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in concluding that conviction of the applicant on some charges was not unreasonably inconsistent with acquittal on other charges – Whether the Court of Appeal erred by relying on previous warnings about an indeterminate sentence in imposing a sentence of preventive detention. [2015] NZCA 384 CA 587/2014; CA 598/2014
Result
A An extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is granted.
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
15 April 2016
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
15 April 2016
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Matthew John Young v The District Court at Hamilton
Case number
SC 137/2015
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in declining to give name suppression to the applicant. [2015] NZCA 584 CA 643/2015
Result
The application for interim order suppressing publication of the applicant’s name is dismissed.
16 December 2015
____________________
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
3 May 2017
16 December 2015
____________________
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
3 May 2017
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Supreme court decision
Case name
Jeremy James McGuire v Wellington Standards Committee (No 1) and The Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal
Case number
SC 138/2015
Summary
Civil Appeal – Lawyers and Conveyances Act (Disciplinary Tribunal) Regulations 2008 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding the Wellington Standards Committee had jurisdiction to amend the charges against the appellant during the disciplinary hearing – Whether the unsatisfactory conduct charge was invalid – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in upholding the High Court’s order on costs and disbursements.[2015] NZCA 569 CA 26/2015
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
Costs of $2,500 are payable to the First Respondent.
15 February 2016
_________________________________________________
Application for recall dismissed.
Costs $250.00 payable to the first respondent.
6 April 2016
_____________________________________
2nd application for recall dismissed. (direction)
12 April 2016
Costs of $2,500 are payable to the First Respondent.
15 February 2016
_________________________________________________
Application for recall dismissed.
Costs $250.00 payable to the first respondent.
6 April 2016
_____________________________________
2nd application for recall dismissed. (direction)
12 April 2016
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Recall judgment
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Richard John Creser v Janine Michelle Creser and others
Case number
SC 139/2015
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal decision was tainted by bias or predetermination.[2015] NZCA 579 CA 193/2003
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B There is no order for costs.
13 April 2016
B There is no order for costs.
13 April 2016
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
T v The Queen
Case number
SC 140/2015
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Appeal against conviction – Evidence Act 2006, s 122 – Whether Trial Judge failed to give adequate directions in relation to reliability of propensity evidence – Whether Trial Judge failed to give adequate directions in relation to the prosecutor’s closing address. [2015] NZCA 572 CA 117/2015
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
20 June 2016
20 June 2016
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
T(SC 140/2015) v R [2016] NZSC 71 20 June 2016 (PDF, 81 KB)
Judgment appealed from
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