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.

28 November 2025

Case information summary 2025 (as at 28 November 2025) –  Cases where leave granted (PDF, 87 KB)
Case information summary 2025 (as at 28 November 2025)  – Cases where leave to appeal decision not yet made (PDF, 120 KB)

All years

Case name
C (SC 34/2025) v R
Case number
SC 34/2025
Summary

Criminal Appeal 

Result

A Leave to appeal is granted (C (CA749/2023) v R [2025] NZCA 47).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal.
12 August 2025

Date of hearing
19 February 2026
Judges
TBC
Leave judgment - leave granted
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Case name
Brendan Kent Day v The King
Case number
SC 37/2025
Summary

Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal

Result

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.                                                                            
15 July 2025

District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Melota Metuala v The King
Case number
SC 39/2025
Summary

Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal

Result

A The application for an extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is granted.
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
21 November 2025

District Court decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
K (SC 41/2025) v The King
Case number
SC 41/2025
Summary

Criminal Appeal 

Result

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 RETRIAL. PUBLICATION IN LAW REPORT OR LAW DIGEST PERMITTED.

Date of hearing
07 October 2025
Judges
Glazebrook, Ellen France, Williams, Kós and Miller JJ
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Case name
A v The King
Case number
SC 45/2025
Summary

Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal

Result

The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.                                                            
9 September 2025

High Court decision
Not publicly available
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
M v The King
Case number
SC 46/2025
Summary

Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal

Result

The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.                                                            
9 September 2025

High Court decision
Not publicly available
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
S v The King
Case number
SC 47/2025
Summary

Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal

Result

The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.                                                            
9 September 2025

District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
H v The King
Case number
SC 48/2025
Summary

Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal

Result

The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.                                                            
9 September 2025

High Court decision
Not publicly available
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
T (SC 51/2025) v The King
Case number
SC 51/2025
Summary

Criminal appeal

Result

A The application for leave to appeal is granted (T (CA449/2023) v R [2025] NZCA 136).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal against conviction.
12 September 2025

Date of hearing
12 March 2026
Judges
TBC
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave granted
Case name
Kayleb Renata v The King
Case number
SC 52/2025
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.
15 October 2025

Leave judgment - leave dismissed