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
Akuhatua Tihi v The Queen
Case number
SC 66/2017
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing an appeal against conviction for murder – Whether there was a breach of s 32 of the Evidence Act 2006 leading to a miscarriage of justice.
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
21 September 2017
21 September 2017
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Stanley Allen Gilmour v Chief Exectuive of the Department of Corrections
Case number
SC 69/2017
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Parole Act 2002, s 43(1)(c) – Parole Assessment Reports – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in its interpretation of s 43(1)(c).
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
B The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Recall judgment
Judgment appealed from
Case name
W v The Queen
Case number
SC 71/2017
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding that the trial Judge’s directions as to belief in consent were adequate – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding that the youth discount applied to the applicant’s sentencing was sufficient
Result
A An extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is granted.
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
6 October 2017
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
6 October 2017
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
W (SC 71/2017) v R [2017] NZSC 154 [6 October 2017] (PDF, 45 KB)
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Musab Hamdi v The Queen
Case number
SC 72/2017
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Evidence Act 2006, s 32 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding that the trial Judge’s references in summing-up remedied the prosecutor’s breach of s 32 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding there was no trial counsel error creating a miscarriage of justice at the applicant’s trial
Result
A The application for an extension of time is granted.
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
MUSAB HAMDI v R [2017] NZSC 134 [5 September 2017] (PDF, 89 KB)
Judgment appealed from
Case name
C v The Queen
Case number
SC 75/2017
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Evidence Act 2006, s 44 – Whether Court of Appeal erred in upholding a pre-trial ruling that evidence of sexual experience was not admissible.
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Zhitong Li v The Queen
Case number
SC 77/2017
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding that the jury’s verdict at the applicant’s trial was not unreasonable – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding that the trial Judge did not need to give a specific direction on drawing inferences.
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
ZHITONG LI v R [2017] NZSC 148 [4 October 2017] (PDF, 32 KB)
Judgment appealed from
Case name
A v The Queen
Case number
SC 80/2017
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Appeal against conviction – New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990, s 25 – Criminal Procedure Act 2011, s 232 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding there was no miscarriage of justice.
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed. 6 September 2017
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Graham Thomas Rowe v The Queen
Case number
SC 86/2017
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Appeal against conviction – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the appeal against conviction.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is granted (Rowe v R [2017] NZCA 316).
B The approved question is whether Mr Rowe should have been convicted.
12 October 2017
___________________
A The appeal is allowed. The appellant’s conviction is quashed.
B There is no order for retrial.
21 June 2018
B The approved question is whether Mr Rowe should have been convicted.
12 October 2017
___________________
A The appeal is allowed. The appellant’s conviction is quashed.
B There is no order for retrial.
21 June 2018
Transcripts
- Hearing date 20 February 2018 (PDF, 485 KB)
Media Releases
- MR [2018] NZSC 55 (PDF, 364 KB)
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
Substantive judgment
GRAHAM THOMAS ROWE v R [2018] NZSC 55 [21 June 2018] (PDF, 394 KB)
Case name
Warren Charles Te Hei v The Queen
Case number
SC 87/2017
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the applicant’s appeal against conviction – Whether Court of Appeal erred in holding that the trial Judge’s directions about identification evidence were adequate.
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Sione (John) Uaine Moala v The Queen
Case number
SC 89/2017
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the claimed failure of trial counsel and counsel in the Court of Appeal to pursue certain arguments amounts to a miscarriage of justice.
Result
Leave is granted for application for leave to appeal to be withdrawn without prejudice to the applicants entitlement to re-apply later. 5 February 2018
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Judgment appealed from
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