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)

All years

Case name
Martin James Mailley v District Court at North Shore and New Zealand Police
Case number
SC 36/2016
Summary
Civil Appeal - Whether the Court of Appeal erred in its interpretation of s 48(4) of the Extradition Act 1999.      [2016] NZCA 83   CA716/2014
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.                       20 June 2016
Case name
Francisc Catalin Deliu v Boon Gunn Hong
Case number
SC 37/2016
Summary
Civil appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal’s decision was inconsistent with its statement of the issue – Whether principles governing appeals against the exercise of discretion were applied incorrectly.[2016] NZCA 75   CA 425/2015
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant is to pay the respondent costs of $2,500. 28 July 2016
Case name
Cecilia Victoria Uhrle v The Queen
Case number
SC 38/2016
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Evidence Act 2006, s 66(2) – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the applicant’s appeal against conviction – Whether the trial Judge’s direction to the jury incorrectly conflated foresight and intention in terms of common purpose liability under s 66(2).   [2015] NZCA 412   CA265/2013
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
13 June 2016.
Case name
Wayne James Bracken v The Queen
Case number
SC 40/2016
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in concluding that the trial Judge’s directions were adequate – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in concluding that the trial was not unfair.  [2016] NZCA 79   CA785/2012
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.                        
13 September 2016
Case name
Mrinal Sardana  v The Queen
Case number
SC 41/2016
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Appeal against conviction and sentence – Whether Court of Appeal erred in finding that the jury’s verdict was not unreasonable – Whether Court of Appeal erred in finding no risk that outcome of trial was affected by error – Whether Court of Appeal erred in finding that the sentence was not manifestly excessive. [2016] NZCA 138   CA508/2015
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
1 November 2016
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Amanda Adele White and Anne Leoline Emily Freeman v Christopher Maurice Lynch and Stuart Gordon Spence
Case number
SC 42/2016
Summary
Civil Appeal – Judicature Act 1908, s 61A(2) - Whether the Court of Appeal erred in determining that the applicants had no further right of review.   [2016] NZCA 149   CA 740/2015
Result
The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.                17 May 2016
Case name
Augustine Lau v UMH Group Limited
Case number
SC 43/2016
Summary
Civil appeal - Whether the Court of Appeal erred in declining to grant an extension of time in which to appeal a High Court order extinguishing a land covenant.   [2016] NZCA 132   CA692/2015
Result
A  The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B  The applicant must pay costs of $1,500 to the respondent.
5 July 2016
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Vincent Ross Siemer v The Attorney-General
Case number
SC 44/2016
Summary
Civil Appeal – Judicature Act 1908, s 88B – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in expanding the scope of the order preventing the applicant from instituting civil proceedings without the leave of the High Court.   [2016] NZCA 43   CA278/2014
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.                    
B Costs of $2,500 are payable to the respondent.                     21 June 2016
Case name
Jesse Waiariki Tamanava Butler v North Shore Police
Case number
SC 45/2016
Summary
Civil Appeal – Court of Appeal (Civil) Rules 2005 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the application for an extension of time to appeal on the basis that the case was inarguable. [2016] NZCA 150    CA657/2015
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
13 June 2016
Case name
Vivien Judith Madsen-Ries and David Stuart Vance as Liquidators of Petranz Limited (in liquidation) and Petranz Limited (in liquidation) v Darrell Warren Karaneihana and Diana Joy Petera
Case number
SC 46/2016
Summary
Civil Appeal – Companies Act 1993 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in its application of s 161– Whether the Court of Appeal erred in taking into consideration that if the liquidators were successful that surplus funds would be returned to the directors and shareholders pursuant to Morgenstern v Jeffreys [2014] NZSC 176 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding that ss 131–138 are codification of directors’ duties. [2016] NZCA 103   CA198/2015
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B There is no order for costs. 28 July 2016