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.

22 September 2026

Case information summary (as at 18 September 2026) –  Cases where leave granted (PDF, 112 KB)
Case information summary (as at 18 September 2026)  – Currently unavailable

All years

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
Leave judgment - leave granted
JAMES BRYSON V THREE FOOT SIX LIMITED SC SC CIV 24/2004 [22 February 2005]
Substantive judgment
BRYSON V THREE FOOT SIX LIMITED SC CIV 24/2004 [16 June 2005] (PDF, 91 KB)
Supreme court decision
costs BRYSON V THREE FOOT SIX LIMITED SC CIV 24/2004 [10 August 2005] (PDF, 17 KB)
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

NZLII : The Queen v Simcock [2004] NZCA 92

NZLII : SIMCOCK v R [2004] NZCA 85 (10 June 2004)
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
NZLII : TEEPA v R [2004] NZCA 161 (27 July 2004)
Case name
Donald Lyall Trotter
Case number
SC CRI 18/2004
Summary
Criminal appeal - whether sentence of preventive detention should have been imposed - whether substantial miscarriage of justice has occurred as a result. CA253/03 14 October 2003
Result
Leave to appeal dismissed. 3 March 2005
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
TROTTER V R SC SC CRI 18/2004 [3 March 2005] (PDF, 18 KB)
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