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
Graham Thomas Rowe v The Queen
Case number
SC 86/2017
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Appeal against conviction – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the appeal against conviction.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is granted (Rowe v R [2017] NZCA 316).
B The approved question is whether Mr Rowe should have been convicted.
12 October 2017
___________________
A The appeal is allowed. The appellant’s conviction is quashed.
B There is no order for retrial.
21 June 2018
B The approved question is whether Mr Rowe should have been convicted.
12 October 2017
___________________
A The appeal is allowed. The appellant’s conviction is quashed.
B There is no order for retrial.
21 June 2018
Transcripts
- Hearing date 20 February 2018 (PDF, 485 KB)
Media Releases
- MR [2018] NZSC 55 (PDF, 364 KB)
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
Substantive judgment
GRAHAM THOMAS ROWE v R [2018] NZSC 55 [21 June 2018] (PDF, 394 KB)
Case name
Studorp Limited & James Hardie New Zealand v Tracey Jane Cridge, Mark Anthony Unwin, Katrina McKellar Fowler, Scott Woodhead & Body Corp 316651
Case number
SC 104/2017
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicants must pay costs of $2,500 to the respondents.
27 November 2017
B The applicants must pay costs of $2,500 to the respondents.
27 November 2017
High Court decision
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Desmond James Albert Conway v Mercedes-Benz Financial Services New Zealand Limited
Case number
SC 119/2017
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in its interpretation and application of the Personal Property Securities Act 1999 and the Property Law Act 2007 – Whether the applicant was mortgagor of vehicles repossessed by the respondent.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay costs of $2,500 to the respondent.
23 February 2018
B The applicant must pay costs of $2,500 to the respondent.
23 February 2018
High Court decision
High Court decision
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Earl Raymond Hagaman v Andrew James Little
Case number
SC 121/2017
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the appeal on the basis that the proceeding abates with the death of Mr Hagaman.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The personal representatives of Mr Hagaman must pay costs of $2,500 to the respondent.
13 February 2018
B The personal representatives of Mr Hagaman must pay costs of $2,500 to the respondent.
13 February 2018
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
W v The Queen
Case number
SC 9/2016
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the applicant’s appeal against sentence.[2011] NZCA 135 CA 591/2010
Result
A An extension of time is granted.
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
2 May 2016
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
2 May 2016
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
IVAN JAMES WILSON v R [2016] NZSC 47 2 May 2016 (PDF, 78 KB)
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Edward Thomas Booth v The Queen
Case number
SC 10/2016
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the applicant’s appeal against sentence. [2015] NZCA 603 CA 101/2015
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is granted (Booth v R [2015] NZCA 603).B The approved question is whether the sentencing Judge was correct to structure the appellant’ s sentence in the way that he did, particularly as that sentence structure means that the time that the appellant spent on remand does not count towards his total period of imprisonment served or for parole eligibility purposes.
27 April 2016
__________________
A Mr Marino’s appeal is allowed. Costs are reserved.
B Mr Booth’s appeal is dismissed.
22 September 2016
27 April 2016
__________________
A Mr Marino’s appeal is allowed. Costs are reserved.
B Mr Booth’s appeal is dismissed.
22 September 2016
Transcripts
- Hearing date 5 July 2016 (PDF, 294 KB)
Media Releases
- MR [2016] NZSC 127 (PDF, 255 KB)
Leave judgment - leave granted
BOOTH v R [2016] NZSC 43 [27 April 2016] (PDF, 56 KB)
Substantive judgment
Case name
Janine Davina Sax v Luke Andrew Simpson and Luke Andrew Simpson and Janine Davina Sax as Trustees of the Luke and Janine Simpsons Family Trust
Case number
SC 16/2016
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing an application for review of a decision of the Registrar of that Court to refuse to dispense with security for costs in relation to an appeal to that Court. [2016] NZCA 3 CA 388/2015
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B Costs of $2,500 are to be paid by the applicant to the first respondent.
17 February 2017
B Costs of $2,500 are to be paid by the applicant to the first respondent.
17 February 2017
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
[2016] NZCA 3 Janine Davina Sax v Luke Andrew Simpson and Luke Andrew Simpson and Janine Davina Sax as Trustees of the Luke and Janine Simpsons Family Trust 27 January 2016 : not electronically available.
Case name
Michael Marino v The Chief Executive of the Department of Corrections
Case number
SC 35/2016
Summary
Civil Appeal – Application for habeus corpus – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in its interpretation of ss 91(1) and 90(2) of the Parole Act 2002.[2016] NZCA 117 CA 129/2016
Result
A Leave to appeal is granted (Marino v The Chief Executive of the Department of Corrections [2016] NZCA 133).
B The approved question is: Did the Court of Appeal err in its interpretation of ss 90 and 91 of the Parole Act 2002 or in the application of those sections to the position of the applicant?
6 May 2016
______________
A Mr Marino’s appeal is allowed. Costs are reserved.
B Mr Booth’ s appeal is dismissed.
22 September 2016
B The approved question is: Did the Court of Appeal err in its interpretation of ss 90 and 91 of the Parole Act 2002 or in the application of those sections to the position of the applicant?
6 May 2016
______________
A Mr Marino’s appeal is allowed. Costs are reserved.
B Mr Booth’ s appeal is dismissed.
22 September 2016
Transcripts
- Hearing date 6 July 2016 (PDF, 372 KB)
- Hearing date 26 July 2016 (PDF, 416 KB)
Media Releases
- MR [2016] NZSC 127 (PDF, 255 KB)
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
Substantive judgment
Supreme court decision
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
Wayne James Bracken v The Queen
Case number
SC 40/2016
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in concluding that the trial Judge’s directions were adequate – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in concluding that the trial was not unfair. [2016] NZCA 79 CA785/2012
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
13 September 2016
13 September 2016
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Page 9 of 18