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
H v The Queen
Case number
SC 94/2018
Summary
Order prohibiting publication of the judgment or any part of the proceedings (including the result) in the news media or on the internet or other publicly available database until final disposition of the trial. Publication in a law report or law digest permitted.
Result
Order prohibiting publication of the judgment or any part of the proceedings (including the result) in the news media or on the internet or other publicly available database until final disposition of the trial. Publication in a law report or law digest permitted.
29 November 2018
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
High/District Court judgment
Not publicly available
Case name
Mark Edward Lundy v The Queen
Case number
SC 95/2018
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Crimes Act 1961, s 385 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the applicant’s appeal against conviction under the proviso to s 385(1) despite finding that certain evidence presented at trial was inadmissible.
Result
A Leave to appeal is granted (Lundy v R [2018] NZCA 410) in relation to the approved question below.
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal erred in applying the proviso to s 385(1) of the Crimes Act 1961.
6 May 2019
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal erred in applying the proviso to s 385(1) of the Crimes Act 1961.
6 May 2019
Transcripts
- Hearing date 27 - 28 August 2019 (PDF, 537 KB)
Case Synopses
- Hearing August 2019 (PDF, 319 KB)
Media Releases
- MR [2019] NZSC 152 (PDF, 194 KB)
Court of Appeal decision
Additional document
Transcription leave hearing 2 May 2019 (PDF, 148 KB)
Leave judgment - leave granted
MARK EDWARD LUNDY v R [2019] NZSC 45 [6 May 2019] (PDF, 227 KB)
Substantive judgment
MARK EDWARD LUNDY v R [2019] NZSC 152 [20 December 2019] (PDF, 420 KB)
Case name
Fredrick Hill v Maori Trustee
Case number
SC 96/2018
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing an application for review of the Deputy Registrar’s decision not to dispense with security for costs.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
19 February 2019
B The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
19 February 2019
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
H v The Queen
Case number
SC 97/2018
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal was correct to hold that s 322 of the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 does not apply to the applicant’ s charge of rape – If s 322 does apply to the charge, whether the rape charge should have been dismissed prior to the applicant’s trial.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal against the conviction for rape is granted (H (CA376/2017) v R [2018] NZCA 376).
B The approved question is whether, in dealing with delay, the Court of Appeal correctly dealt with the age of the appellant (including the application of s 322 of the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989).
21 February 2019
_______________________________
The appeal is dismissed.
3 July 2019
B The approved question is whether, in dealing with delay, the Court of Appeal correctly dealt with the age of the appellant (including the application of s 322 of the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989).
21 February 2019
_______________________________
The appeal is dismissed.
3 July 2019
Media Releases
- MR [2019] NZSC 69 (PDF, 65 KB)
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave granted
H (SC 97/2018) v R [2019] NZSC 4 [21 February 2019] (PDF, 183 KB)
Substantive judgment
H (SC 97/2018) v R [2019] NZSC 69 [3 July 2019] (PDF, 122 KB)
Case name
Mark Arona v The Queen
Case number
SC 98/2018
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred by not admitting evidence under section 44 of the Evidence Act 2006.
Result
The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.
22 February 2019
22 February 2019
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Incodo Limited v Kop-Coat New Zealand Limited and Kop-Coat Incorporated
Case number
SC 99/2018
Summary
Civil appeal – Contract law – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that there was no binding agreement reached between the parties and in its observations about the quantum of damages awarded by the High Court.
Result
A Notice of Abandonment having being filed the application for leave to appeal is deemed to be dismissed.
13 February 2019
13 February 2019
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Case name
Jia Wen Mao v Inno Capital No.4 Limited, Damien Grant and Steven Khov as Liquidators of Chen Hong Co Limited (in liquidation)
Case number
SC 100/2018
Summary
Civil Appeal – High Court Rules 2016, Part 31 – Companies Act 1993, s 250 – Termination of a liquidation order – Substitution of creditors – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that the substitution order was made under r 31.24 of the High Court Rules.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay the second respondent costs of $2,500.
26 February 2019
B The applicant must pay the second respondent costs of $2,500.
26 February 2019
Court of Appeal decision
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Kim Dotcom v District Court at North Shore, Deputy Solicitor -General (Criminal) and Minister of Justice
Case number
SC 101/2018
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in upholding the decision of the High Court to strike out the causes of action for judicial review.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay costs of $2,500 to the fourth respondent.
14 March 2019
B The applicant must pay costs of $2,500 to the fourth respondent.
14 March 2019
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Jesse-James Winter v The Queen
Case number
SC 102/2018
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing an appeal against conviction.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is granted (Winter v R [2018] NZCA 469).
B The approved ground of appeal is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal.
21 February 2019
B The approved ground of appeal is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal.
21 February 2019
Transcripts
- Hearing date 16 May 2019 (PDF, 388 KB)
Media Releases
- MR [2019] NZSC 98 (PDF, 72 KB)
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
Substantive judgment
Case name
Mina Crichton v Carolyn Green, Jane Reidl-Moss and Steve Culpan
Case number
SC 103/2018
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Deputy Registrar of the Court of Appeal was correct to refuse to accept the applicant’s application for extension of time for filing her appeal to that Court.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B There is no award of costs.
20 December 2018
B There is no award of costs.
20 December 2018
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
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