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
The Attorney-General and The Chief Executive, Ara Poutama Aotearoa Department of Corrections v Mark David Chisnall
Case number
SC 26/2022
Summary
Civil Appeal
Result
A Leave to appeal and to cross-appeal is granted (Chisnall v Attorney-General [2021] NZCA 616 and Chisnall v Attorney-General [2022] NZCA 24).
B The approved questions are as follows:
(a) Whether the Court of Appeal was correct to make declarations that Part 1A of the Parole Act 2002 [extended supervision orders] and the Public Safety (Public Protection Orders) Act 2014 [public safety orders] are inconsistent with s 26(2) of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 [the Bill of Rights]; and
(b) Whether the Court of Appeal was correct not to make declarations that extended supervision orders and public safety orders are inconsistent with ss 9, 22, 23(5), 25(a), (c) and (d), and 26(1) of the Bill of Rights.
22 June 2022
B The approved questions are as follows:
(a) Whether the Court of Appeal was correct to make declarations that Part 1A of the Parole Act 2002 [extended supervision orders] and the Public Safety (Public Protection Orders) Act 2014 [public safety orders] are inconsistent with s 26(2) of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 [the Bill of Rights]; and
(b) Whether the Court of Appeal was correct not to make declarations that extended supervision orders and public safety orders are inconsistent with ss 9, 22, 23(5), 25(a), (c) and (d), and 26(1) of the Bill of Rights.
22 June 2022
Date of hearing
03 April 2023
- 04 April 2023
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, Glazebrook, O'Regan, Williams and Kós JJ
Submissions from counsel
- Hearing date 3 and 4 April 2023 Appellant Cross Respondent Supplementary Submissions (PDF, 481 KB)
- Hearing date 3 and 4 April 2023 Respondent Cross Appellant Supplementary Submissions (PDF, 474 KB)
- Hearing date 3 and 4 April 2023 Intervener Submissions (PDF, 1 MB)
- Hearing date 17/18 October 2022 Appellants' Submissions (PDF, 571 KB)
- Hearing date 17/18 October 2022 Respondent's Submissions (PDF, 417 KB)
- Hearing date 17/18 October 2022 Cross-Appellant's Submissions on Cross-Appeal (PDF, 350 KB)
- Hearing date 17/18 October 2022 Cross-Respondents' Submissions on Cross-Appeal (PDF, 416 KB)
Transcripts
- Hearing date 17 and 18 October 2022 (PDF, 606 KB)
- Hearing date 3 and 4 April 2023 (PDF, 987 KB)
Case Synopses
- Hearing date 17 October + 18 October 2022 (PDF, 677 KB)
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
Videos
- The Attorney-General and The Chief Executive, Ara Poutama Aotearoa Department of Corrections v Mark David Chisnall SC 26/2022 - 4 April 2023 (Recorded, 4 April 2023)
- The Attorney-General and The Chief Executive, Ara Poutama Aotearoa Department of Corrections v Mark David Chisnall SC 26/2022 - 3 April 2023 (Recorded, 3 April 2023)
- The Attorney-General v Mark David Chisnall SC 26/2022 - 18 October 2022 (Recorded, 18 October 2022)
- The Attorney-General v Mark David Chisnall SC 26/2022 - 17 October 2022 (Recorded, 17 October 2022)
Case name
Billy Mark Matara v The Queen
Case number
SC 27/2022
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.
27 May 2022
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
27 May 2022
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
BILLY MARK MATARA v R [2022] NZSC 68 [27 May 2022] (PDF, 230 KB)
Case name
S (SC 28/2022) v Youth Court Manukau and Attorney-General
Case number
SC 28/2022
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
_____________________________________
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.
_____________________________________
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
Tanya Felicity Dunstan v Christina Riddell, Attorney-General and Family Court at Manukau
Case number
SC 29/2022
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.
17 May 2022
_______________________________________________________
A The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 17 May 2022 (Dunstan v Riddell [2022] NZSC 61) is dismissed.
B The Registrar is directed not to accept for filing any further applications in relation to this matter.
26 May 2022
B The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
17 May 2022
_______________________________________________________
A The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 17 May 2022 (Dunstan v Riddell [2022] NZSC 61) is dismissed.
B The Registrar is directed not to accept for filing any further applications in relation to this matter.
26 May 2022
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Recall judgment
Case name
Tūpuna Maunga o Tāmaki Makaurau Authority v Averil Rosemary Norman, Warwick Bruce Norman and Auckland City Council
Case number
SC 30/2022
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 respondents costs of $2,500.
27 June 2022
B The applicant must pay the first respondents costs of $2,500.
27 June 2022
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Anaru Morgan v The Queen
Case number
SC 31/2022
Summary
Civil / 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.
22 April 2022
22 April 2022
High Court decision
Supreme court decision
ANARU MORGAN v R [2022] NZSC 49 [12 April 2022] (PDF, 136 KB)
Case name
Jason Brendon Philip v The King
Case number
SC 32/2022
Summary
Criminal Appeal
Result
A The appeal against sentence is allowed. The sentence of two years and 11 months’ imprisonment is quashed and a sentence of one year and seven months is substituted.
B The standard conditions under s 14(1) of the Parole Act 2002 apply but expire on the sentence expiry date.
16 December 2022
B The standard conditions under s 14(1) of the Parole Act 2002 apply but expire on the sentence expiry date.
16 December 2022
Date of hearing
08 September 2022
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, Glazebrook, O'Regan, Ellen France and Williams JJ
Submissions from counsel
- Hearing date 8 September 2022 Appellant submissions (PDF, 2.4 MB)
- Hearing date 8 September 2022 Respondent submissions (PDF, 1.1 MB)
Transcripts
- Hearing date 8 September 2022 PHILIP Jason Brendon v R (PDF, 432 KB)
Media Releases
- MR [2022] NZSC 149 (PDF, 264 KB)
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
JASON BRENDON PHILIP v R [2022] NZSC 88 [20 July 2022] (PDF, 177 KB)
Substantive judgment
Case name
Christine Marama Cowan and Te Rahui Cowan v John Arthur Cowan and Kurt Thomas Gibbons
Case number
SC 33/2022
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 first Court of Appeal judgment is dismissed.
B Costs are reserved.
6 May 2022
B Costs are reserved.
6 May 2022
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Case name
Chien-Hui Wu v Commissioner of Police
Case number
SC 34/2022
Summary
Civil 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. 31 August 2022
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Case name
David Owen Lyttle v The Queen
Case number
SC 35/2022
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
4 July 2022
4 July 2022
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
DAVID OWEN LYTTLE v R [2022] NZSC 83 [4 July 2022] (PDF, 172 KB)
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