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
Myles James de Montalk v The Queen
Case number
SC 71/2006
Summary
Criminal – application for leave to appeal out of time – whether Court of Appeal’s alleged refusal to disclose evidence was tainted by racial, religious, or ethnical bias – whether Court of Appeal thereby in breach of New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990, s 25(a).CA 11/04 27 June 2006
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed.
18 October 2006
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
David James Thomas Watt v The Queen
Case number
SC 86/2006
Summary
Summary Criminal – appeal against conviction – criminal breach of trust – applicant was trustee and executor of an estate – applicant billed estate and paid himself out of estate funds – finding that applicant knew he was not entitled to be paid – sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment – whether Court of Appeal erred in upholding conviction. CA 131/06 17 October 2006
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed.
30 July 2007
Judgment appealed from
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
James Alfred Hood, Robert George Hood, Kenneth John Hood v The Attorney-General and The Queenstown Lakes District Council
Case number
SC 11/2005
Summary
Civil appeal - land compulsorily acquired for public works no longer required - whether unreasonable or unfair to offer land back under s 40(2) Public Works Act 1981 - decision made by Minister other than the Minister empowered by statute - whether decision validated by s 25(e) Acts Interpretation Act 1924. CA 257/04 21 October 2004
Result
Leave to appeal declined. Costs to respondents $2,500 together with disbursements as settled by the Registrar.
5 August 2005
5 August 2005
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Transcript
Case name
Peterson Portable Sawing Systems Ltd & Carl James Peterson v Rex Cameron Lucas & G W Lucas & Sons Pty Ltd
Case number
SC 14/2005
Summary
Civil appeal - Patents Act 1953 - whether the Court adopted the correct principles for the construction of the patent specification - whether the Court applied the proper test for assessing obviousness and made the appropriate distinction between novelty and obviousness - proper application of the Windsurfing International Inc v Tabur Marine (Great Britain) Ltd [1985] RPC 59 analysis. CA 64/03 4 March 2005
Result
Leave to appeal granted.
25 July 2005
_________________
The appeal is allowed.
30 March 2006
25 July 2005
_________________
The appeal is allowed.
30 March 2006
Transcripts
- Hearing date 21 July 2005 (PDF, 108 KB)
Leave judgment - leave granted
Substantive judgment
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Donald Eugene Allen v The Commissioner of Inland Revenue
Case number
SC 60/2005
Summary
Civil appeal - whether the Court of Appeal erred in their interpretation of ss 138B and 89D of the Tax Administration Act 1994 (˜the Act"), which regulate the process which a taxpayer is required to follow if he or she wishes to challenge a default assessment made by a Commissioner under s 106 of the Act - whether the Court was in error in concluding that the Taxation Review Authority had power to strike out the challenge under s 138H of the Act. CA 204/04 8 September 2005
Result
Leave to appeal granted. 8 December 2005
Transcripts
- Hearing date 28 February 2006 (PDF, 339 KB)
Leave judgment - leave granted
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Phillip Edward Crooks v R
Case number
SC 74/2005
Summary
Criminal law - inducing and indecent act and indecent assault on a girl under 14 years - whether Court of Appeal judgment factually flawed - whether Court of Appeal finding that evidence of grooming complainant a "highly relevant aggravating feature" unreasonable having regard to the evidence (s24 Sentencing Act 2002).CA 157/05 17 November 2005
Result
Leave to appeal dismissed. 20 March 2006
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
CROOKS V R SC 74/2005 [20 March 2006] (PDF, 15 KB)
Case name
Edward Herbert Collingwood and Others v Minister of Internal Affairs, Hamilton City Council and Others.
Case number
SC CIV 15/2004
Summary
Appeal against refusal by Court of Appeal to grant leave to appeal out of time - appeal against further application for leave being struck out as an abuse of process. CA56/01 19 July 2004
Result
Leave to appeal refused. 2 November 2004 PDF 12kb
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
James Bryson v Three Foot Six Limited
Case number
SC CIV 24/2004
Summary
Employment appeal - whether model maker working for the respondent was an employee or a independent contractor - interpretation of "employee" under s6 of the Employment Relations Act 2000 -whether film industry practice concerning manner of contracting staff relevant to determination - weight to be accorded to contractual label. CA 246/03 12 November 2004
Result
Gault J; Blanchard J. Leave to appeal granted. 22 February 2005 _____________________ New Zealand Council of Trade Unions granted Intervener status. 14 March 2005 ______________ Business New Zealand granted Intervener status. 16 March 2005 __________________________ The appeal is allowed. The decision of the Employment Court is restored. Costs in favour of the appellant against the respondent will be fixed by the Court following the receipt of written submissions. 16 June 2005 ___________________________ Judgment of the Court on Costs issued. 10 August 2005
Transcripts
- Hearing date 8 April 2005 CIV 24_2004 (PDF, 233 KB)
Leave judgment - leave granted
Substantive judgment
Supreme court decision
Case name
Donald Hugh SIMCOCK
Case number
SC CRI 5/2004
Summary
Criminal appeal against conviction - using a document for pecuniary advantage - elements of fraud - whether making a secret profit in conscious disregard of fiduciary obligations is sufficient to amount to fraud. CA 322/03 19 May 2004 and 10 June 2004
Result
7 July 2004 - Notice of abandonment being filed - the application for leave to appeal is deemed to be refused.
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Matthew James Tehau Teepa
Case number
SC CRI 9/2004
Summary
Criminal appeal against sentence - whether minimum term of imprisonment of 4 years excessive on basis of failure to recognise again the relevant mitigating factors. CA79/04 24 July 2004
Result
Leave to appeal refused 14 October 2004
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
TEEPA V R SC SC CRI 9/2004 [14 October 2004] (PDF, 16 KB)
Judgment appealed from
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