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 Registrar of the Supreme Court, Ministry of Justice
Case number
SC 44/2015
Summary
Civil Appeal – Special leave to appeal – Judicial Review – Review of Registrar’s decision not to provide copies of applications for leave to appeal – Whether High Court correct to strike out application.[2015] NZHC 709 CIV 2015-485-60
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay costs of $2,500 to the second respondent.
13 July 2015
B The applicant must pay costs of $2,500 to the second respondent.
13 July 2015
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Malcolm Edward Rabson v Transparency International New Zealand Incorporated
Case number
SC 51/2015
Summary
Civil Appeal – Security for costs –Whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding that the Deputy Registrar making an assessment of the merits of the relevant appeal when deciding whether to dispense with security for costs was consistent with Reekie [2014] NZSC 63, [2014] 1 NZLR 737.[2015] NZCA 188 CA 156/2015
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay costs of $2,500 to the respondent.
24 July 2015
_____________________________________
The application for recall is dismissed.
4 August 2015
B The applicant must pay costs of $2,500 to the respondent.
24 July 2015
_____________________________________
The application for recall is dismissed.
4 August 2015
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Recall judgment
Case name
Malcolm Edward Rabson v Registrar of the Supreme Court, Ministry of Justice
Case number
SC 52/2015
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal decision was in breach of s 27 of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990. [2015] NZCA 186 CA 118/2015
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay costs of $2,500 to the respondents.
24 July 2015
________________
The application for recall is dismissed.
4 August 2015
B The applicant must pay costs of $2,500 to the respondents.
24 July 2015
________________
The application for recall is dismissed.
4 August 2015
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Recall judgment
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Malcolm Edward Rabson v Registrar of the Supreme Court, Ministry of Justice
Case number
SC 58/2015
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal decision was inconsistent with Reekie v Attorney General [2014] NZSC 63. [2015] NZCA 129 CA 550/2014
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay costs of $2,500 to the respondents.
24 July 2015
___
The application for recall is dismissed.
4 August 2015
B The applicant must pay costs of $2,500 to the respondents.
24 July 2015
___
The application for recall is dismissed.
4 August 2015
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Recall judgment
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Malcolm Edward Rabson v Transparency International New Zealand Incorporated
Case number
SC 85/2015
Summary
Civil Appeal – Court of Appeal (Civil) Rules 2005, r 43(2) – Whether the Court of Appeal should have granted the application for an extension of time. CA 156/2015
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay costs of $2,500 to the respondent.
16 October 2015
___________________________
Application for recall dismissed.
22 October 2015
B The applicant must pay costs of $2,500 to the respondent.
16 October 2015
___________________________
Application for recall dismissed.
22 October 2015
Recall judgment
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
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
Jeremy George Edward McLaughlin v The Queen
Case number
SC 97/2015
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether DNA evidence was misused at trial – Whether the trial judge’s direction as to lies was inadequate – Whether a direction under s 32 Evidence Act 2006 was required – Whether the summing up was unfair. [2015] NZCA 339 CA 752/2013
Result
Application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
3 November 2015
3 November 2015
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Malcolm Edward Rabson v Transparency International New Zealand Incorporated
Case number
SC 129/2015
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in resurrecting an appeal deemed abandoned – Whether the Court of Appeal acted without jurisdiction in awarding costs to the respondent. [2015] NZCA 543 CA 156/2013
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed. The applicant is to pay the respondent costs of $2,500. 16 February 2016 The recall application is dismissed.
15 March 2016
15 March 2016
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Recall judgment
Case name
Malcolm Edward Rabson v Wayne Seymour Chapman
Case number
SC 135/2015
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in failing to recall its earlier judgment.[2014] NZCA 158 CA 855/2012
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed. 23 February 2016
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Graham Edward McCready v ABC and another
Case number
SC 3/2014
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in refusing to dispense with security for costs.[2013] NZCA 646 CA 698/2013
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant is to pay costs of $2,500 together with disbursements to be fixed, if necessary, by the Registrar. 9 June 2014
B The applicant is to pay costs of $2,500 together with disbursements to be fixed, if necessary, by the Registrar. 9 June 2014
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
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