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
Peter John Hartley v The King
Case number
SC 16/2023
Summary

Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result

The application for an extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is dismissed.
29 July 2025
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
HARTLEY v R [2025] NZSC 91 [29 July 2025] (PDF, 164 KB)
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Case name
James Hay Wallace v The King
Case number
SC 19/2023
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The application for bail is dismissed.
21 March 2023
High Court decision
[2021] NZHC 1213
Court of Appeal decision
WALLACE v R [2023] NZCA 56 [10 March 2023]
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
JAMES HAY WALLACE v R [2023] NZSC 24 [21 March 2023] (PDF, 51 KB)
Recall judgment
JAMES HAY WALLACE v R [2023] NZSC 55 [16 May 2023] (PDF, 209 KB)
Case name
Darnell Wilson Liai v The King
Case number
SC 20/2023
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for an extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is dismissed.
1 February 2024
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
LIAI v R [2020] NZCA 167 [18 May 2020]
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
DARNELL WILSON LIAI v R [2024] NZSC 2 [1 February 2024] (PDF, 173 KB)
Case name
Shane Thompson v The King
Case number
SC 23/2023
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for an extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is dismissed.
17 May 2023
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
ZHANG v R [2019] NZCA 507 [21 October 2019]
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
SHANE THOMPSON v R [2023] NZSC 59 [17 May 2023] (PDF, 169 KB)
Case name
Elizabeth Maria Bolea v The King
Case number
SC 25/2023
Summary
Criminal Appeal
Result
A Leave to appeal is granted (Bolea v R [2023] NZCA 39).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal.
22 June 2023
__________________________________________________
A The appeal is allowed.
B The conviction for participating in an organised criminal group is quashed.
C The application for a discharge without conviction is remitted to the High Court for reconsideration.
3 May 2024
Date of hearing
31 October 2023
Judges
Glazebrook, O'Regan, Ellen France, Williams and Kós JJ
Submissions from counsel
Transcripts
Case Synopses
Media Releases
High Court decision
R v BOLEA [2022] NZHC 2998 [16 November 2022]
Court of Appeal decision
BOLEA v THE KING [2023] NZCA 39 [6 March 2023]
Leave judgment - leave granted
ELIZABETH MARIA BOLEA v R [2023] NZSC 72 [22 June 2023] (PDF, 130 KB)
Substantive judgment
ELIZABETH MARIA BOLEA v R [2024] NZSC 46 [3 May 2024] (PDF, 301 KB)
Case name
Raymond John Belsey v The King
Case number
SC 27/2023
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for an extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is dismissed. 26 June 2023
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
BELSEY v R [2022] NZCA 484 [17 October 2022]
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
RAYMOND JOHN BELSEY v R [2023] NZSC 75 [26 June 2023] (PDF, 154 KB)
Case name
James Hay Wallace and McLean's Mansion Charitable Trust v The King
Case number
SC 31/2023
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A) The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.
B) Order continuing suppression of the applicants’ names, addresses, occupations and any identifying particulars on the terms set out at [15] until 2 pm on 28 June 2023.
Suppression will lapse at that time.
26 June 2023
High Court decision
[2021] NZHC 1213
Court of Appeal decision
WALLACE v R [2023] NZCA 6 [9 February 2023]
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
JAMES HAY WALLACE v R [2023] NZSC 74 [26 June 2023] (PDF, 176 KB)
Case name
Stephen Gilbert Anderson v NZI International Acceptances Limited, NZI Securities Limited and NZI Finances Limited
Case number
SC 34/2023
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
31 May 2023
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
STEPHEN GILBERT ANDERSON v NZI INTERNATIONAL ACCEPTANCES LIMITED, NZI SECURITIES LIMITED AND NZI FINANCE LIMITED [2023] NZSC 64 [31 May 2023] (PDF, 176 KB)
Case name
Jiaxin Tu v The King
Case number
SC 35/2023
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
23 February 2024
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
TU v R [2023] NZCA 53 [13 March 2023]
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
JIAXIN TU v R [2024] NZSC 15 [23 February 2024] (PDF, 165 KB)
Case name
Jesse Shane Kempson v The King
Case number
SC 37/2023
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A notice of abandonment having been filed, the application for leave to appeal is deemed to be dismissed. 22 September 2023
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
JESSE SHANE KEMPSON v R [2023] NZCA 78 [27 March 2023]
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