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
Razdan Rafiq v Attorney-General, Secretary for Department of Internal Affairs, Independent Police Complaints Authority, Chief Executive of the Ministry of Social Development, Commissioner of Police and Auckland Council
Case number
SC 122/2017
Summary
Civil Appeal – Senior Courts Act 2016, s 166 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding it did not have jurisdiction to review the decision of the Deputy Registrar.
Result
The application is dismissed for want of jurisdiction 4 December 2017
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Recall judgment
Judgment appealed from
[2017] NZCA 495 not publicly available
Case name
William Yan and Wei You v Commissioner of Police
Case number
SC 3/2016
Summary
Civil Appeal – Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009, s 29 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in its interpretation of s 29 Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009. [2015] NZCA 576 CA 683/2014
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed.
26 April 2016
26 April 2016
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Zhihong Xu v Lijing Zeng v Commissioner of Police
Case number
SC 4/2016
Summary
Civil Appeal – Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009, s 29 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in its interpretation of s 29 Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009.[2015] NZCA 576 CA 684/2014
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed. 26 April 2016
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Karl Leslie Raymond Marwood v The Commissioner of Police and others
Case number
SC 11/2016
Summary
Civil Appeal – Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in concluding that the High Court has no power to exclude improperly obtained evidence in a proceeding under the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that the High Court Judge was wrong to exclude evidence. [2015] NZCA 608 CA 487/2014
Result
A Leave to appeal is granted (Commissioner of Police v Marwood [2015] NZCA 608).
B The approved question is:Did the Court of Appeal err in holding that the High Court had no jurisdiction (or power) to exclude the challenged evidence obtained by search of the applicant’ s premises and, if so, should the challenged evidence be excluded in this proceeding?11 April 2016
_____________
A The disputed evidence is admissible in these proceedings.
B The appeal is dismissed.
C There is no order as to costs.26 October 2016
B The approved question is:Did the Court of Appeal err in holding that the High Court had no jurisdiction (or power) to exclude the challenged evidence obtained by search of the applicant’ s premises and, if so, should the challenged evidence be excluded in this proceeding?11 April 2016
_____________
A The disputed evidence is admissible in these proceedings.
B The appeal is dismissed.
C There is no order as to costs.26 October 2016
Transcripts
- Hearing date 17 June 2016 (PDF, 401 KB)
Media Releases
- MR [2016] NZSC 139 (PDF, 250 KB)
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
Substantive judgment
Case name
Martin James Mailley v District Court at North Shore and New Zealand Police
Case number
SC 36/2016
Summary
Civil Appeal - Whether the Court of Appeal erred in its interpretation of s 48(4) of the Extradition Act 1999. [2016] NZCA 83 CA716/2014
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed. 20 June 2016
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Jesse Waiariki Tamanava Butler v North Shore Police
Case number
SC 45/2016
Summary
Civil Appeal – Court of Appeal (Civil) Rules 2005 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the application for an extension of time to appeal on the basis that the case was inarguable. [2016] NZCA 150 CA657/2015
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
13 June 2016
13 June 2016
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Dinh Tu Do v New Zealand Police
Case number
SC 114/2016
Summary
Criminal Appeal –Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that the order made by the District Court Judge under s 65B of the Land Transport Act 1998 did not operate retrospectively – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding the sentencing Judge was not required to give a warning at the time of the first offence that a s 65B order could be made if a second offence was later committed. [2016] NZCA 420 CA600/2015
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
13 February 2017
13 February 2017
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Razdan Rafiq v Commissioner of New Zealand Police
Case number
SC 15/2015
Summary
Civil Appeal – Court of Appeal (Civil) Rules 2005 – whether the Court of Appeal erred in upholding the registrar’s decision not to dispense with security for costs.[2015] NZCA 8 CA 669/2014
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500. 23 April 2015
The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500. 23 April 2015
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Bruce Brendon van Essen and Jason Patterson v The Attorney-General and others
Case number
SC 28/2015
Summary
Civil Appeal – Unreasonable Search and Seizure under New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 – Whether Court of Appeal applied correct test for public law remedies – Whether Court of Appeal correctly applied principles in Taunoa v Attorney General – Whether Court of Appeal correct in reliance on Independent Police Conduct Authority reports as a basis for assessing NZBORA compensation – Whether Court of Appeal correct in finding there was a proper basis for obtaining and executing search warrants – Whether Court of Appeal correct in finding that s 27 Crimes Act 1961 conferred immunity on defendants.[2015] NZCA 22 CA 320/2013; CA 339/2013; CA 593/2013; CA 594/2013
Result
A The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.
B The applicants are to pay costs of $2,500 to both:
the first respondent, and the second and third respondents jointly.
13 July 2015
_________________
Reissued 3 November 2015.
A The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.
B There is no order as to costs.
________________________
We certify that, were it not for s 45(2) of the Legal Services Act 2011, the applicants would have been ordered to pay the second and third respondents jointly costs of $2,500.
15 March 2016
B The applicants are to pay costs of $2,500 to both:
the first respondent, and the second and third respondents jointly.
13 July 2015
_________________
Reissued 3 November 2015.
A The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.
B There is no order as to costs.
________________________
We certify that, were it not for s 45(2) of the Legal Services Act 2011, the applicants would have been ordered to pay the second and third respondents jointly costs of $2,500.
15 March 2016
Supreme court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
The Queen v SSC
Case number
SC 67/2015
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Evidence Act 2006, s 30 – Admissions in response to police questioning – Whether exclusion of evidence is proportionate to the police impropriety. [2015] NZCA 241
Result
The application for leave to appeal is granted (C v R [2015] NZCA 241).The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was right to quash the High Court’s order that the latter part (commencing at 2.14 pm) of the interview between Mr C and the police on 28 March 2014 is admissible at his trial.
31 July 2015
__________________
Judgment released. Details, including result, are suppressed until final disposition of trial.
17 June 2016
31 July 2015
__________________
Judgment released. Details, including result, are suppressed until final disposition of trial.
17 June 2016
Date of hearing
10 December 2015
Judges
Elias CJ, William Young, Glazebrook, Arnold, O’Regan JJ.
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