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
W v S, H L and L
Case number
SC 91/2020
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 rmetrial. 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 rmetrial. Publication in law report or law digest permitted. 26 November 2020
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Case name
Commissioner of Inland Revenue v Frucor Suntory New Zealand Limited
Case number
SC 92/2020
Summary
Civil Appeal
Result
A The application for leave to appeal (SC 81/2020) against the Court of Appeal’s decision is granted (Commissioner of Inland Revenue v Frucor Suntory New Zealand Limited [2020] NZCA 383).
B The approved ground of appeal is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to allow the appeal.
C The application for leave to appeal (SC 92/2020) against the Court of Appeal’s decision is granted (Commissioner of Inland Revenue v Frucor Suntory New Zealand Limited [2020] NZCA 383).
D The approved ground of appeal is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to hold that shortfall penalties do not apply.
18 December 2020
____________________________________
A The appeal is dismissed.
B The cross-appeal is allowed with the result that the appellant’s challenge to shortfall penalties is dismissed.
C The appellant must pay the respondent costs of $45,000 plus usual disbursements.
30 September 2022
B The approved ground of appeal is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to allow the appeal.
C The application for leave to appeal (SC 92/2020) against the Court of Appeal’s decision is granted (Commissioner of Inland Revenue v Frucor Suntory New Zealand Limited [2020] NZCA 383).
D The approved ground of appeal is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to hold that shortfall penalties do not apply.
18 December 2020
____________________________________
A The appeal is dismissed.
B The cross-appeal is allowed with the result that the appellant’s challenge to shortfall penalties is dismissed.
C The appellant must pay the respondent costs of $45,000 plus usual disbursements.
30 September 2022
Date of hearing
08 June 2021
- 10 June 2021
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, William Young, Glazebrook, O'Regan and Ellen France JJ
Case Synopses
- Case Synopsis Frucor Suntory (PDF, 410 KB)
Media Releases
- MR [2022] NZSC 113 (PDF, 195 KB)
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
Substantive judgment
Case name
Quentin Stobart Haines, BPE Trustees (No. 1) Limited and Quentin Haines Properties Limited v Harry Memelink and Cisca Forester as Trustees of the Link Trust No.1 and Roy Bassett-Burr
Case number
SC 93/2020
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 against the interim decision is granted.
B The application for leave to appeal against the interim and substantive decisions is dismissed.
C The applicants must pay the respondents costs of $2,500.
1 March 2021
B The application for leave to appeal against the interim and substantive decisions is dismissed.
C The applicants must pay the respondents costs of $2,500.
1 March 2021
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Kul Vant Singh v The Queen
Case number
SC 94/2020
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
24 February 2021
24 February 2021
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
KUL VANT SINGH v R [2021] NZSC 10 [24 February 2021 (PDF, 45 KB)
Case name
Pihi Hei v The Queen
Case number
SC 95/2020
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal.
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
24 May 2021
24 May 2021
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
PIHI HEI v R [2021] NZSC 48 [24 May 2021] (PDF, 284 KB)
Case name
James Charles Stringer v Colin Graeme Craig, Helen Ruth Craig, Angela Maria Storr, Kevin Eric Stitt and Stephen Dylan Taylor
Case number
SC 96/2020
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 granted.
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
C The applicant must pay the first respondent costs of $2,500.
16 February 2021
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
C The applicant must pay the first respondent costs of $2,500.
16 February 2021
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Leticia Margaret Drake and Gavin John Steward v Commissioner of New Zealand Police
Case number
SC 97/2020
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
1 March 2021
1 March 2021
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Joseph Parker v The Queen and Stuff Limited
Case number
SC 98/2020
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B We make an order continuing suppression of the applicant's name, address, occupation and any identifying particulars until 2 pm on Friday 12 March 2021.
Suppression will lapse at that time.
11 March 2021
B We make an order continuing suppression of the applicant's name, address, occupation and any identifying particulars until 2 pm on Friday 12 March 2021.
Suppression will lapse at that time.
11 March 2021
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
JOSEPH PARKER v R [2021] NZSC 20 [11 March 2020] (PDF, 168 KB)
Case name
S v The Queen
Case number
SC 99/2020
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.
17 December 2020
17 December 2020
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Case name
M v The Queen
Case number
SC 100/2020
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.
17 December 2020
17 December 2020
High Court decision
Not publicly available
High Court decision
Not publicly available
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