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
Christopher Ian Freakley v The Queen
Case number
SC 126/2010
Summary
Criminal Appeal – appeal against sentence – whether the sentencing judge should have taken into account the fact the applicant was found not guilty on a count of aggravated robbery.[2010] NZCA 497 CA 26/2010 29 October 2010
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
FREAKLEY v R SC 126/2010 [7 March 2011] (PDF, 45 KB)
Dates
Application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
7 March 2011.
Case name
TWI and others v The Queen
Case number
SC 128/2010 ; 129/2010; 130/2010; 131/2010; 132/2010; 133/2010/ 135/2010; 138/2010; 139/2010
Summary
Criminal – Summary Proceedings Act 1957 – validity and scope of search warrants – whether the Court of Appeal erred in upholding the validity of search warrants issued under s 198 of the Summary Proceedings Act 1957; whether the Court of Appeal erred in concluding that s 198 of the Summary Proceedings Act can be used to authorise surveillance on private land – New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 – unreasonable search and seizure – whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding that the police in this case did not breach s 21 of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 – Evidence Act 2006 – admissibility of evidence – whether the Court of Appeal erred in its undertaking of the s 30 balancing exercise and in concluding that the evidence in dispute was admissible at trial[2010] NZCA 497 CA 809/2009 19 November 2010
Result
A The appeals of Mr Tame Iti, Mr Te Rangiwhiria Kemara, Mr Urs Signer and Ms Emily Bailey are dismissed. B The appeals of the other appellants are allowed in part. The video surveillance evidence (other than footage of vehicles on Reid Road) is inadmissible against those appellants. All the other disputed evidence is admissible against them.
2 September 2011.
2 September 2011.
Leave judgment - leave granted
Supreme court decision
HAMED v R SC 125/2010 [2 September 2011] (PDF, 551 KB)
Dates
The application for leave to appeal is granted.
The approved grounds are whether the challenged evidence was lawfully obtained under s 198 of the Summary Proceedings Act 1957 or was, alternatively, properly admissible pursuant to s 30 of the Evidence Act 2006.
25 March 2011
Hearing
3 and 4 May 2011
Elias CJ, Blanchard, Tipping, McGrath, Gault JJ.
Case name
NJW v The Queen
Case number
SC 137/2010
Summary
Criminal – Sexual Offences – Whether evidence of complainant’ s sexual history directly relevant and excluded contrary to the interests of justice at trial – Whether sentence imposed by Court of Appeal excessive in the circumstances.[2010] NZCA 561 CA 247/2010 29 November 2010
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
W v R SC 137/2010 [8 March 2011 (PDF, 10 KB)
Dates
Application for leave to appeal dismissed.
8 March 2011.
Case name
JMW v The Queen
Case number
SC 141/2010
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Proposed “leap frog” appeal – Whether jurisdiction exists to hear proposed appeal – Whether challenges based on jurisdiction of the High Court, due process, alleged abuses of rights, accuracy of documents and sufficiency of evidence ought to be upheld. Cri 2010 092 2879 Brewer J 11 October 2010
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Not publicly available
Dates
Application for leave to appeal dismissed.
7 March 2011.
Case name
Arthur William Taylor v The Queen
Case number
SC 5/2009
Summary
Criminal Appeal – kidnapping and escaping from lawful custody – appeal against conviction and sentence – whether a plea of previous acquittal was available to the applicant at his trial – whether the Court of Appeal was correct to hold that whether the applicant was in lawful custody was an issue for the judge – whether the sentence was excessive [2008] NZCA 558 CA 61/2008 17 December 2008
Result
Application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
15 May 2009
15 May 2009
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
TAYLOR v R SC 5/2009 [15 May 2009] (PDF, 15 KB)
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Arshad Mahmood Chatha v The Queen
Case number
SC 8/2009
Summary
Criminal – Appeal against conviction and sentence – Whether Court of Appeal erred in concluding sentence not manifestly excessive and/or wrong in principle – Sentencing Act 2002, s 30 – Whether Court of Appeal erred in finding requirements of s 30 satisfied – Appeal against two recusal judgments – New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990, s 25(a) – Whether Court of Appeal erred in dismissing application for Judge’ s recusal.[2008] NZCA 427 CA 685/2007 10 December 2008
Result
Application for leave to amend the grounds of appeal is dismissed. Application for leave to appeal is dismissed. 24 March 2009
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
CHATHA v R SC 8/2009 [24 March 2009] (PDF, 19 KB)
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Michael Joseph Cavanagh v The Queen
Case number
SC 9/2009
Summary
Criminal appeal – application for an extension of time for appeal – convictions for offences relating to the supply of methamphtamine – forfeiture orders were made under s 15(1) Proceeds of Crime Act for a range of property – appeal on forfeiture orders made out of time – whether delay due to conduct of counsel – whether leave to appeal out of time should be granted[2008] NZCA 579 CA 57/2008 22 December 2008
Result
Notice of abandonment being lodged, the appeal is deemed to be dismissed. 23 March 2009
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Shannon Kay Stevens v Solicitor-General
Case number
SC 10/2009
Summary
Criminal appeal – application for an extension of time for appeal – convictions for offences relating to the supply of methamphtamine – forfeiture orders were made under s 15(1) Proceeds of Crime Act for a range of property – appeal on forfeiture orders made out of time – whether delay due to conduct of counsel – whether leave to appeal out of time should be granted[2008] NZCA 579 CA 325/2008 22 December 2008
Result
Notice of abandonment being lodged, the appeal is deemed to be dismissed.
23 March 2009
23 March 2009
Case name
Alana Glenys-May Thomas v The Queen
Case number
SC 11/2009
Summary
Criminal – Appeal from decision of the Court of Appeal allowing the admission of certain evidence at trial – Police executing a search warrant obtained the evidence through a search of an apartment – Applicant pleaded guilty to variety of drug-related offences – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that the police search warrant was lawful and the evidence lawfully and properly obtained – Whether the Court of Appeal should have given greater weight to the breach of s 198 of the Summary Proceedings Act 1957 in determining whether the evidence should have been admitted.[2008] NZCA 4352 CA 81/2008 8 September 2008
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed.
7 April 2009
7 April 2009
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
THOMAS v R SC 11/2009 [7 April 2009] (PDF, 16 KB)
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Te Ingoa Turaki v The Queen
Case number
SC 12/2009
Summary
Criminal - Whether trial judge erred in summing up to jury by not properly putting the appellant’s principal defence “lack of murderous intent” adequately before the jury – Whether failure to sum up amounted to a miscarriage of justice.{2008] NZCA 543 CA 669/2007 10 December 2008
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed.
9 March 2009
9 March 2009
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
TURAKI v R SC 12/2009 [9 March 2009] (PDF, 15 KB)
Judgment appealed from
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