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
Allan John Titford v The Queen
Case number
SC 104/2018
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the applicant’s appeal against conviction – Whether an extension of time to bring an application for leave to appeal should be granted.
Result
The application for an extension of time to file an application for leave to appeal is dismissed
5 March 2019
5 March 2019
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
ALLAN JOHN TITFORD v R [2019] NZSC 22 [5 March 2019] (PDF, 50 KB)
High Court/District Court judgment
not publicly available
Case name
Rangitira Developments Limited v Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand Incorporated
Case number
SC 105/2018
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in quashing the declarations and orders made by the High Court
Result
A Leave to appeal is granted (Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand Inc v Rangitira Developments Ltd [2018] NZCA 445).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was in error in setting aside the declarations made at [86] of the judgment of the High Court (Rangitira Developments Ltd v Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society Ltd [2018] NZHC 146, (2018) ELRNZ 312).
20 February 2019
________________________________________________________
A Leave to appeal is revoked.
B Costs of $6,000 plus usual disbursements are awarded to the respondent.
C Leave is reserved to apply again for leave to appeal if the proposed appeal is no longer moot.
26 July 2019
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was in error in setting aside the declarations made at [86] of the judgment of the High Court (Rangitira Developments Ltd v Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society Ltd [2018] NZHC 146, (2018) ELRNZ 312).
20 February 2019
________________________________________________________
A Leave to appeal is revoked.
B Costs of $6,000 plus usual disbursements are awarded to the respondent.
C Leave is reserved to apply again for leave to appeal if the proposed appeal is no longer moot.
26 July 2019
Transcripts
- Hearing date 8 July 2019 (PDF, 131 KB)
Media Releases
- MR [2020] NZSC 66 (PDF, 125 KB)
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
Supreme court decision
Substantive judgment
Case name
Christian John Gillibrand and Mary Caecilia Gillibrand (as trustees of The Chris and Mary Gillibrand family trust) v George Peter Swanepoel
Case number
SC 106/2018
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the appeal against the admissibility of evidence under s 25 of the Evidence Act 2006.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B Costs of $2,500 are awarded to the respondent.
21 February 2019
B Costs of $2,500 are awarded to the respondent.
21 February 2019
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Christopher Robert Halpin v The Queen
Case number
SC 107/2018
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the applicant’s appeal against a decision declining his application to vacate his guilty pleas.
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
21 February 2019
21 February 2019
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Gerardus Peter van Uden v Commissioner of Inland Revenue
Case number
SC 108/2018
Summary
Civil Appeal – Income Tax Act 1994, s OE 1 – Meaning of “ permanent place of abode” –Taxation of income in New Zealand while working overseas – Whether the Court of Appeal was right to dismiss the applicant’s appeal against the High Court’s decision.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
19 March 2019
B The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
19 March 2019
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
George Robert Jolley v The King
Case number
SC 109/2018
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the jury vetting process and other irregularities in the trial resulted in a miscarriage of justice.
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
1 April 2019
_________________________________________
The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 1 April 2019 (Jolley v R [2019] NZSC 34) is dismissed.
19 December 2022
1 April 2019
_________________________________________
The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 1 April 2019 (Jolley v R [2019] NZSC 34) is dismissed.
19 December 2022
Date of hearing
01 November 2022
Judges
Winkelman CJ, Glazebrook, O'Regan, Ellen France and Kós JJ
Transcripts
- Hearing date 1 November 2022 Transcript (PDF, 303 KB)
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Recall judgment
Case name
Rex Lawrence Wilson v The Queen
Case number
SC 110/2018
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the prosecutor’s closing submissions were proper – Whether the trial Judge properly directed the jury – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the appeal against conviction.
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
18 June 2019
18 June 2019
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
REX LAWRENCE WILSON v R [2019] NZSC 57 [18 June 2019] (PDF, 212 KB)
Case name
Commercial Factors Limited v Jeffrey Philip Meltzer, Lloyd James Hayward and Arron Leslie Heath
Case number
SC 111/2018
Summary
Civil appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding that the appellant funder was not entitled to payment according to the terms of its litigation funding agreement with the respondents as liquidators of Blue Chip New Zealand Ltd.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay to the respondents costs of $2,500.
27 February 2019
B The applicant must pay to the respondents costs of $2,500.
27 February 2019
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
John Gary Davidoff v The Queen
Case number
SC 112/2018
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the applicant’s appeal against conviction.
Result
A The application for an extension of time to appeal is granted.
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
20 March 2019
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
20 March 2019
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Shreesh Basnyat v New Zealand Police
Case number
SC 113/2018
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Sentencing Act 2002 – Whether there are exceptional circumstances justifying a direct appeal against a decision of the High Court dismissing an appeal against a refusal to discharge the applicant without conviction.
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
5 March 2019
5 March 2019
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
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