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.
17 July 2026
Case information summary (as at 17 July 2026) – Cases where leave granted (PDF, 87 KB)
Case information summary (as at 17 July 2026) – Cases where leave to appeal decision not yet made (PDF, 128 KB)
All years
Case name
Michael Spackman v The Queenstown Lakes District Council and others
Case number
SC 48/2008
Summary
Civil resource management applicant sought judicial review of Councils decision to grant resource consent for neighbouring subdivision into four lots error conceded at trial relief granted in the form of revoked approval for one lot and restriction on consent notice for another applicant appealed form of relief Whether the Court of Appeal erred in making allegedly contradictory findings and relying on those findings when deciding whether to grant relief in favour of the applicant whether the Court of Appeal erred when deciding that various discretionary factors overcame the applicant's right to be heard again in respect of the whole subdivision application for leave to appeal out of time[2008] NZCA 234 CA 193/07 11 July 2008
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Dates
Application for leave to appeal dismissed.
Costs of $2000 to both the first and second respondents.
24 October 2008
Case name
Vincent Ross Siemer v Ferrier Hodgson and Michael Peter Stiassny
Case number
SC 62/2008
Summary
Civil Appeal – Civil Procedure – Defamation Act 1992 – New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990, ss 14 and 27 – Miscarriage of Justice – Whether Court of Appeal erred in dismissing appeal against order of High Court striking out parts of the Applicant’s defamation claim – Whether conflict of interest created by Court of Appeal Judge’s decision not to recuse himself – Whether High Court Rule change allowing documents to be referred to by a “generic description” compromised discovery process.[2008] NZCA 255CA 226/2007 24 July 2008
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Dates
Application for leave to appeal dismissed.
19 November 2008
Case name
James Michael Leuluaiali’i v The Queen
Case number
SC 1/2007
Summary
Criminal appeal – appellant convicted as party to attempted murder and murder – appeal by a co-accused had been allowed on grounds of error in summing up in relation to parties; like errors in present case – appeal allowed in relation to attempted murder – in relation to murder the proviso to s 385(1) applied and appeal dismissed – whether application of the proviso led to a substantial miscarriage of justice. CA 122/06 22 November 2006
Result
Leave to appeal dismissed. 30 March 2007
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
LEULUAIALI'L v R SC 1/2007 [30 March 2007] (PDF, 16 KB)
Case name
Peter Michael Connolly v The Queen
Case number
SC 4/2007
Summary
Criminal – Costs in Criminal Cases Act 1967 – trial Judge awarded costs to defendants acquitted on charges of conspiracy to defraud and money laundering brought by Serious Fraud Office – Court of Appeal majority held that High Court Judge had erred in failing to take account of risk of a substantial award inhibiting the exercise of proper prosecutorial function – whether the Court of Appeal erred in setting aside the cost award because it was “disproportionate” – whether Court of Appeal wrongly interpreted s 5(1) of the Act. CA 472/2005 6 December 2006
Result
Application for leave to appeal granted. Application for leave to cross appeal dismissed.
29 May 2007
___________________________
Appeal allowed, Costs order in the High Court reinstated.
Costs to appellant in Court of Appeal, $12,000 together with reasonable expenses.
Costs to appellant in Supreme Court, $20,000 together with reasonable expenses.
29 May 2007
___________________________
Appeal allowed, Costs order in the High Court reinstated.
Costs to appellant in Court of Appeal, $12,000 together with reasonable expenses.
Costs to appellant in Supreme Court, $20,000 together with reasonable expenses.
Leave judgment - leave granted
REID And Ors V R SC 95/2006 [29 May 2007] (PDF, 17 KB)
Judgment appealed from
Substantive judgment / Media release
Transcript
Case name
Vincent Siemer v Michael Peter Stiassny & Ferrier Hodgson
Case number
SC 26/2007
Summary
Summary Civil appeal – breach of interim injunction restraining publication of certain material relating to respondent – applicant found guilty of contempt of court – nature of proceedings; whether arising from an originating or interlocutory application – evidential rules applicable to such proceedings – allegations of judicial bias. CA 55/06; CA 150/06 4 April 2007
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed with costs of $2,5000 to the respondents.
