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
T (SC 108/2021) v The King
Case number
SC 108/2021
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
1 March 2023
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
T (SC 108/2021) v R [2023] NZSC 12 [1 March 2023] (PDF, 171 KB)
Case name
Joseph Auga Matamata v The Queen
Case number
SC 110/2021
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
3 March 2022
High Court decision
R v MATAMATA [2020] NZHC 1829 [27 July 2020]
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
JOSEPH AUGA MATAMATA v R [2022] NZSC 16 [3 March 2022] (PDF, 173 KB)
Case name
Saymore Mutsamwira v The Queen
Case number
SC 112/2021
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.
15 December 2021
Court of Appeal decision
MUTSAMWIRA v R [2021] NZCA 177 [13 May 2021]
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
SAYMORE MUTSAMWIRA v R [2021] NZSC 181 [15 December 2021] (PDF, 161 KB)
Case name
KL (SC 113/2021) v The Queen
Case number
SC 113/2021
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.
24 November 2021
Court of Appeal decision
KL (CA753/2020) v R [2021] NZCA 375 [11 August 2021]
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
KL (SC 113/2021) v R [2021] NZSC 162 [24 November 2021] (PDF, 176 KB)
Case name
I (SC 114/2021) v The Queen
Case number
SC 114/2021
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
2 December 2021
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
ATONE IULIANO v R [2021] NZSC 167 [2 December 2021] (PDF, 39 KB)
Case name
Cheyman Lee Mitchell v New Zealand Police
Case number
SC 116/2021
Summary
Criminal Appeal
Result
A Leave to appeal is granted (Mitchell v New Zealand Police [2021] NZCA 417).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal.
14 December 2021
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

The appeal is dismissed.
11 August 2023
Date of hearing
10 May 2022
Judges
Winkelmann CJ, O’Regan, Ellen France, Williams and Kós JJ
Submissions from counsel
Transcripts
Media Releases
High Court decision
NZ POLICE v MITCHELL [2020] NZHC 1143 [27 May 2020]
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave granted
CHEYMAN LEE MITCHELL v NEW ZEALAND POLICE [2021] NZSC 180 [14 December 2021] (PDF, 79 KB)
Substantive judgment
CHEYMAN LEE MITCHELL v NEW ZEALAND POLICE [2023] NZSC 104 [11 August 2023] (PDF, 317 KB)
Case name
H (SC 118/2021) v The Queen
Case number
SC 118/2021
Summary
Civil / Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
ORDER PROHIBITING PUBLICATION OF THE JUDGMENT OR 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
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Case name
Ford Tearikiwai Huka Taylor v The Queen
Case number
SC 121/2021
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
14 November 2021
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
FORD TEARIKIWAI HUKA TAYLOR v R [2021] NZSC 178 [14 December 2021] (PDF, 165 KB)
Case name
Penisimani Taakimoeaka v The Chief Executive of the Department of Corrections
Case number
SC 123/2021
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
10 December 2021
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
PENISIMANI TAAKIMOEAKA v CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS [2021] NZSC 175 [10 December 2021] (PDF, 176 KB)
Case name
Leonard Cave v The Queen
Case number
SC 124/2021
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B We make an 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 is permitted.
17 November 2021
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
LEONARD CAVE v R [2021] NZSC 159 [17 November 2021] (PDF, 41 KB)
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