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
Kamal Singh v The Queen
Case number
SC 153/2016
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Evidence Act 2006, s 44 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in its application of s 44. CA 197/2016  [2016] NZCA 552
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
24 March 2017
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
KAMAL SINGH v R [2017] NZSC 37 [24 March 2017] (PDF, 89 KB)
Judgment appealed from

SINGH v R [2016] NZCA 552   25 November 2016
Case name
Walter Fitikefu v The Queen
Case number
SC 2/2015
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether there has been a miscarriage of justice.[2014] NZCA 99  CA  356/2013
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed.
10 March 2015
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
WALTER FITIKEFU v R [2015] NZSC 22    10 March 2015 (PDF, 80 KB)
High Court decision
R V FITIKEFU HC AK CRI-2010-004-017106 5 July 2011
Judgment appealed from

 FITIKEFU v R CA356/2013 [2014] NZCA 99   27 March 2014
Case name
Trevor John Momo Wilson v The Queen
Case number
SC 4/2015
Summary
Criminal Appeal – “Red Devils” case – Whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal against conviction – Whether a stay should have been granted.   [2014] NZCA 584 CA   725/2012
Result
A  The application for leave to appeal is granted.
B  The approved questions are:Was R v Antonievic [2013] NZCA 483, [2013] 3 NZLR 806 correctly decided? And, if notDoes this warrant the quashing of the convictions?
26 May 2015
______________
Appeal allowed, convictions quashed. No order for a retrial.
14 December 2015
Transcripts
Media Releases
Leave judgment - leave granted
TREVOR JOHN MOMO WILSON v R [2015] NZSC 71 [26 May 2015] (PDF, 11 KB)
Substantive judgment
TREVOR JOHN MOMO WILSON v R [2015] NZSC 189 [14 December 2015] (PDF, 463 KB)
Case name
Rebel Waitohi v The Queen
Case number
SC 9/2015
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in concluding that the applicant’s sentence was not manifestly excessive.[2014] NZCA 614    CA 429/2014
Result
Application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
22 April 2015
High Court decision
R v WAITOHI [2014] NZHC 1018     15 May 2014
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
REBEL WAITOHI v R [2015] NZSC 43    22 April 2015 (PDF, 80 KB)
Judgment appealed from

WAITOHI v R CA429/2014 [2014] NZCA 614   15 December 2014
Case name
B v The Queen
Case number
SC 16/2015
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Criminal Procedure (Mentally Impaired Persons) Act 2003 – Whether District Court erred in ordering detention as special patient – Whether Court of Appeal erred in findings on instructions to trial counsel.[2014] NZCA 212    CA 627/2013
Result
A  An extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is granted.
B  The application for leave to appeal is dismissed. 15 May 2015
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
B v R [2015] NZSC 66    15 May 2015 (PDF, 77 KB)
Judgment appealed from

B v R [2014] NZCA 212 (White, Ronald Young and Simon France JJ) [B (CA)] not available
Case name
Rikki Leigh Scott-Ngatai-Check v The Queen
Case number
SC 18/2015
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether there has been a miscarriage of justice – Whether the Court of Appeal placed insufficient weight on the prejudicial effect of the expert’s opinion evidence. [2011] NZCA 543    CA 175/2011
Result
An extension of time to make the application for leave to appeal is granted but that application for leave to appeal is dismissed. 24 April 2015
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Rikki Leigh Scott Ngatai-Check v R [2015] NZSC 44   24 April 2015 (PDF, 88 KB)
Judgment appealed from

NGATAI-CHECK V R COA CA175/2011 27 October 2011
Case name
Jolene Keane v The Queen 
Case number
SC 33/2015
Summary
Criminal Appeal – whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the applicant’s appeal against conviction and sentence. [2015] NZCA 31 CA 446/2014
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed.
22 June 2015
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
JOLENE KEANE v R [2015] NZSC 87    22 June 2015 (PDF, 73 KB)
Judgment appealed from

KEANE v R CA446/2014 [2015] NZCA 31  27 February 2015
Case name
R v The Queen
Case number
SC 35/2015
Summary
Criminal Appeal – whether the Court of Appeal erred dismissing the applicant’s appeal against conviction.[2013] NZCA 542 CA 151/2013
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
24 February 2016
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
R (SC 35/2015) v R [2016] NZSC 16    24 February 2016 (PDF, 74 KB)
Judgment appealed from

R(CA151/2013) V R CA151/2013 [2013] NZCA 542    5 November 2013
Case name
Peter Bonfert v The Queen
Case number
SC 36/2015
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Appeal against conviction – Appeal against sentence – Whether factual findings by Court of Appeal correct.  [2012] NZCA 313  CA 26/2012: CA 124/2012
Result
The application for an extension of time to file an application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
25 May 2015
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
PETER BONFERT v R [2015] NZSC 69     25 May 2015 (PDF, 85 KB)
Judgment appealed from

BONFERT V R COA CA26/2012     18 July 2012
Case name
RSS  v The Queen 
Case number
SC 37/2015
Summary
Criminal Appeal – whether the Court of Appeal erred in failing to acquit the applicant. [2015] NZCA 4  CA 573/2014
Result
A  The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B  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 retrial.  Publication in law report or law digest permitted.
14 July 2015
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Not publicly available
Judgment appealed from
not available online
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