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.

16 September 2024

Case information summary 2024 (as at 13 September 2024) –  Cases where leave granted (122 KB)
Case information summary 2024 (as at 13 September 2024)  – Cases where leave to appeal decision not yet made (PDF, 124 KB)

All years

Case name
Rhys Richard Ngahiwi Warren v The Queen
Case number
SC 55/2021
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for an extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is dismissed.
5 July 2021
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
M (SC 56/2021) v The Queen
Case number
SC 56/2021
Summary
Order prohibiting publication of the judgment and any part of the proceedings (including the result) in news media or on the internet or other publicly available database until final disposition of trial. Publication in law report or law digest permitted.
Result
Order prohibiting publication of the judgment and any part of the proceedings (including the result) in news media or on the internet or other publicly available database until final disposition of trial. Publication in law report or law digest permitted.
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Case name
Malcolm Bruce Moncrief-Spittle and David Cumin v Regional Facilities Auckland Ltd and Auckland Council
Case number
SC 57/2021
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A Leave to appeal is granted (Moncrief Spittle v Regional Facilities Auckland Ltd [2021] NZCA 142).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal against the High Court’s substantive decision.
5 August 2021
_________________________________________________________________________
A The appeal is dismissed.
B Leave to adduce the affidavit of 18 February 2022 of David Cumin is declined.
C Costs are reserved.
5 December 2022
_____________________________________________________________________________
The appellants must pay the respondents costs of $10,000.
14 March 2023
Date of hearing
21 February 2022 - 22 February 2022
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, William Young, Glazebrook . O'Regan and Ellen France JJ
Case name
Levi Bartlett v The Queen
Case number
SC 58/2021
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A Notice of Abandonment having been filed the application for leave to appeal is deemed to be dismissed.
23 July 2021
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Case name
Peter William Mawhinney v Auckland Council
Case number
SC 59/2021
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for leave to amend the application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
C The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
21 September 2021
Case name
H (SC 60/2021) v The Queen
Case number
SC 60/2021
Summary
Order prohibiting publication of the judgment and any part of the proceedings (including the result) in news media or on the internet or other publicly available database until final disposition of trial. Publication in law report or law digest permitted.
Result
Order prohibiting publication of the judgment and any part of the proceedings (including the result) in news media or on the internet or other publicly available database until final disposition of trial. Publication in law report or law digest permitted.
8 July 2021
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Case name
Colin Craig v Rachel Joy MacGregor
Case number
SC 61/2021
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 the respondent costs of $2,500.
9 September 2021
Case name
C (SC 62/2021) v The Queen
Case number
SC 62/2021
Result
Order prohibiting publication of the judgment and any part of the proceedings (including the result) in news media or on the internet or other publicly available database until final disposition of trial. Publication in law report or law digest permitted.minal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal.
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Case name
Skye Amber Renes v The Queen
Case number
SC 63/2021
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
20 May 2022
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Melco Property Holdings (NZ) Limited v Anthony John Hall
Case number
SC 64/2021
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A Leave to appeal is granted (Melco Property Holdings (NZ) 2012 Ltd v Hall [2021] NZCA 184).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal.
3 September 2021
________________________________________________________
A The application for leave to adduce new evidence (the email chain) is dismissed.
B The appeal is allowed. The decisions of the Court of Appeal and High Court refusing to sustain the caveat are set aside.
C Order made that caveat No. 11659182.1 lodged by Melco on 16 January 2020 over the title to the property at 5 Parliament Street, Lower Hutt (WN13A/124), not lapse.
D Costs are reserved.
06 May 2022
__________________________________________
A The respondent must pay the appellant costs in this Court of $22,500 plus usual disbursements.
B The costs award made in the Court of Appeal is quashed.  The appellant is awarded costs in that Court on a band A basis together with usual disbursements.
C The appellant is awarded costs in the High Court on a 2B basis together with reasonable disbursements, to be fixed by the Registrar if necessary.
24 August 2022
Date of hearing
23 February 2022
Judges
William Young, Glazebrook, O'Regan, Ellen France, Williams JJ