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.
20 March 2026
Case information summary 2025 (as at 20 March 2026) – Cases where leave granted (PDF, 88 KB)
Case information summary 2025 (as at 20 March 2026) – Cases where leave to appeal decision not yet made (PDF, 123 KB)
All years
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
A notice of abandonment having been filed, the application for leave to appeal is abandoned.
Criminal Appeal
A The application for leave to appeal is granted.
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the applicant’s appeal against conviction.
5 March 2026
Criminal Appeal
A Leave to appeal is granted in part (Watson v R [2025] NZCA 455). The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to conclude no miscarriage of justice arose from the decision of the trial Judge to admit the visual identification evidence of Guy Wallace.
B The application for leave to appeal is otherwise dismissed.
10 March 2026
Criminal Appeal
A Leave to appeal is granted (Mulford v R [2025] NZCA 444).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal.
18 December 2025
- Hearing date 31 March 2026 Appellant's submissions (PDF, 303 KB)
- Hearing date 31 March 2026 Respondent's submissions (PDF, 636 KB)
- Hearing date 31 March 2026 Case Synopsis (PDF, 449 KB)
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay the first respondent costs of $2,000.
C The applicant must pay the second respondent costs of $500.
11 December 2025
ORDER PROHIBITING PUBLICATION OF THE JUDGMENT AND ANY PART OF THE PROCEEDINGS (INCLUDING THE RESULT) IN NEWS MEDIA OR ON THE INTERNET OR OTHER PUBLICLY AVAILABLE DATABASE UNTIL FINAL DISPOSITION OF TRIAL. PUBLICATION IN LAW REPORT OR LAW DIGEST PERMITTED.
ORDER PROHIBITING PUBLICATION OF THE JUDGMENT AND ANY PART OF THE PROCEEDINGS (INCLUDING THE RESULT) IN NEWS MEDIA OR ON THE INTERNET OR OTHER PUBLICLY AVAILABLE DATABASE UNTIL FINAL DISPOSITION OF TRIAL. PUBLICATION IN LAW REPORT OR LAW DIGEST PERMITTED.
21 November 2025
ORDER PROHIBITING PUBLICATION OF THE JUDGMENT AND ANY PART OF THE PROCEEDINGS (INCLUDING THE RESULT) IN NEWS MEDIA OR ON THE INTERNET OR OTHER PUBLICLY AVAILABLE DATABASE UNTIL FINAL DISPOSITION OF TRIAL. PUBLICATION IN LAW REPORT OR LAW DIGEST PERMITTED.
ORDER PROHIBITING PUBLICATION OF THE JUDGMENT AND ANY PART OF THE PROCEEDINGS (INCLUDING THE RESULT) IN NEWS MEDIA OR ON THE INTERNET OR OTHER PUBLICLY AVAILABLE DATABASE UNTIL FINAL DISPOSITION OF TRIAL. PUBLICATION IN LAW REPORT OR LAW DIGEST PERMITTED.
21 November 2025
Criminal Appeal
A The application for leave to appeal is granted (Mahoney v R [2025] NZCA 490).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal against conviction.
5 December 2025
- Hearing date 12 - 13 March 2026 Case Synopsis (PDF, 478 KB)
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B There is no order as to costs.
22 October 2025