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
Alavine Feliuia Liu v Chief Executive of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
Case number
SC 31/2014
Summary
Civil Appeal – United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child arts 9, 9.1 and 3 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding that art 9, and in particular art 9.1, were not relevant to deportation cases – Whether the respondent erred in not having specific regard to art 9 notwithstanding its consideration of other specific articles in the convention – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that with the exception of Ewebiyi v Parr no other authorities referred to it held that art 9.1 applied to deportation cases – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in its assessment of the relevant case law and its assessment as to the reconciliation of arts 3 and 9.1.CA 4/2014[2014] NZCA 37 CA 754/2012
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant is to pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
20 June 2014
B The applicant is to pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
20 June 2014
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Sajo Oyang Corporation and Southern Storm Fishing (2007) Limited v The Ministry for Primary Industries and The Director - General of the Ministry for Primary Industries
Case number
SC 35/2014
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in concluding that non-defendant third parties do not have standing to participate in an application relating to the special circumstances exception to automatic forfeiture of property following conviction for specified fisheries offences under s 255C of the Fisheries Act 1996[2014] NZCA 46 CA 167/2013
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicants are jointly and severally liable to pay costs of $2,500 to the first and second respondents.
17 June 2014
B The applicants are jointly and severally liable to pay costs of $2,500 to the first and second respondents.
17 June 2014
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Razdan Rafiq v The Privacy Commissioner
Case number
SC 40/2014
Summary
Civil Appeal – Security for costs – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in upholding the Registrar’s decision not to dispense with security for costs.[2014] NZCA 137 CA 116/2014
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed.
16 June 2014
____________________________________________
Application for recall dismissed.
10 October 2014
16 June 2014
____________________________________________
Application for recall dismissed.
10 October 2014
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Recall judgment
Judgment appealed from
Case Number
SC 40/2014
Case name
Vincent Ross Siemer v Registrar, Supreme Court and Ministry of Justice
Case number
SC 59/2014
Summary
Civil – Supreme Court Rules 2004 – Whether the High Court erred in striking out the applicant’s judicial review proceedings. [2014] NZHC 1179 Civ 2013 – 404 4750
Result
Application for leave to appeal is dismissed. 5 August 2014
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Margot Crequer v Chief Executive of the Ministry of Social Development
Case number
SC 69/2014
Summary
Civil Appeal – Civil procedure – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the application for an extension of time to file a case on appeal and apply for a hearing date.[2014] NZCA 284 CA 84/2013.
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed.
2 September 2014
_______________
Application for recall of judgment dismissed.
6 March 2015
2 September 2014
_______________
Application for recall of judgment dismissed.
6 March 2015
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Recall judgment
Case name
Vincent Ross Siemer v Registrar of the Supreme Court and Ministry of Justice
Case number
SC 91/2014
Summary
Civil Appeal – Judicature Act 1908, s 61A(1) – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in concluding that they lacked jurisdiction to make the order sought under s 61A(1) – Whether the law requires that publicly recorded judgments be issued to dispose of such applications. Minute 28 August 2014.
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
15 September 2014
____________
Application for recall dismissed.
10 October 2014
15 September 2014
____________
Application for recall dismissed.
10 October 2014
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Recall judgment
Case name
Vincent Ross Siemer v Registrar of the Supreme Court and Ministry of Justice
Case number
SC 99/2014
Summary
Civil Appeal – Judicature Act 1908 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in affirming the Registrar’s decision that refused to dispense with security for costs.[2014] NZCA 456 CA 318/2014
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed.
Costs of $2,500 to the respondent. 8 December 2014
Costs of $2,500 to the respondent. 8 December 2014
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Recall judgment
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Malcolm Edward Rabson v Registrar of the Supreme Court and Ministry of Justice
Case number
SC 104/2014
Summary
Civil Appeal – Insolvency Act 2006 – Whether judicial review proceedings are within the scope of s 101(1)(b) of the Insolvency Act 2006.[2014] NZCA 481
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed.
2 December 2014
_______________
The application to recall the judgment of 2 December 2014 and the second application for leave to appeal against the judgment of French J are dismissed.
23 December 2014
Further application for recall dismissed.
9 March 2015
2 December 2014
_______________
The application to recall the judgment of 2 December 2014 and the second application for leave to appeal against the judgment of French J are dismissed.
23 December 2014
Further application for recall dismissed.
9 March 2015
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Recall judgment
Recall judgment
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Vincent Ross Siemer v Registrar of the Supreme Court and Ministry of Justice
Case number
SC 108/2014
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in refusing to recall its judgment.[2014] NZCA 491 CA 318/2014
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed.
Costs of $2,500 to the respondent.
8 December 2014
Costs of $2,500 to the respondent.
8 December 2014
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Recall judgment
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Razdan Rafiq v The Secretary for the Department of Internal Affairs of New Zealand, The Director of the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand, The Chief Executive of the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment, The Commissioner of Police, the
Case number
SC 121/2014
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in refusing to dispense with security for costs – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in not granting a stay of proceedings[2014] NZCA 518
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
Costs of $2,500 are awarded to the respondent.
20 February 2015
Costs of $2,500 are awarded to the respondent.
20 February 2015
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
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