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
Jessie Arthur Heke-Gray v The King
Case number
SC 118/2023
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.
9 May 2024
Case name
Damin Peter Cook v The King
Case number
SC 120/2023
Summary

Criminal 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 granted (Cook v R [2023] NZCA 342).
C The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to treat Mr Cook’s defence as insane automatism.
19 February 2024
_______________________________________________________________________
The appeal is dismissed.
28 April 2025

Date of hearing
23 July 2024
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, Glazebrook, Williams, Kós and O'Regan JJ
Transcripts
Substantive judgment
District Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
Videos
Case name
Hengjia Zheng v The King
Case number
SC 131/2023
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
10 April 2024
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Basil Steven Mist v Chief Executive of the Department of Corrections
Case number
SC 135/2023
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
5 March 2024
Case name
Malcolm Rewa v The King
Case number
SC 137/2023
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.
10 April 2024
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
The Pathway Trust v NZME Publishing Limited and Stuff Limited, Joseph James Brider and The King
Case number
SC 138/2023
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Case name
Reuben Wayne Hira Gibson-Park v The King
Case number
SC 139/2023
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
9 April 2024
Case name
Joseph Karaitiana Wheeler v The King
Case number
SC 141/2023
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
27 June 2024
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Brett David Grinder v Attorney-General and New Zealand Parole Board
Case number
SC 147/2023
Summary

Civil Appeal

Result

A Leave to appeal is granted (Attorney-General v Grinder [2023] NZCA 596).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to allow the appeal and in particular the proper approach to the imposition, variation or discharge of special conditions when a person subject to preventive detention is granted release on parole.
6 May 2024

________________________________________________________________

A The appeal is allowed. The decision of the Court of Appeal is set aside. The finding of the High Court that the issue for the Board on any reconsideration of the appellant’s conditions is as set out in the decision of Gwyn J at [130(a)–(b)] is reinstated.
B The respondents must pay the appellant one set of costs of $30,000 plus usual disbursements, provided that the amount does not exceed the amount paid by the Legal Services Commissioner for the appellant to bring this appeal. We allow for second counsel. If the amount paid by the Legal Services Commissioner is less than $30,000 plus usual disbursements, the respondents must pay the appellant one set of costs equal to that lesser amount.
18 November 2025

Date of hearing
22 October 2024
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, Ellen France, Williams, Kós & Miller JJ
Case name
Sai Kumar Sachu v The King
Case number
SC 148/2023
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
25 March 2024
District Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed