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
Christopher Cliff Morris v The Queen
Case number
SC 61/2007
Summary
Criminal appeal – Crimes Act 1961, s 229A – using a tax document with intent to defraud – whether, under the Tax Administration Act 1994, employees of the Inland Revenue Department can give evidence in the prosecution – whether ss 81(1) and 81(3) of that Act preclude employees of the Inland Revenue Department giving evidence unless either the prosecution is initiated by the Commissioner of Inland Revenue for offences under the Inland Revenue Acts or the evidence falls within one of the exceptions listed in s 81(4) – whether the Court of Appeal was correct to direct a new trial under s 382 of the Crimes Act 1961 – application for leave to appeal out of time.CA 120/04 4 November 2004
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed. 30 October 2007
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
MORRIS v R SC 61/2007 [30 October 2007] (PDF, 18 KB)
Case name
Lisa Kathryn Cropp v A Judicial Committee & Bryan Francis McKenzie
Case number
SC 68/2007
Summary
Civil – judicial review – respondents instituted disciplinary proceedings after applicant, a jockey, tested positive for controlled drugs – applicant invoking rights to bodily integrity, to avoid self-incrimination and to be free from unreasonable search and seizure – application of New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 – whether regulatory requirement that jockeys consent to random drug testing as condition of obtaining and retaining a jockey’s licence authorised by s 29 Racing Act 2003 – whether applicant consented to drug testing – whether prescribed procedure and requirements for drug testing lawful and reasonable.CA 203/07 [2007] NZCA 423 27 September 2007
Result
Application for leave to appeal granted
29 November 2007
_________________________
Appeal dismissed. Costs $15,000 to the 2nd respondent
17 June 2008
Leave judgment - leave granted
Judgment appealed from
Substantive judgment / Media release
Transcript
Case name
Attorney-General v X and Refugee Status Appeal Authority
Case number
SC 69/2007
Summary
Civil – whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding that where the particulars of a claim for refugee status disclose information relating to the possible commission of a crime against peace, a war crime or a crime against humanity (in terms of the international Convention relating to the Status of Refugees), the confidentiality requirements in s 129T of the Immigration Act 1987 prevent the disclosure of those particulars by refugee status officers, the Refugee Status Appeal Authority, and other relevant persons, to those who are concerned with the investigation, prosecution or extradition of any such crime – whether New Zealand’s international legal obligations require the opposite conclusion.[2007] NZCA 388 CA 166/06 5 September 2007
Result
Application for leave to appeal granted.
14 December 2007
14 December 2007
Leave judgment - leave granted
Transcription
Judgment appealed from
Substantive judgment / Media releaes
Case name
Ian Kenneth McMillan v The Queen
Case number
SC 70/2007
Summary
Criminal – appeal against sentence – applicant sentenced to preventive detention in 1995 – unsuccessful appeal to Court of Appeal in 1995 – sought rehearing of appeal in 2005 – Court of Appeal dismissed appeal on rehearing – whether Court of Appeal erred in not considering whether New Zealand regime of preventive detention is in breach of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 and/or the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights – whether Court of Appeal erred in not granting a declaration (R v Hansen (2007) 23 CRNZ 104) – jurisdiction in criminal case to grant declaration of inconsistency with NZBORA and/or ICCPR – whether preventive detention breaches ss 9, 22, 23 and 25 of NZBORA and/or arts 7, 9, 10, 14 and 15 of ICCPR – whether treatment of applicant by New Zealand Courts has breached his rights under ss 25(a), 24(a), 19, and/or 22 of NZBORA – whether applicant was lawfully committed to the High Court for sentence – whether Court of Appeal erred in not substituting a finite sentence.[2007] NZCA 394 CA 110/05 7 September 2007
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed. 11 December 2007
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Not publicly available
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Rebecca Katszi Li v The Queen
Case number
SC 80/2007
Summary
Criminal – appeal against conviction and sentence – applicant convicted on multiple counts of forgery under s 256(1) of the Crimes Act 1961 – seeking order quashing convictions under s 256(1) and substituting new convictions under s 256(2) – seeking order quashing sentence and imposing a sentence commensurate with convictions under s 256(2) – whether Court of Appeal erred in its interpretation of s 256 of the Crimes Act.[2007] NZCA 403 CA 449/06 10 September 2007
Result
Application for leave to appeal granted.
18 March 2008
____________________
The appeal is dismissed.
19 December 2008
18 March 2008
____________________
The appeal is dismissed.
