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.
31 July 2026
Case information summary (as at 31 July 2026) – Cases where leave granted (PDF, 87 KB)
Case information summary (as at 31 July 2026) – Cases where leave to appeal decision not yet made (PDF, 131 KB)
All years
Case name
Riki Scott Steen Walls v Ulsterman Holdings Limited (in liquidation) and Vivien Madsen-Ries and Henry David Levin as liquidators of Ulsterman Holdings Limited (in liquidation)
Case number
SC 88/2019
Summary
Civil Appeal – High Court Rules 2016 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that neither the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 nor the principles of natural justice were engaged in interpreting r 15.9(2) of the High Court Rules 2016 in the applicant’s circumstances.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay costs of $2,500 to the second respondents.
15 November 2019
B The applicant must pay costs of $2,500 to the second respondents.
15 November 2019
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Lance David Morrison v The Queen
Case number
SC 93/2019 SC 94/2019
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the applicant’s quantum appeal for costs under s 5 of the Costs in Criminal Cases Act 1967
Result
A The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.
B There is no order as to costs.
9 December 2019
B There is no order as to costs.
9 December 2019
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Sealegs International Limited v Yun Zhang, Orion Limited and Orion Marine Limited, Smuggler Marine Limited, Darren Leybourne, Vladan Zubcic, David Pringle and Stryda Marine Limited
Case number
SC 96/2019
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in its approach to “functional operability” or “functional constraints” in determining whether industrially applied artistic works were protected by copyright law.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay costs of $4,500 plus usual disbursements to the respondents collectively.
13 December 2019
B The applicant must pay costs of $4,500 plus usual disbursements to the respondents collectively.
13 December 2019
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Transcript
Case name
Allan David McLean v The Public Trust
Case number
SC 110/2019
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in its interpretation of cl 5 of the deceased’s will
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay one set of costs of $2,500 to be divided equally between the respondent and Mr Flaus as trustee for the estate of Mrs Ruth McLean.
6 December 2019
B The applicant must pay one set of costs of $2,500 to be divided equally between the respondent and Mr Flaus as trustee for the estate of Mrs Ruth McLean.
6 December 2019
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Eric Meserve Houghton v Timothy Ernest Corbett Saunders, Samuel John Magill, John Michael Feeney, Craig Edgeworth Horrocks, Peter David Hunter, Peter Thomas and Joan Withers, and Credit Suisse Private Equity Inc, and Credit Suisse First Boston Asian Me
Case number
SC 117/2019
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the expert evidence as to the quantum of loss is admissible – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the applicant’s appeal against a refusal to strike out the respondent’ s defence under s 63 of the Securities Act 1978 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the appeal.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay costs of $2,500 to the first respondents collectively and $2,500 to the second and third respondents collectively.
13 December 2019
B The applicant must pay costs of $2,500 to the first respondents collectively and $2,500 to the second and third respondents collectively.
13 December 2019
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Case name
David Edward Thomas v Ian Allen Thompson
Case number
SC 121/2019
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 costs of $2,500 to the respondent.
19 February 2020
B The applicant must pay costs of $2,500 to the respondent.
19 February 2020
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
David Stanley Tranter v Chief Executive of the Department of Corrections
Case number
SC 126/2019
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the High Court was correct to refuse the applicant’s claim for habeas corpus.
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
19 December 2019
19 December 2019
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Geoffrey James Bird v The New Zealand Guardian Trust Company, Philip Anthony Bird, David Andrew Bird and Allen Roger Bird
Case number
SC 1/2018
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the High Court erred in removing the applicant as executor and trustee – 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 applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.
B The applicant is to pay costs of $2,500 to the second, third and fourth respondents. 8 February 2018
B The applicant is to pay costs of $2,500 to the second, third and fourth respondents. 8 February 2018
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Jinyue Young and Hsiang-Fen Ying v Zie Zhang
Case number
SC 4/2018
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the applicant’s appeal to set aside the consent order – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the appellant’s appeal against finding of contempt.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed. B No order as to costs. 28 March 2018
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Gregory David Waters v The Queen
Case number
SC 26/2018
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the trial Judge’s failure to sum up the evidence caused a miscarriage of justice – Whether the trial Judge’ s failure to direct the jury under s 32 of the Evidence Act caused prejudice –Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the appeal against conviction
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed
5 June 2018
5 June 2018
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
GREGORY DAVID WATERS v R [2018] NZSC 49 [5 June 2018] (PDF, 194 KB)
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