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
Noel Clement Rogers v The Queen
Case number
SC 52/2005
Summary
Criminal appeal - whether the Court erred in finding post arrest statements by the accused admissible - whether allowing the statements to be admitted is inconsistent with ss 23 and 24 of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 - whether, no appeal having been heard by the Court of Appeal, this is an appropriate case to "leap frog" under s 14 of the Supreme Court Act 2003 . CRI 2004 004 013121 2 August 2005
Result
Notice of abandonment being lodged, the appeal is deemed to be dismissed. 29 September 2005
Case name
Paul Rodney Hansen v The Queen
Case number
SC 58/2005
Summary
Criminal appeal against conviction - possession of cannabis for supply - burden on accused to rebut presumption of possession for supply - whether accused must rebut presumption on the balance of probabilities or merely raise a reasonable doubt - Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, s 6(6).
Result
Leave to appeal granted.
24 November 2005
___________________________________
Appeal dismissed.
20 February 2007
24 November 2005
___________________________________
Appeal dismissed.
20 February 2007
Media Releases
- MR [2007] NZSC 74 (PDF, 142 KB)
Leave judgment - leave granted
HANSEN v R SC 58/2005 [24 November 2005] (PDF, 14 KB)
Substantive judgment
HANSEN v R SC 58/2005 [20 February 2007] (PDF, 571 KB)
Transcript
Hearing date : 22 February 2006
Elias CJ, Blanchard, Tipping, McGrath and Anderson JJ.
Case name
John Patrick Round v The Queen
Case number
SC 59/2005
Summary
Criminal - whether counsel's alleged failures in cross-examination of the complainant, and not forcefully advising the applicant to give evidence led to a real risk of an unsafe verdict. CA 125/05 29 August 2005
Result
Leave to appeal dismissed. 24 November 2005
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
ROUND v R SC 59/2005 [24 November 2005] (PDF, 15 KB)
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Brett Lionel Allison v The Queen
Case number
SC 63/2005
Summary
Criminal law - whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding that the High Court judge’s finding (that the Crown had proved beyond a reasonable doubt that certain cash was the proceeds of a serious offence or offences) was supported by the evidence - requirements of s257A(2) Crimes Act 1961.CA 20/05 15 August 2005
Result
Leave to appeal dismissed. 16 December 2005
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
ALLISON V R SC 63/2005 [16 December 2005] (PDF, 15 KB)
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Devanand Solanki v The Queen
Case number
SC 65/2005
Summary
Criminal law - “ assault on a child - whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding that the evidence of the complainant's mother was undisputed - “ trial Judge indicated that a mere touching of the complainant might constitute an assault, and that the jury would have to be so informed.CA 106/05 6 September 2005
Result
Leave to appeal refused. 22 November 2005
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
SOLANKI V R SC 65/2005 [22 November 2005] (PDF, 15 KB)
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Robert John Condon v The Queen
Case number
SC 66/2005
Summary
Criminal appeal - trial judge's refusal to grant adjournment following withdrawal of counsel leading to accused representing himself at trial - accused convicted and sentenced to imprisonment - whether breach of Sentencing Act 2002, s 30(1) or New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990, s 24 - applicant seeking leave to appeal out of timeCA 373/03 21 July 2004
Result
Leave to appeal granted.
27 March 2006
Leave judgment - leave granted
Transcription
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Akeel Hasan Abbas Al Biatty v The Queen
Case number
SC 67/2005
Summary
Criminal Law - whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding that 1) the trial Judge's summing up was not biased; 2) the jury was not placed under improper time pressure to return a verdict; 3) a sentence of preventive detention with a minimum non-parole period of seven years was not manifestly excessive.CA 120/05 17 October 2005
Result
Leave to appeal dismissed. 16 December 2005
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Malcom Alan Francis v The Queen
Case number
SC 70/2005
Summary
Criminal Law - alleged counsel error - whether the accused’s failure to give evidence at trial led to a miscarriage of justice - whether the admission of certain evidence at trial led to a miscarriage of justice.CA 186/03 7 July 2004
Result
Leave to appeal dismissed. 13 February 2006
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
FRANCIS V R SC 70/2005 13 February 2006 (PDF, 11 KB)
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Jason John Cumming v The Queen
Case number
SC 72/2005
Summary
Criminal appeal - whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding an accused should be allowed to invoke right of self-representation where their decision was "fully informed and deliberate" whether the trial judges summing up and other interventions during the course of the trial led to a miscarriage of justice.CA 43/03 2 November 2005.
Result
Leave to appeal granted.
27 March 2006
_____________________
Appeal allowed, conviction quashed. New trial ordered.
15 May 2008
27 March 2006
_____________________
Appeal allowed, conviction quashed. New trial ordered.
15 May 2008
Date of hearing
19 October 2006
Judges
Elias CJ, Blanchard, Tipping, Anderson and Gault JJ: substantive hearing: 28 February 2008
Media Releases
- mediarelease sc722005cummingvr 000 (PDF, 87 KB)
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
CUMMING V R SC 72/2005 [27 March 2006] (PDF, 12 KB)
Substantive judgment
CUMMING v R SC 72/2005 [15 May 2008] (PDF, 51 KB)
Case name
Phillip Edward Crooks v R
Case number
SC 74/2005
Summary
Criminal law - inducing and indecent act and indecent assault on a girl under 14 years - whether Court of Appeal judgment factually flawed - whether Court of Appeal finding that evidence of grooming complainant a "highly relevant aggravating feature" unreasonable having regard to the evidence (s24 Sentencing Act 2002).CA 157/05 17 November 2005
Result
Leave to appeal dismissed. 20 March 2006
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
CROOKS V R SC 74/2005 [20 March 2006] (PDF, 15 KB)
Page 107 of 109