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.
24 June 2024
Case information summary 2024 (as at 21 June 2024) – Cases where leave granted (121 KB)
Case information summary 2024 (as at 21 June 2024) – Cases where leave to appeal decision not yet made (PDF, 125 KB)
All years
Case name
Moetu Kaitai v The King
Case number
SC 59/2023
Summary
Criminal Appeal
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is granted in part (Kaitai v R [2023] NZCA 184). The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal against conviction, so far as it was based on defences of accident, involuntariness and lack of intent.
B The application for leave to appeal is otherwise dismissed.
22 December 2023
B The application for leave to appeal is otherwise dismissed.
22 December 2023
Date of hearing
11 July 2024
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, Glazebrook, Ellen France, Williams and Miller JJ
Case Synopses
- Hearing date 11 July 2024 (PDF, 444 KB)
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
MOETU KAITAI v R [2023] NZSC 169 [22 December 2023 (PDF, 179 KB)
Videos
- Live stream Thursday 11 July 2024 (Livestream, 11 July 2024)
Case name
W (SC 60/2023) v The King
Case number
SC 60/2023
Summary
Criminal Appeal
Result
A Mr Hoggart’s application for an extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is granted.
B The applications for leave to appeal are granted in part ([W] v R [2023] NZCA 155). The approved questions are:
1 Whether the Court of Appeal was correct to conclude that a media take down order was not required in the circumstances of this case.
2 Whether the Court of Appeal was correct to conclude that the verdicts were not unreasonable in light of admissible evidence relating to the potential culpability of Lester Hamilton (deceased).
C The applications for leave to appeal are otherwise dismissed.
D Interim order suppressing the name of W and any identifying particulars made on 9 June 2023 is to continue until further order.
12 December 2023
B The applications for leave to appeal are granted in part ([W] v R [2023] NZCA 155). The approved questions are:
1 Whether the Court of Appeal was correct to conclude that a media take down order was not required in the circumstances of this case.
2 Whether the Court of Appeal was correct to conclude that the verdicts were not unreasonable in light of admissible evidence relating to the potential culpability of Lester Hamilton (deceased).
C The applications for leave to appeal are otherwise dismissed.
D Interim order suppressing the name of W and any identifying particulars made on 9 June 2023 is to continue until further order.
12 December 2023
Date of hearing
06 August 2024
- 07 August 2024
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, Glazebrook, Ellen France, Kós and Miller JJ
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave granted
Case name
Damien Shane Kuru v The King
Case number
SC 61/2023
Summary
Criminal Appeal
Result
A Leave to appeal is granted (Kuru v R [2023] NZCA 150).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal.
10 August 2023
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal.
10 August 2023
Date of hearing
04 March 2024
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, Glazebrook, Ellen France, Williams and Kós JJ
Submissions from counsel
- Hearing date 4 March 2024 Appellant submissions (PDF, 579 KB)
- Hearing date 4 March 2024 Respondent submissions (PDF, 1.6 MB)
Transcripts
- Hearing date 4 March 2024 transcript (PDF, 614 KB)
Case Synopses
- Hearing date 4 March 2024 SC 61/2023 (PDF, 454 KB)
Leave judgment - leave granted
DAMIEN SHANE KURU v R [2023] NZSC 102 [10 August 2023] (PDF, 156 KB)
Videos
- SC 61/2023 Kuru v The King (Recorded, 4 March 2024)
Case name
Tanya Felicity Dunstan v Bank of New Zealand and Eddie (Whetū) Rangi
Case number
SC 62/2023
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 respondents one set of costs of $2,500.
26 July 2023
____________________________________________________________________________
A The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 26 July 2023 (Dunstan v Bank of New Zealand [2023] NZSC 89) is dismissed.
B There is no order as to costs.
22 August 2023
B The applicant must pay the respondents one set of costs of $2,500.
26 July 2023
____________________________________________________________________________
A The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 26 July 2023 (Dunstan v Bank of New Zealand [2023] NZSC 89) is dismissed.
B There is no order as to costs.
22 August 2023
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Supreme court decision
Case name
Tanya Felicity Dunstan v Attorney-General
Case number
SC 63/2023
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for an extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500. 27 July 2023
B The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500. 27 July 2023
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
D (SC 64/2023) v N (SC 64/2023) and Ors
Case number
SC 64/2023
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B There is no order as to costs.
8 August 2023
B There is no order as to costs.
8 August 2023
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Tanya Felicity Dunstan v Attorney-General, District Court at Manukau and JDN
Case number
SC 65/2023
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 first respondent costs of $2,500.
9 August 2023
_______________________________________________________________________________
A The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 9 August 2023 (Dunstan v Attorney-General [2023] NZSC 100) is dismissed.
B There is no order as to costs.
22 August 2023
B The applicant must pay the first respondent costs of $2,500.
9 August 2023
_______________________________________________________________________________
A The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 9 August 2023 (Dunstan v Attorney-General [2023] NZSC 100) is dismissed.
B There is no order as to costs.
22 August 2023
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Supreme court decision
Case name
James Howard Nigel Smalley v Grant Robert Williamson, Ian Perry, David Michael Hayes, Grant Trevor Davies and Jeremy Daniel Sullivan
Case number
SC 66/2023
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 respondents costs of $2,500.
10 August 2023
B The applicant must pay the respondents costs of $2,500.
10 August 2023
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Paki Nikora and Parearau Polly Alice Nikora on behalf of Te Kaunihera Kaumātua o Tūhoe v Tāmati Kruger on behalf of Tūhoe Te Uru Taumatua Trust
Case number
SC 67/2023
Summary
Civil Appeal
Result
A Leave to appeal is granted (Kruger on behalf of Tūhoe Te Uru Taumatua Trust v Nikora on behalf of Te Kaunihera Kaumātua o Tūhoe [2023] NZCA 179).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal erred in allowing the respondent’s appeal to that Court.
28 August 2023
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal erred in allowing the respondent’s appeal to that Court.
28 August 2023
Date of hearing
27 February 2024
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, Glazebrook, Williams, O'Regan, Collins JJ
Submissions from counsel
- Hearing date 27 February 2024 Appellant submissions (PDF, 8 MB)
- Hearing date 27 February 2024 Respondent submissions (PDF, 447 KB)
- Hearing date 27 February 2024 Intervener Submissions (PDF, 486 KB)
- Hearing date 27 February 2024 Joint Chronology (PDF, 150 KB)
- Hearing date 27 February 2024 Appellant Oral Outline (PDF, 718 KB)
- Hearing date 27 February 2024 Respondent Oral Outline (PDF, 1.9 MB)
- hearing date 27 February 2024 Intervener Oral Outline (PDF, 264 KB)
Transcripts
- Hearing date 27 February 2024 (PDF, 642 KB)
Case Synopses
- Hearing date 27 February 2024 SC 67 2023 (PDF, 475 KB)
Additional document
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
Case name
Donald Dev Kumar Singh v The King
Case number
SC 68/2023
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
27 October 2023
27 October 2023
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
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