19 December 2008
Media Releases
- sc 80 2007 rebecca katszi li v rpress release (PDF, 87 KB)
Leave judgment - leave granted
LI v R SC 80/2007 [18 March 2008] (PDF, 12 KB)
Substantive judgment
LI v R SC 80/2007 [19 December 2008] (PDF, 108 KB)
Judgment appealed from
Substantive judgment / Media release
Transcript
Case name
Lionel Andrew West v The Official Assignee
Case number
SC 82/2007
Summary
Civil appeal – disposal of applicant’s beneficial interest in property on insolvency – whether the Official Assignee was prevented from selling the applicant’s interest in the trust property when the applicant had been discharged from bankruptcy – whether the Official Assignee was free to choose which property comprised the applicant’s 1/3 share in the trust property –whether the Court of Appeal applied Cameron v Official Assignee (1987) 9 NZTC 6,187 correctly – whether the Official Assignee’s mistaken belief that he replaced the applicant as trustee of the property formed a cause of action in negligence - whether all debts owed by the applicant had been paid and whether this fact affected the ability of the Official Assignee to sell the property interest – whether the Court of Appeal should have allowed the applicant to introduce new evidence – whether the Magna Carta prevented the Official Assignee from disposing of the applicant’s property interest. [2007] NZCA 523 CA 53/06 20 November 2007
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed. Costs of $1500 to the respondent. 11 March 2008
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Peter Miles Davies v New Zealand Police
Case number
SC 83/2007
Summary
Criminal – appeal against Court of Appeal’s decision to confirm award of reparation to a victim for loss of earnings to the extent (20%) it is not compensable under the Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2001 (IPRC Act) – whether sentences of reparation can be characterised as proceedings for damages brought by the victim independently of the IPRC Act (prohibited by s 317(1) of that Act) – whether s 32(5) Sentencing Act 2002 prohibits the ‘topping-up’ of IPRC Act entitlements by sentences of reparation.[2007] NZCA 484 CA 101/07 2 November 2007
Result
Application for leave to appeal granted.
15 February 2008
__________________________
Appeal allowed. Sentence of reparation is set aside and in substitution a sentence of reparation of $8,945 is imposed. Question of costs reserved.
25 May 2009
15 February 2008
__________________________
Appeal allowed. Sentence of reparation is set aside and in substitution a sentence of reparation of $8,945 is imposed. Question of costs reserved.
25 May 2009
Media Releases
- sc 83 2007 davies v new zealand police press release (PDF, 87 KB)
Leave judgment - leave granted
Substantive judgment
DAVIES v NEW ZEALAND POLICE SC 83/2007 [25 May 2009] (PDF, 107 KB)
Substantive judgment /Media release
Transcript
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Steelbro New Zealand Ltd v Tidd Ross Todd Ltd Summary Civil – Copyright Act 1994 – High Court found applicant had infringed copyright in plaintiff’ s sideloading container trailer – decision upheld by Court of Appeal – whether Court of Appeal failed to
Case number
SC 85/2007
Summary
[2007] NZCA 486 CA 7/06 2 November 2007
Result
Notice of abandonment being lodged, the appeal is deemed to be dismissed. 21 February 2008
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Colin Todd Parker v The Queen
Case number
SC 92/2007
Summary
Criminal – appeal against conviction of indecently assaulting a girl under 12 years – whether the Court of Appeal erred by holding that the fact the defence had not produced evidence of a motive for the complainant to give false evidence was relevant to the jury’s assessment of her credibility – whether the trial judge’s summing up conformed with R v T [1998] 2 NZLR 257 - whether R v T should represent the law in New Zealand insofar as it allows juries to regard a complainant’s evidence as more likely to be true where the defence has not offered any evidence for why the defendant might lie – whether R v T reverses the onus of proof in breach of sections 25(c) and (d) of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990. [2007] NZCA 534 CA 479/07 CA 572/07 CA 211/06 22 November 2007
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed. 15 April 2008
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
PARKER v R SC 92/2007 [15 April 2008] (PDF, 20 KB)
Case name
Greenpeace New Zealand Incorporated v Genesis Power Limited
Case number
SC 94/2007
Summary
Summary Civil – interpretation of ss 70A and 104E of the Resource Management Act 1991 – under those sections, consent authorities are prohibited from having regard to the effects of greenhouse gas discharges on climate change, except to the extent that the use and development of renewable energy enables a reduction in the discharge into air of greenhouse gases, either in absolute terms or relative to non-renewable energy – whether Court of Appeal was wrong to hold that the exception only applies to renewable energy applications – whether the Court of Appeal erred in its decision to exercise its jurisdiction to grant declaratory relief.[2007] NZCA 569 CA 372/07 11 December 2007
Result
Application for leave to appeal granted.
11 February 2008
_________________
Appeal dismissed.
19 December 2008
11 February 2008
_________________
Appeal dismissed.
19 December 2008
Leave judgment - leave granted
Substantive judgment / Media release
Judgment appealed from
Genesis Power Ltd v Greenpeace New Zealand Inc [2007] NZCA 569 (11 December 2007)
Transcription
Hearing date : 28 May 2008
Elias CJ, Blanchard, Tipping, McGrath, Wilson JJ
Elias CJ, Blanchard, Tipping, McGrath, Wilson JJ
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