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.

19 June 2026

Case information summary (as at 19 June 2026) –  Cases where leave granted (PDF, 89 KB)
Case information summary (as at 19 June 2026)  – Cases where leave to appeal decision not yet made (PDF, 126 KB) 

All years

Case name
Studorp Limited & James Hardie New Zealand v Tracey Jane Cridge, Mark Anthony Unwin, Katrina McKellar Fowler, Scott Woodhead & Body Corp 316651
Case number
SC 104/2017
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicants must pay costs of $2,500 to the respondents.
27 November 2017
Case name
Anthony Harry De Vries v Bartercard Exchange Limited
Case number
SC 108/2017
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing an application for review of the Deputy Registrar’s decision not to waive the filing fee for the 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 costs of $2,500 to the respondent.
11 December 2017
____________________________
The application for recall is dismissed.                                                                                                   
2 February 2018
Case name
Desmond James Albert Conway v Mercedes-Benz Financial Services New Zealand Limited
Case number
SC 119/2017
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in its interpretation and application of the Personal Property Securities Act 1999 and the Property Law Act 2007 – Whether the applicant was mortgagor of vehicles repossessed by the respondent.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay costs of $2,500 to the respondent.
23 February 2018
Case name
Earl Raymond Hagaman v Andrew James Little
Case number
SC 121/2017
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the appeal on the basis that the proceeding abates with the death of Mr Hagaman.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The personal representatives of Mr Hagaman must pay costs of $2,500 to the respondent.
13 February 2018
Case name
W v The Queen 
Case number
SC 9/2016
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the applicant’s appeal against sentence.[2011] NZCA 135  CA 591/2010
Result
A   An extension of time is granted.                                          
B  The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.  
2 May 2016
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Anthony Pratt Kaye and Morva Kaye v Norris Ward McKinnon
Case number
SC 29/2016
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether Court of Appeal erred in finding that the respondents had not breached duty of care – Whether Court of Appeal erred in finding that the respondents had not caused the applicants any loss.
[2016] NZCA 32    CA333/2015
Result
A   The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.   
B   The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
15 June 2016
Case name
Martin James Mailley v District Court at North Shore and New Zealand Police
Case number
SC 36/2016
Summary
Civil Appeal - Whether the Court of Appeal erred in its interpretation of s 48(4) of the Extradition Act 1999.      [2016] NZCA 83   CA716/2014
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.                       20 June 2016
Case name
Wayne James Bracken v The Queen
Case number
SC 40/2016
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in concluding that the trial Judge’s directions were adequate – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in concluding that the trial was not unfair.  [2016] NZCA 79   CA785/2012
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.                        
13 September 2016
Case name
Hilary Jane Calvert & HGW Trustees Ltd (as trustees of the Frongopoulos Trust & Anor) & Chris James v Grant Bruce REYNOLDS as liquidator of James Developments Ltd (in liquidation)
Case number
SC 51/2016
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in its interpretation of s 28 of the Limitation Act 1950 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in its interpretation of the breadth of the discretion under s 301 of the Companies Act 1993 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in following Mana Property Trustee Ltd v James Development Ltd [2010] NZSC 90. [2016] NZCA 151   CA173/2015
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicants (jointly and severally) must pay costs of $2,500 to the respondent.
9 August 2016
Case name
Whetu Sonny James Waiwai v The Queen
Case number
SC 54/2016
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in its finding that the jury’s verdict was not unreasonable – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that evidence from a hostile Crown witness was admissible. [2016] NZCA 167   CA603/2015
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.                       
13 July 2016
Leave judgment - leave dismissed