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.
4 September 2026
Case information summary (as at 4 September 2026) – Cases where leave granted (PDF, 116 KB)
Case information summary (as at 4 September 2026) – Cases where leave to appeal decision not yet made (PDF, 132 KB)
All years
Case name
Derek Nicholas Blackwell and Charles Basil Blackwell as Executors and Trustees of the Estate of Ross Winston Blackwell v Leith Roger Chick and Rosemary Chick and Edmonds Judd
Case number
SC 30/2015
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the applicants’ lack of mental capacity and unconscionable bargain defences in CA 481/2013 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding that the deceased had sufficient mental capacity in CA 476/2013 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding there was no causation as to the lawyer’ s negligent advice and the loss suffered by the deceased.[2015] NZCA 34 CA 481/2013; CA 476/2013
Result
A The application for leave to appeal in CA 481/2013 is dismissed.
B Costs of $2,500 are payable by the applicants to the first respondents.
C The application for leave to appeal in CA 476/2013 is granted.
D The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct in its conclusion that, on the findings in the High Court, the negligence of the second respondent caused no loss.
19 June 2015
________________
A The appeal is allowed. Judgment is given for the appellants in the sum of $1,000,000.
B Interest of five per cent is ordered from the date of settlement by Mr and Mrs Chick of the purchase of the farm.
C The respondent is to pay costs of $25,000 to the appellants plus all reasonable disbursements, to be fixed if necessary by the Registrar.
D The costs order in the Court of Appeal (CA476/2013) is set aside. Costs in that Court and in the High Court should be set by those Courts in light of this judgment.
22 April 2016
B Costs of $2,500 are payable by the applicants to the first respondents.
C The application for leave to appeal in CA 476/2013 is granted.
D The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct in its conclusion that, on the findings in the High Court, the negligence of the second respondent caused no loss.
19 June 2015
________________
A The appeal is allowed. Judgment is given for the appellants in the sum of $1,000,000.
B Interest of five per cent is ordered from the date of settlement by Mr and Mrs Chick of the purchase of the farm.
C The respondent is to pay costs of $25,000 to the appellants plus all reasonable disbursements, to be fixed if necessary by the Registrar.
D The costs order in the Court of Appeal (CA476/2013) is set aside. Costs in that Court and in the High Court should be set by those Courts in light of this judgment.
22 April 2016
Transcripts
- Hearing date 2 February 2016 (PDF, 514 KB)
Media Releases
- MR [2016] NZSC 40 (PDF, 253 KB)
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
Substantive judgment
Case name
Richard Lyall Genge v Chief Executive of the Department of Corrections
Case number
SC 53/2015
Summary
Criminal appeal – whether the Court of Appeal erred dismissing the applicant’s appeal against the High Court’s decision to decline his application for habeas corpus.[2015] NZCA 157 CA 208/2015
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed. 22 June 2015
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
John Frederick Ericson v Chief Executive of the Department of Corrections
Case number
SC 55/2015
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Habeas Corpus – Whether the Chief Executive of the Department of Corrections holds a valid warrant of commitment for imprisonment in respect of the applicant. [2015] NZCA 199 CA 241/2015
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
29 June 2015
29 June 2015
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Tony Gordon Best v The Queen
Case number
SC 57/2015
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Evidence Act 2006, s 44 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in categorising the evidence excluded in the District Court as sexual experience evidence pursuant to s 44 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in ruling that the evidence was inadmissible pursuant to that section – Whether even if properly excluded under s 44 the defence should have been permitted to elicit that the complainant had previously made a rape allegation. [2015] NZCA 159 CA 254/2014
Result
A Leave to appeal is granted.
B The approved ground is whether the applicant’s counsel should have been permitted to cross-examine the complainant as to her prior rape complaint and lead evidence to the effect that it was false.
3 November 2015
___________________
The appeal is dismissed.
8 September 2016
B The approved ground is whether the applicant’s counsel should have been permitted to cross-examine the complainant as to her prior rape complaint and lead evidence to the effect that it was false.
3 November 2015
___________________
The appeal is dismissed.
8 September 2016
Media Releases
- MR [2016] NZSC 122 (PDF, 250 KB)
Leave judgment - leave granted
TONY GORDON BEST v R [2015] NZSC 167 [3 November 2015] (PDF, 111 KB)
Substantive judgment
TONY GORDON BEST v R [2016] NZSC 122 [8 September 2016] (PDF, 434 KB)
Case name
Michael Shane Henry Lihou v The Queen
Case number
SC 68/2015
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Appeal against conviction – Appeal against sentence – Application to present new evidence – Whether counsel presented proper defence at trial. [2015] NZCA 227 CA 646/2013
Result
A The application for leave to appeal against the Court of Appeal pre-trial decision ([2013] NZCA 195) is dismissed.
B The application for leave to appeal against the Court of Appeal conviction decision ([2015] NZCA 227) is also dismissed.
30 October 2015
B The application for leave to appeal against the Court of Appeal conviction decision ([2015] NZCA 227) is also dismissed.
30 October 2015
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Rawiri David Lawson v The Queen
Case number
SC 69/2015
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the applicant was unable to instruct counsel or present a defence – Whether the Crown’s presentation of evidence differed from the Crown’s closing – Whether propensity evidence was wrongfully admitted – Whether a charge was withdrawn too late to avoid unfair trial – Whether jury directed to speculate over matters of which there was no evidence of – Whether the evidence was insufficient to convict.[2014] NZCA 463 CA 397/2013
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed. 6 October 2015
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Dion Edward Gurran v The Queen
Case number
SC 96/2015
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in stating that the trial Judge’s reliability warning was sufficient for the purposes of s 122 of the Evidence Act 2006 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in not granting leave to adduce fresh evidence – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding that the trial Judge adequately summarised the defence case to the jury. [2015] NZCA 347 CA 412/2013
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
1 February 2016
1 February 2016
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
David Owen Crequer v The Chief Executive of the Ministry of Social Development
Case number
SC 103/2015
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the applicant’s application to review the Deputy Registrar’s refusal to waive the filing fee for an appeal to the Court of Appeal.[2015] NZCA 365 CA 414/2015
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed. The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
18 November 2015
18 November 2015
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
High Court decision
Case name
A v The Queen
Case number
SC 106/2015
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in concluding that the defendant was not deprived of his defence at trial – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in concluding that the sentence was not manifestly excessive.[2015] NZCA 377 CA 37/2014
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed.
17 December 2015
________________
Application for recall is dismissed.
23 March 2016
17 December 2015
________________
Application for recall is dismissed.
23 March 2016
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
A (SC 106/2015) v R [2015] NZSC 191 17 December 2015 (PDF, 85 KB)
Recall judgment
A (SC 106/2015) v R [2016] NZSC 31 [23 March 2016 (PDF, 171 KB)
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Michael John Penman v The Queen
Case number
SC 117/2015
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether there was a breach of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990, ss 25 and 27 – Whether defence counsel failed to adequately follow instructions. [2015] NZCA 364 CA 253/2014
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
28 July 2016
28 July 2016
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
MICHAEL JOHN PENMAN v R [2016] NZSC 96 28 July 2016 (PDF, 78 KB)
Judgment appealed from
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