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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.

27 September 2024

Case information summary 2024 (as at 27 September 2024) –  Cases where leave granted (127 KB)
Case information summary 2024 (as at 27 September 2024)  – Cases where leave to appeal decision not yet made (PDF, 120 KB)

All years

Case name
Vincent Siemer v New Zealand Court of Appeal and Attorney-General
Case number
SC 30/2014
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the means of conveying the judgment upholding the Registrar’s decision was lawful. CA 4/2014
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed.
11 June 2014
______________________________
Application for recall dismissed. 
4 July 2014
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
VINCENT SIEMER v NEW ZEALAND COURT OF APPEAL [2014] NZSC 69   11 June 2014 (PDF, 75 KB)
Recall judgment
VINCENT SIEMER v NEW ZEALAND COURT OF APPEAL [2014] NZSC 84   4 July 2014 (PDF, 9 KB)
Judgment appealed from

not available online
Case name
Alavine Feliuia Liu v Chief Executive of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
Case number
SC 31/2014
Summary
Civil Appeal – United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child arts 9, 9.1 and 3 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding that art 9, and in particular art 9.1, were not relevant to deportation cases – Whether the respondent erred in not having specific regard to art 9 notwithstanding  its consideration of other specific articles in the convention – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that with the exception of Ewebiyi v Parr no other authorities referred to it held that art 9.1 applied to deportation cases – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in its assessment of the relevant case law and its assessment as to the reconciliation of arts 3 and 9.1.CA 4/2014[2014] NZCA 37  CA 754/2012
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B  The applicant is to pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
20 June 2014
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
ALAVINE FELIUAI LIU v CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE MINISTRY OF BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND EMPLOYMENT [2014] NZSC 76    20 June 2014 (PDF, 61 KB)
Judgment appealed from

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE MINISTRY OF BUSINESS, INNOVATION & EMPLOYMENT v LIU CA754/2012 [2014] NZCA 37  26 February 2014 
Case name
Israel Zuydendorp v The Queen
Case number
SC 32/2014
Summary
Criminal Appeal – The Court of Appeal erred in holding that counsel’ s behaviour did not lead to an unfair trial – Appellate counsel erred conducting the appeal – The Court of Appeal erred in findings in relation to propensity of witness testimony.[2014] NZCA 35  CA 254/2013
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed.
7 July 2014
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
ISRAEL ZUYDENDORP v R [2014] NZSC 88     7 July 2014 (PDF, 73 KB)
Judgment appealed from

ZUYDENDORP v R CA254/2013 [2014] NZCA 35    26 February 2014
Case name
David John Young as director of Splendide Structures Limited (in liquidation)
Case number
SC 33/2014
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether or not the High Court erred in upholding the liquidation order made by the District Court.Civ 2013 409 1059
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed.
2 May 2014
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
DAVID JOHN YOUNG AS DIRECTOR OF SPLENDIDE STURCTURES LIMITED (IN LIQUIDATION) v MARK GREGORY BARLTROP [2014] NZSC 47     2 May 2014 (PDF, 27 KB)
Judgment appealed from

Cain and Gemmell [2014] NZHC 165    14 February 2014 
 
Case name
David John Young as director of Splendide Structures Limited (in liquidation) v Rhys James Cain and Bruce Donald Gemmell as liquidators of Splendide Structures Limited (in liquidation) 
Case number
SC 34/2014
Summary
[2014] NZHC 165   Civ 2013 409 1779
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed. 2 May 2014
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
DAVID JOHN YOUNG AS DIRECTOR OF SPLENDIDE STURCTURES LIMITED (IN LIQUIDATION) v MARK GREGORY BARLTROP [2014] NZSC 47     2 May 2014 (PDF, 27 KB)
Judgment appealed from

Cain and Gemmell [2014] NZHC 165    14 February 2014
Case name
Sajo Oyang Corporation and Southern Storm Fishing (2007) Limited v The Ministry for Primary Industries and The Director - General of the Ministry for Primary Industries
Case number
SC 35/2014
Summary
Civil Appeal –  Whether the Court of Appeal erred in concluding that non-defendant third parties do not have standing to participate in an application relating to the special circumstances exception to automatic forfeiture of property following conviction for specified fisheries offences under s 255C of the Fisheries Act 1996[2014] NZCA 46  CA 167/2013
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B  The applicants are jointly and severally liable to pay costs of $2,500 to the first and second respondents.
17 June 2014
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
SAJO OYANG CORPORATION v THE MINISTRY FOR PRIMARY INDUSTRIES [2014] NZSC 73    7 June 2014 (PDF, 55 KB)
Judgment appealed from

THE MINISTRY FOR PRIMARY INDUSTRIES v SAJO OYANG CORPORATION CA167/2013 [2014] NZCA 46  3 March 2014
Case name
Paul Anthony Blair v The Queen
Case number
SC 36/2014
Summary
Criminal Appeal –Evidence Act 2006, ss 46 and 126 – Whether voice identification evidence was admitted at trial contrary to the provisions of s 46 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that admitting the voice identification evidence did not materially affect the result and therefore there was no miscarriage of  justice – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that the case against the defendant did not depend “substantially” on the voice identification evidence within the meaning of the word contained at section 126.[2014] NZCA 101  CA 92/2013
Result
Application for leave to appeal refused.
21 July 2014
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
PAUL ANTHONY BLAIR v R [2014] NZSC 92    21 July 2014 (PDF, 43 KB)
Judgment appealed from

BLAIR V R CA92/2013 [2014] NZCA 101   31 March 2014
Case name
Peter Charles York and Alpine Glacier Motel Limited v Westland District Council
Case number
SC 37/2014
Summary
Civil Appeal – Limitation Act 1950 – The Court of Appeal erred in concluding that the action was time-barred under the Limitation Act.[2014] NZCA 59   CA 774/2013
Result
A  The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B   The applicants are jointly and severally liable to pay costs of $2,500 to the respondent.
16 June 2014
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
PETER CHARLES YORK v WESTLAND DISTRICT COUNCIL [2014] NZSC 71   16 June 2014 (PDF, 55 KB)
Judgment appealed from

WESTLAND DISTRICT COUNCIL v YORK & ANOR CA774/2013 [2014] NZCA 59
Case name
Bruce Franklin Charnley v The Queen
Case number
SC 38/2014
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed.
20 June 2014
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
BRUCE FRANKLIN CHARNLEY v R [2014] NZSC 77    20 June 2014 (PDF, 49 KB)
Judgment appealed from

CHARNLEY V R CA426/2012 [2013] NZCA 226  12 June 2013
Summary  

Criminal Appeal – Crimes Act 1961, s 131B(1) – Whether or not the conviction for sexual grooming was consistent with the reality of the situation – Whether or not the conviction for sexual grooming was consistent with the purpose of the offence – Whether or not a sentence of preventative detention should have been imposed. 

[2013] NZCA 226  CA 426/2012
Case name
B v Waitemata District Health Board
Case number
SC 39/2014
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in declining to waive the requirement to pay security for costs.[2014] NZCA 65   CA 524/2013
Result
Notice of abandonment of appeal having been lodged, the application for leave to appeal is deemed to be dismissed.
7 November 2014
Case Number

SC  39/2014
Judgment appealed from

B V WAITEMATA DISTRICT HEALTH BOARD CA524/2013 [2014] NZCA 65  12 March 2014
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