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.

17 August 2026

Case information summary (as at 17 August 2026) –  Cases where leave granted (PDF, 87 KB)
Case information summary (as at 17 August 2026)  – Cases where leave to appeal decision not yet made (PDF, 128 KB) 

All years

Case name
Rebecca Katszi Li v The Queen
Case number
SC 80/2007
Summary
Criminal – appeal against conviction and sentence – applicant convicted on multiple counts of forgery under s 256(1) of the Crimes Act 1961 – seeking order quashing convictions under s 256(1) and substituting new convictions under s 256(2) – seeking order quashing sentence and imposing a sentence commensurate with convictions under s 256(2) – whether Court of Appeal erred in its interpretation of s 256 of the Crimes Act.[2007] NZCA 403 CA 449/06 10 September 2007
Result
Application for leave to appeal granted.
18 March 2008
____________________
The appeal is dismissed.
19 December 2008
Media Releases
Leave judgment - leave granted
LI v R SC 80/2007 [18 March 2008] (PDF, 12 KB)
Substantive judgment
LI v R SC 80/2007 [19 December 2008] (PDF, 108 KB)
Judgment appealed from

The Queen v Li [2007] NZCA 402; [2008] 1 NZLR 554; (2007) 23 CRNZ 606 (20 September 2007)
Substantive judgment / Media release
LI v R SC 80/2007 [19 December 2008]
Transcript
Hearing date : 14 August 2008
Case name
Peter Miles Davies v New Zealand Police
Case number
SC 83/2007
Summary
Criminal – appeal against Court of Appeal’s decision to confirm award of reparation to a victim for loss of earnings to the extent (20%) it is not compensable under the Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2001 (IPRC Act) – whether sentences of reparation can be characterised as proceedings for damages brought by the victim independently of the IPRC Act (prohibited by s 317(1) of that Act) – whether s 32(5) Sentencing Act 2002 prohibits the ‘topping-up’ of IPRC Act entitlements by sentences of reparation.[2007] NZCA 484 CA 101/07 2 November 2007
Result
Application for leave to appeal granted.
15 February 2008
__________________________
Appeal allowed.  Sentence of reparation is set aside and in substitution a sentence of reparation of $8,945 is imposed. Question of costs reserved.
25 May 2009
Media Releases
Leave judgment - leave granted
DAVIES v NEW ZEALAND POLICE SC 83/2007 [15 February 2008] (PDF, 13 KB)
Substantive judgment
DAVIES v NEW ZEALAND POLICE SC 83/2007 [25 May 2009] (PDF, 107 KB)
Substantive judgment /Media release
DAVIES v NEW ZEALAND POLICE SC 83/2007 [25 May 2009]
Transcript
Hearing date : 5 August 2008
Judgment appealed from

Davies v Police [2007] NZCA 484   2 November 2007
Case name
Stephen Peter Tandy v The Queen
Case number
SC 86/2007
Summary
Criminal appeal – sentencing – Court of Appeal quashed the sentence of six and a half years imposed by the District Court judge and replaced it with a sentence of eight years – whether the Court of Appeal was correct to increase the sentence imposed in the District Court – in particular, whether courts are obliged to accept eight years as the starting point in cases of sexual violation by rape – whether a guilty plea made after the complainant has given evidence is necessarily less worthy than a guilty plea that spares the complainant the need to give evidence – whether a guilty plea entered part way through trial by one accused is of assistance to the Crown with respect to bolstering the credibility of the complainant’ s evidence – whether the trial judge has an unfettered right to enter a merciful sentence – whether the Court of Appeal made material factual errors – whether the Court of Appeal’s approach has resulted in a miscarriage of justice.[2007] NZCA 550 CA 511/07 29 November 2007
Result
Application for leave to appeal is dismissed. 22 February 2008
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
TANDY v R SC 86/2007 [22 February 2008] (PDF, 21 KB)
Judgment appealed from

R v Tandy [2007] NZCA 550 (29 November 2007)
Case name
Phillip Hans Field v Malcolm James Burgess
Case number
SC 87/2007
Summary
Criminal appeal – sentencing – Court of Appeal quashed the sentence of six and a half years imposed by the District Court judge and replaced it with a sentence of eight years – whether the Court of Appeal was correct to increase the sentence imposed in the District Court – in particular, whether courts are obliged to accept eight years as the starting point in cases of sexual violation by rape – whether a guilty plea made after the complainant has given evidence is necessarily less worthy than a guilty plea that spares the complainant the need to give evidence – whether a guilty plea entered part way through trial by one accused is of assistance to the Crown with respect to bolstering the credibility of the complainant’ s evidence – whether the trial judge has an unfettered right to enter a merciful sentence – whether the Court of Appeal made material factual errors – whether the Court of Appeal’s approach has resulted in a miscarriage of justice.[2007] NZCA 550 CA 511/07 29 November 2007
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed. 17 December 2007
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
FIELD v BURGESS SC 87/2007 [17 December 2007] (PDF, 16 KB)
Judgment appealed from