12 July 2007
12 July 2007
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
SIEMER v STIASSNY AND ANOR SC 26/2007 [12 July 2007] (PDF, 24 KB)
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Georgina Kain, George Harry Couper Kain, George Charles Kain, George Thomas Carlton Kain and George Michael Kain and others v Jonathan Rhodes Hutton and others
Case number
SC 40/2007
Summary
Civil – dispute between family members over administration of a number of trusts – whether Court of Appeal erred in finding that resettlement of trust assets was valid – validity of exercise of power of appointment – power of advancement – s 41(c) of Trustee Act 1956 – whether appointment and settlement of shares was valid and not a fraud on the power – whether Court of Appeal erred in refusing to order the Second and Third Respondents to account to the trusts for profits made on the purchase of two farms – whether Court of Appeal erred in not finding a serious breach of trust – whether Court of Appeal erred in finding a particular part of consent order to be valid – interests of grandchildren – s 64A of Trustee Act 1956.CA 237/03, CA 271/04, CA 4/05 22 May 2007
Result
Leave to appeal granted.
20 November 2007
20 November 2007
Transcripts
- Hearing date 19 November 2007 SC 40/2007 (PDF, 128 KB)
- Hearing date 10 June 2008 SC 40/2007 (PDF, 281 KB)
Media Releases
- MR [2008] NZSC 61 (PDF, 88 KB)
Leave judgment - leave granted
Substantive judgment
KAIN AND ORS v HUTTON AND ORS SC 40/2007 [7 August 2008] (PDF, 113 KB)
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Michael Raymond Main v Kevin Evan Main
Case number
SC 56/2007
Summary
Civil appeal – Residential Tenancies Act 1986, s 2(3) – whether the Court of Appeal was correct in holding that the respondent had proved that the premises were let principally for purposes other than residential purposes – whether the Court of Appeal had jurisdiction to make s 2(3) finding – whether the respondent had complied with the Court of Appeal’ s order as to the filing of additional evidence – whether the Court of Appeal failed to take into account evidence filed.CA 25/07 23 July 2007
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed. Costs $2,500 to respondent. 8 October 2007
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
MAIN v MAIN SC 56/2007 [8 October 2007] (PDF, 13 KB)
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Michael David Kidd v Alexander Pieter Van Heeren
Case number
SC 32/2006
Summary
Civil – partial stay of proceedings – principles to be applied in lifting a discretionary stay – whether Court of Appeal erred in stating the test – issue estoppel, forum conveniens, and conflict of laws issues. CA 191/05 23 March 2006
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed. Costs $2000 plus disbursements to the respondent.
26 June 2006
26 June 2006
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
KIDD V VAN HEEREN SC 32/2006 [26 June 2006] (PDF, 94 KB)
Case name
Michael John Jones v The Queen
Case number
SC 65/2006
Summary
Criminal – defendant pleaded guilty on arraignment to counts of assault with a weapon and threatening to kill – whether Court of Appeal erred in dismissing appeal against conviction on the ground of undue delay. CA 27/06 25 July 2006
Result
10 October 2006
Notice of Abandonment being lodged, the application is deemed to be dismissed.
Notice of Abandonment being lodged, the application is deemed to be dismissed.
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Alain Michael Yves Mafart and Dominique Angela Francoise Prieur v Television New Zealand Limited
Case number
SC 70/2006
Summary
Civil – Criminal Proceedings (Search of Court Records) Rules 1974 – video footage of guilty pleas in 1985 trial for bombing of Rainbow Warrior – whether Court of Appeal erred in failing adequately to take account of the administration of justice – whether Court of Appeal erred in failing to protect privacy interests of appellants, or in balancing those interests with freedom of information – whether Court of Appeal erred in departing from previous decisions in respect of the footage – whether Court of Appeal and High Court erred in failing to uphold assurance given to counsel by Judge in 1985 in respect of footage – whether assurance overtaken by consent orders.CA 92/05 7 and 10 August 2006
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed. Costs of $2,500 to respondent. 26 September 2006
Judgment appealed from
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
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