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 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
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
Doug Andrews Heating and Ventilation Limited and Multi KC Limited v Wayne James Dil, Gary Roy Mitchell and G & W Imports Limited'
Case number
SC 45/2015
Summary
Civil appeal – whether the Court of Appeal erred in rejecting the applicant’s appeal against the High Court’s decision dismissing the applicant’s claim of patent infringement.[2015] NZCA 122 CA 5/2014
Result
A The applications for leave to appeal and cross-appeal are dismissed.
B The applicants are to pay the respondents costs of $5,000 in respect of both applications.
8 October 2015
B The applicants are to pay the respondents costs of $5,000 in respect of both applications.
8 October 2015
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
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
Barrie James Skinner v The Queen
Case number
SC 79/2015
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal was correct to decline the application to adduce further evidence – Whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal against conviction.[2015] NZCA 233 CA 573/2012
Result
Leave to appeal is granted on the question whether s 109 of the Tax Administration Act 1994 precluded conviction on counts 101–110 (Rowley v R [2015] NZCA 233, (2015) 27 NZTC. In all other respects the applications for leave to appeal are dismissed save that, in the case of Mr Rowley’s challenge to his sentence, this is with the reservation identified in [23].
15 February 2016
______________
The appeals are dismissed.
10 August 2016
15 February 2016
______________
The appeals are dismissed.
10 August 2016
Transcripts
- Hearing date 9 June 2016 (PDF, 456 KB)
Media Releases
- MR [2016] NZSC 101 (PDF, 239 KB)
Leave judgment - leave granted
SKINNER and ROWLEY v R [2016] NZSC 7 [15 February 2016] (PDF, 155 KB)
Substantive judgment
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