Field v Burgess [2007] NZCA 547; [2008] 1 NZLR 733; (2007) 23 CRNZ 614 (29 November 2007)
Case name
Kevin Joseph Charles Little v R
Case number
SC 88/2007
Summary
Summary Criminal – appeal against conviction and sentence – murder of baby daughter – whether verdict supportable having regard to the evidence (s 385(1)(a) Crimes Act 1961) – whether admission of expert evidence of geophysicist (animation of applicant’s pre-trial explanation of incident) resulted in a miscarriage of justice – whether minimum non-parole period of 17 years manifestly unjust.[2007] NZCA 491 CA 557/07 9 November 2007
Result
Application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
22 February 2008
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
LITTLE V R SC 88/2007 [22 February 2008] (PDF, 15 KB)
Judgment appealed from

The Queen v Little [2007] NZCA 491 (9 November 2007)
Case name
Alan Ivo Greer v The Queen
Case number
SC 89/2007
Summary
Criminal appeal – rehearing of appeal against conviction for driving while disqualified, pursuant to R v Smith [2003] NZLR 617 – whether Court of Appeal erred in not allowing appeal against conviction - whether the applicant was prevented from bringing a defence because photographic and transcript evidence had been destroyed or not disclosed - whether the Court of Appeal gave proper consideration to evidence – whether applicant was given necessary access to Court records – whether there was a miscarriage of justice. [2007] NZCA 517 CA 161/06 20 November 2007
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed.
22 May 2008
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
GREER v R SC 89/2007 [22 May 2008] (PDF, 14 KB)
Judgment appealed from

The Queen v Greer [2007] NZCA 517 (20 November 2007)
Case name
G v The Queen
Case number
SC 90/2007
Summary
Criminal appeal – appeal against 10 convictions for sexual offences – whether applicant had necessary facilities for making appeal – whether there was a miscarriage of justice. [2007] NZCA 518 CA 179/06 20 November 2007
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed.
22 May 2008
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
G v R SC 90/2007 [22 May 2008] (PDF, 14 KB)
Judgment appealed from

R v G(CA179/06) [2007] NZCA 518 (20 November 2007)
Case name
Colin Todd Parker v The Queen
Case number
SC 92/2007
Summary
Criminal – appeal against conviction of indecently assaulting a girl under 12 years – whether the Court of Appeal erred by holding that the fact the defence had not produced evidence of a motive for the complainant to give false evidence was relevant to the jury’s assessment of her credibility – whether the trial judge’s summing up conformed with R v T [1998] 2 NZLR 257 - whether R v T should represent the law in New Zealand insofar as it allows juries to regard a complainant’s evidence as more likely to be true where the defence has not offered any evidence for why the defendant might lie – whether R v T reverses the onus of proof in breach of sections 25(c) and (d) of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990. [2007] NZCA 534 CA 479/07 CA 572/07 CA 211/06 22 November 2007
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed. 15 April 2008
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
PARKER v R SC 92/2007 [15 April 2008] (PDF, 20 KB)
Case name
Ross Alexander Williams v The Queen
Case number
SC 1/2006
Summary
Criminal law - appeal against conviction for selling and cultivation of cannabis- whether Court of Appeal erred in refusing to admit new evidence -whether Court of Appeal erred in finding the new evidence was not fresh- failure of counsel on appeal to follow instructions to call trial counsel to give evidence relating to preparation for trial misconduct of trial counsel - failure of counsel on appeal to argue that convictions lack evidentiary basis - whether trial Judge erred in admitting evidence obtained via an unlawful search. CA 63/05 9 December 2005.
Result
Leave to appeal dismissed.
24 May 2006
Court of Appeal decision
Williams v R [2005] NZCA 315 (9 December 2005)
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
WILLIAMS V R SC 1/2006 [24 May 2006] (PDF, 23 KB)
Case name
Joseph Junior Sipa v The Queen
Case number
SC 4/2006
Summary
Criminal law - appeal from Court of Appeal decision on Solicitor-General appeal against sentence for injuring with intent to injure - whether Court of Appeal erred in allowing appeals by Solicitor-General and substituting a sentence of three and a half years' imprisonment - approach when accused relies on sentencing indication given to co-offender - appellant entered guilty plea on the basis of sentencing indication given to his co-offender (his de facto partner) - whether the Court of Appeal should have remitted the case to the District Court for re-sentencing in light of its decision in R v Edwards . CA 390/05 7 December 2005
Result
Leave to Appeal granted.
28 March 2006
____________________________
Appeal dismissed.
20 July 2006
Leave judgment - leave granted
SIPA And Anor V R SC 4/2006 [28 March 2006] (PDF, 14 KB)
Judgment appealed from
R v Edwards [2005] NZCA 304 (7 December 2005)
Substantive judgment
SIPA And Anor V R SC 4/2006 [19 July 2006]
Transcript
Hearing date : 14 June 2006
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