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
Timothy John Jackson v The Queen
Case number
SC 66/2019
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the applicant can bring a second appeal against conviction – Whether the absence of a trial transcript deprives the applicant of his right to appeal against conviction or made the applicant’ s conviction unsafe or unsatisfactory
District Court decision
Not publicly available
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Peter Richard Prescott v New Zealand Police
Case number
SC 97/2019
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the application for an extension of time to appeal.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay costs of $2,500 to the respondent.
22 November 2019
A The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 22 November 2019 (Prescott v New Zealand Police [2019] NZSC 133) is dismissed.
B There is no order as to costs.
5 March 2021
B The applicant must pay costs of $2,500 to the respondent.
22 November 2019
A The application for recall of this Court’s judgment of 22 November 2019 (Prescott v New Zealand Police [2019] NZSC 133) is dismissed.
B There is no order as to costs.
5 March 2021
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Recall judgment
Case name
Quentin Woods v New Zealand Police
Case number
SC 115/2019
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Sentencing – Special conditions – Residential restrictions – Intensive monitoring – Sentencing Act 2002, s 93(2B) – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding that s 93(2B) of the Sentencing Act permits imposition of conditions similar to residential restrictions and intensive monitoring – Whether the Court erred in holding that the special conditions imposed on the appellant did not amount to residential restrictions or intensive monitoring.
Result
A Leave to appeal is granted (Woods v New Zealand Police [2019] NZCA 446).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the applicant’s appeals.
13 February 2020
________________________________
The appeal is allowed.
10 December 2020
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the applicant’s appeals.
13 February 2020
________________________________
The appeal is allowed.
10 December 2020
Date of hearing
21 May 2020
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, William Young, Glazebrook, O'Regan and Arnold JJ
Transcripts
- Hearing date 21 May 2020 (PDF, 399 KB)
Media Releases
- MR [2020] NZSC 141 (PDF, 190 KB)
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
Substantive judgment
Case name
Peter Richard Prescott v New Zealand Police
Case number
SC 18/2018
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the appeal against the decision of the Deputy Registrar to not waive a filing fee.
Result
A The applicant’s applications for leave to appeal and to set aside the High Court judgment are dismissed.
B The applicant is to pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
9 May 2018
B The applicant is to pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
9 May 2018
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Yusuke (David) Sena v The Queen
Case number
SC 60/2018
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Criminal Procedure Act 2011, s 232(2)(b) – Judge-alone trial –Whether the High Court Judge applied the right standard of review to the applicant’s appeal against conviction.
Result
A Leave to appeal direct to this Court, against the High Court’s judgment (Sena v New Zealand Police [2017] NZHC 2319), is granted.
B The approved ground of appeal is whether the High Court was correct to dismiss Mr Sena’s appeal against conviction brought under s 232(2)(b) of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011.
10 October 2018
__________________________________________________________
A The appeal is allowed.
B The convictions of the appellant are quashed.
C We direct a new trial.
24 May 2019
B The approved ground of appeal is whether the High Court was correct to dismiss Mr Sena’s appeal against conviction brought under s 232(2)(b) of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011.
10 October 2018
__________________________________________________________
A The appeal is allowed.
B The convictions of the appellant are quashed.
C We direct a new trial.
24 May 2019
Transcripts
- Hearing date 13 February 2019 (PDF, 447 KB)
Media Releases
- MR [2019] NZSC 55 (PDF, 286 KB)
District Court decision
Not publicly available
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave granted
Substantive judgment
Case name
Shreesh Basnyat v New Zealand Police
Case number
SC 113/2018
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Sentencing Act 2002 – Whether there are exceptional circumstances justifying a direct appeal against a decision of the High Court dismissing an appeal against a refusal to discharge the applicant without conviction.
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
5 March 2019
5 March 2019
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
David Keith Silby v New Zealand Police
Case number
SC 6/2017
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Criminal Procedure Act 2011, s 237 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in declining leave to bring a second appeal against conviction and sentence in respect of offences under the Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004.
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed. 7 April 2017
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Ronnie Joseph de Wys and Penelope Helen Louisa de Wys v The Commissioner of Police
Case number
SC 14/2017
Summary
Civil Appeal – Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009 ss 50 and 55– Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding the applicants unlawfully benefitted from significant criminal activity.
Result
The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.
4 May 2017
4 May 2017
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Matthew Richard Brown v New Zealand Police
Case number
SC 36/2017
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Criminal Procedure Act 2011 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in declining leave to bring second appeals against conviction and sentence.
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
18 August 2017
18 August 2017
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Tyson-Tainui Rukuwai Te Tomo v The Queen
Case number
SC 97/2017
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Crimes Act 1961, s 48 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding that the High Court Judge at trial was correct not to direct the jury on self-defence.
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
28 November 2017
28 November 2017
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
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