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
Malcolm Edward Rabson v Wayne Seymour Chapman
Case number
SC 18/2016
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in ordering costs against the applicant. [2016] NZCA 45 CA 855/2012
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
29 April 2016
B The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
29 April 2016
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Recall judgment
High Court decision
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Michael Marino v The Chief Executive of the Department of Corrections
Case number
SC 35/2016
Summary
Civil Appeal – Application for habeus corpus – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in its interpretation of ss 91(1) and 90(2) of the Parole Act 2002.[2016] NZCA 117 CA 129/2016
Result
A Leave to appeal is granted (Marino v The Chief Executive of the Department of Corrections [2016] NZCA 133).
B The approved question is: Did the Court of Appeal err in its interpretation of ss 90 and 91 of the Parole Act 2002 or in the application of those sections to the position of the applicant?
6 May 2016
______________
A Mr Marino’s appeal is allowed. Costs are reserved.
B Mr Booth’ s appeal is dismissed.
22 September 2016
B The approved question is: Did the Court of Appeal err in its interpretation of ss 90 and 91 of the Parole Act 2002 or in the application of those sections to the position of the applicant?
6 May 2016
______________
A Mr Marino’s appeal is allowed. Costs are reserved.
B Mr Booth’ s appeal is dismissed.
22 September 2016
Transcripts
- Hearing date 6 July 2016 (PDF, 372 KB)
- Hearing date 26 July 2016 (PDF, 416 KB)
Media Releases
- MR [2016] NZSC 127 (PDF, 255 KB)
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
Substantive judgment
Supreme court decision
Case name
John Edward Whitehead and others (as trustees of J and R Whitehead Trust) and Shiloh Charitable Trust v Watson & Son Limited and Denis Eric Watson and Meryl Joy Watson (as trustees of Salem Charitable Trust of Masterton)
Case number
SC 65/2016
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in their finding that the rental owed had been assigned and discharged – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that amounts owed under sale and purchase agreement could be set-off by amounts owed under rental agreement. [2016] NZCA 241 CA750/2014
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed
B The applicants are to pay the respondents costs of $2,500
30 August 2016
B The applicants are to pay the respondents costs of $2,500
30 August 2016
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
HC judgments
Case name
Ian Edward Hitchcock v The Queen
Case number
SC 126/2016
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that the trial judge’s summing up on consent in relation to a charge of sexual violation was sufficient – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that no miscarriage of justice arose as a result of the trial Judge’ s failure to direct the jury that they should consider whether the applicant knew that he was supplying cannabis. [2016] NZCA 465 CA265/2015
Result
A The application for an extension of time is granted.
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
8 March 2017
___________
The application for recall is dismissed.
17 May 2017
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
8 March 2017
___________
The application for recall is dismissed.
17 May 2017
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
IAN EDWARD HITCHCOCK v R [2017] NZSC 29 8 March 2017 (PDF, 82 KB)
Recall judgment
IAN EDWARD HITCHCOCK v R [2017] NZSC 71 17 May 2017 (PDF, 67 KB)
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Malcolm Edward Rabson v Attorney-General
Case number
SC 147/2016
Summary
Civil Appeal – Judicial Review – Whether the High Court Judge erred in striking out the judicial review claim.[2016] NZHC 2876 CIV 2016-485-000149
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B Costs of $2,500 are awarded to the respondent.
3 March 2017
B Costs of $2,500 are awarded to the respondent.
3 March 2017
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Malcolm Edward Rabson v Registrar of the Supreme Court and Ministry of Justice
Case number
SC 12/2015
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing an application for review of decisions of the Deputy Registrar – Whether the decision to dismiss the application was affected by apparent bias or a breach of the principles of natural justice.[2015] NZCA 5 CA 550/2014
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed. Costs $2,500 to the respondents. 12 May 2015.
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Recall judgment
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Malcolm Edward Rabson v Registrar of the Supreme Court and Ministry of Justice
Case number
SC 20/2015
Summary
Civil appeal – whether High Court erred in dismissing the applicant’ s application for judicial review and a stay of proceedings.[2015] NZCA 68 CA 550/2014
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed. Costs $2,500 to the respondents. 12 May 2015
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Recall judgment
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Malcolm Edward Rabson v Registrar of the Supreme Court, Ministry of Justice and The Attorney-General
Case number
SC 21/2015
Summary
Civil appeal – whether the High Court erred in striking out the applicant’s statement of claim. [2015] NZHC 403 CIV 2014-485-11155
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed. 8 May 2015
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Malcolm Edward Rabson and Richard John Creser v Transparency International (New Zealand) Inc
Case number
SC 22/2015
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the High Court erred in striking out the applicant’s application for judicial review. [2015] NZHC 334 CIV 2014-485-10920
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B Costs of $2,500 are payable to the respondent.
8 May 2015
B Costs of $2,500 are payable to the respondent.
8 May 2015
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Malcolm Edward Rabson v Judicial Conduct Commissioner and Ailsa Duffy
Case number
SC 41/2015
Summary
Civil Appeal – whether Brown J erred in striking out the applicant’ s application for judicial review.[2015] NZHC 714 CIV 2014 485 11404
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant is to pay the first respondent costs of $2,500.
1 July 2015
B The applicant is to pay the first respondent costs of $2,500.
1 July 2015
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
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