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
Kiriwai Tahau v NZ Police
Case number
SC 84/2025
Summary

Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to appeal
Result

The applications leave to appeal are dismissed.
16 October 2025
High Court decision
POLICE v PIRIPI, TAHAU, KEEPA [2024] NZHC 2596 [10 September 2024]
Court of Appeal decision
TAHAU v NEW ZEALAND POLICE [2025] NZCA 278 [26 June 2025]
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
KEEPA v NZ POLICE AND TAHAU v NZ POLICE [2025] NZSC 139 [16 October 2025] (PDF, 157 KB)
Case name
Jimmy Rex Parker v New Zealand Police
Case number
SC 85/2025
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.
16 October 2025
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
PARKER v NZ POLICE [2025] NZSC 142 [16 October 2025] (PDF, 143 KB)
Case name
Tyson-Tainui Rukuwai Te Tomo v The King
Case number
SC 86/2025
Summary

Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result

The application leave to appeal is dismissed.
16 October 2025
High Court decision
R v TE TOMO [2015] NZHC 2671 [30 October 2015]
Court of Appeal decision
[2025] NZCA 295
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
TE TOMO v R [2025] NZSC 143 [16 October 2025] (PDF, 169 KB)
Case name
Joshua Peter Whitham v The King
Case number
SC 87/2025
Summary

Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed. 
11 November 2025
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
WHITHAM v R [2025] NZSC 155 [11 November 2025] (PDF, 171 KB)
Case name
Chin Kok Soon v The King
Case number
SC 89/2025
Summary

Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal 
Result

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed. 
21 November 2025
High Court decision
[2024] NZHC 3393
Court of Appeal decision
[2025] NZCA 350
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
CHIN KOK SOON v R [2025] NZSC 174 [21 November 2025] (PDF, 175 KB)
Case name
Michael John Topp v The King
Case number
SC 91/2025
Summary

Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
17 November 2025
High Court decision
R v TOPP [2024] NZHC 1958 [16 July 2024]
Court of Appeal decision
[2025] NZCA 348
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
TOPP v R [2025] NZSC 164 [17 November 2025] (PDF, 218 KB)
Case name
Kukanenthiran Kandaiah v The King
Case number
SC 93/2025
Summary

Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
25 November 2025
District Court decision
[2024] NZDC 8854
Court of Appeal decision
[2025] NZCA 359
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
KANDAIAH v R [2025] NZSC 166 [25 November 2025] (PDF, 219 KB)
Case name
X (SC 94/2025) v R
Case number
SC 94/2025
Summary

Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
25 November 2025
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
X (CA738/2024) v R [2025] NZCA 351 [23 July 2025
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
X (SC 94/2025) v R [2025] NZSC 175 [25 November 2025] (PDF, 170 KB)
Case name
F (SC 98/2025) v The King
Case number
SC 98/2025
Summary

Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
F (CA126/2025) v R [2025] NZCA 385 [4 August 2025]
Case name
Krishnan Naidu v The King
Case number
SC 102/2025
Summary

Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
[2025] NZCA 452
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