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
Preetam Prakash Maid v The Queen
Case number
SC 154/2021
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for an extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is granted.
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
4 April 2022
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
4 April 2022
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Kelly Alexandra Roe v University of Waikato
Case number
SC 155/2021
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
14 February 2022
14 February 2022
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Joseph Douglas McGirr v The Queen
Case number
SC 156/2021
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
9 March 2022
9 March 2022
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
JOSEPH DOUGLAS MCGIRR v R [2022] NZSC 19 [9 March 2022] (PDF, 144 KB)
Case name
R (SC 157/2021) v The Queen
Case number
SC 157/2021
Summary
Order prohibiting publication of the judgment and any part of the proceedings (Except the result as set out in [20]) in news media or on the internet or other publicly available database until final disposition of retrial. Publication in law report or law digest permitted.
Result
Order prohibiting publication of the judgment and any part of the proceedings (including 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
Auckland Council v C P Group Limited, Millennium & Copthorne Hotels New Zealand Limited, MLC Scenic Limited and T & T Clarry's Holdings Limited
Case number
SC 158/2021
Summary
Civil Appeal
Result
A Leave to appeal is granted (C P Group Ltd v Auckland Council [2021] NZCA 587).
B The approved ground is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to allow the appeal.
30 March 2022
_________________________________________________________
A The appeal is allowed. The decision of the Court of Appeal is set aside. The decision of the High Court dismissing the respondents’ application for judicial review is reinstated.
B The respondents must pay the appellant one set of costs of $35,000 plus usual disbursements. We allow for second counsel.
C The award of costs and disbursements made in favour of the respondents in the Court of Appeal is quashed. That Court should redetermine costs in light of this Court’s judgment allowing the appeal.
D Costs in the High Court are to be determined by that Court in the light of this Court’s judgment allowing the appeal.
E Leave is reserved to the parties to apply for consequential orders if required.
12 May 2023
B The approved ground is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to allow the appeal.
30 March 2022
_________________________________________________________
A The appeal is allowed. The decision of the Court of Appeal is set aside. The decision of the High Court dismissing the respondents’ application for judicial review is reinstated.
B The respondents must pay the appellant one set of costs of $35,000 plus usual disbursements. We allow for second counsel.
C The award of costs and disbursements made in favour of the respondents in the Court of Appeal is quashed. That Court should redetermine costs in light of this Court’s judgment allowing the appeal.
D Costs in the High Court are to be determined by that Court in the light of this Court’s judgment allowing the appeal.
E Leave is reserved to the parties to apply for consequential orders if required.
12 May 2023
Date of hearing
20 July 2022
- 21 July 2022
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, Glazebrook, O’Regan, Ellen France and Williams JJ
Submissions from counsel
- Hearing date 20 July 2022 and 21 July 2022 Appellant Submissions (PDF, 851 KB)
- Hearing date 20 July and 21 July 2022 Appellants Outline of Oral Argument (PDF, 85 KB)
- Hearing date 20 July 2022 and 21 July 2022 Appellant Chronology (PDF, 228 KB)
- Hearing date 20 July 2022 21 July 2022 1st 3rd Respondent Submissions (PDF, 744 KB)
- Hearing date 20 July 2022 and 21 July 222 2nd 4th Respondent Submissions (PDF, 433 KB)
- Hearing date 20 July 2022 21 July 2022 Intervener submissions (PDF, 173 KB)
Transcripts
- Hearing 20 July 2022 (PDF, 927 KB)
Case Synopses
- Hearing date 20 and 21 July 2022 (PDF, 495 KB)
Media Releases
- MR [2023] NZSC 53 (PDF, 251 KB)
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
Substantive judgment
Videos
- Auckland City Council v C P Group Limited SC 158/2021 - 21 July 2022 (Recorded, 21 July 2022)
- Auckland City Council v C P Group Limited SC 158/2021 - 20 July 2022 (Recorded, 20 July 2022)
Case name
John Norrie Seymour v New Zealand Police
Case number
SC 159/2021
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
4 April 2022
4 April 2022
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Tanya Felicity Dunstan v Attorney General and Manakau District Court
Case number
SC 160/2021
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
14 Feburary 2022
14 Feburary 2022
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
H v The Queen
Case number
SC 1/2020
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.
6 May 2020
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. 23 June 2020
23 June 2020
6 May 2020
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. 23 June 2020
23 June 2020
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Case name
Leslie Norman Austin v Roche Products (New Zealand) Limited
Case number
SC 5/2020
Summary
Civil Appeal
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is granted in part (Roche Products (New Zealand) Ltd v Austin [2019] NZCA 660).
B The approved question is whether the applicant’s claim for compensatory damages should have been struck out on the basis that his injuries were not an ordinary consequence of the consumption of Roaccutane.
C The application for leave to appeal is otherwise dismissed.
19 May 2020
___________________________________________________
A The appeal will be dismissed one month from the date of this judgment unless the appellant makes an application under s 135 of the Accident Compensation Act 2001 together with an application to this Court for a stay of this proceeding pending completion of that process.
B There is no order as to costs.
31 March 2021
___________________________________________________
A This Court’s decision in Austin v Roche Products (New Zealand) Ltd [2021] NZSC 30 is stayed until midday on 6 December 2021, unless the stay is extended in this Court on the application of Mr Austin.
B Any party may seek an order lapsing the stay at any stage.
C Costs are reserved.
16 June 2021
B The approved question is whether the applicant’s claim for compensatory damages should have been struck out on the basis that his injuries were not an ordinary consequence of the consumption of Roaccutane.
C The application for leave to appeal is otherwise dismissed.
19 May 2020
___________________________________________________
A The appeal will be dismissed one month from the date of this judgment unless the appellant makes an application under s 135 of the Accident Compensation Act 2001 together with an application to this Court for a stay of this proceeding pending completion of that process.
B There is no order as to costs.
31 March 2021
___________________________________________________
A This Court’s decision in Austin v Roche Products (New Zealand) Ltd [2021] NZSC 30 is stayed until midday on 6 December 2021, unless the stay is extended in this Court on the application of Mr Austin.
B Any party may seek an order lapsing the stay at any stage.
C Costs are reserved.
16 June 2021
Date of hearing
10 September 2020
Judges
William Young, Glazebrook, O’Regan, Ellen France, Williams JJ
Transcripts
- Hearing date 10 September 2020 (PDF, 225 KB)
Media Releases
- MR [2021] NZSC 30 (PDF, 281 KB)
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
Substantive judgment
Supreme court decision
Recall judgment
Case name
Dennis Haunui v The Queen
Case number
SC 6/2020
Summary
Criminal Appeal
Result
A Leave to appeal is granted (Haunui v R [2019] NZCA 679).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal ought to have allowed the applicant’s appeal to that Court.
30 April 2020
__________________________
A The appeal is allowed. The convictions are quashed.
B We order a retrial.
C We make an 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 retrial. Publication in law report or law digest is permitted.
18 December 2020
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal ought to have allowed the applicant’s appeal to that Court.
30 April 2020
__________________________
A The appeal is allowed. The convictions are quashed.
B We order a retrial.
C We make an 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 retrial. Publication in law report or law digest is permitted.
18 December 2020
Additional document
[2020] NZSC 41 (PDF, 150 KB)
Page 51 of 244