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
Zane Edward Frankhouser v The King
Case number
SC 159/2025
Summary

Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal

District Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Case name
Rereamanu Ronaki-Wihapi v The King
Case number
SC 161/2025
Summary

Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal

High Court decision
Case name
Mohi Francis Mateparae v The King
Case number
SC 163/2025
Summary

Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal

District Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Case name
Peter Wiari v The King
Case number
SC 165/2025
Summary

Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal

District Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Case name
Shane Romek Beecham v The King
Case number
SC 168/2025
Summary

Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal

District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Case name
Te Puawaitanga Tawha v The King
Case number
SC 169/2025
Summary

Criminal appeal - application for leave to bring an appeal

District Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Case name
Graeme Lemanquis Lidgard v The King
Case number
SC 171/2025
Summary

Criminal appeal - application for leave to bring an appeal

District Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Case name
H (SC 1/2024) v The King
Case number
SC 1/2024
Summary

Criminal Appeal

Result

A The application for leave to appeal by H is granted ([H] v R [2023] NZCA 633).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeals in both CA169/2023 and CA170/2023.
C We make an interim order continuing suppression of the applicant’s name, address, occupation and identifying particulars pending further order of this Court.
15 April 2024
_____________________________________________________________

A The appeal against conviction is allowed and a discharge without conviction is substituted.
B We make an order prohibiting publication of the name, address, occupation and identifying particulars of the appellant.                                                  
10 June 2025

Date of hearing
19 August 2024
Judges
Glazebrook, Ellen France, Williams, Kós and Miller JJ | Venue: Auckland High Court Courtroom 11
Case Synopses
Media Releases
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave granted
Substantive judgment
Case name
B (SC 6/2024) v The King
Case number
SC 6/2024
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.
2 May 2024
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Nickolas Kelvin Wright v The King
Case number
SC 7/2024
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A An extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is granted.
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
8 May 2024
District Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed