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.

17 August 2026

Case information summary (as at 17 August 2026) –  Cases where leave granted (PDF, 87 KB)
Case information summary (as at 17 August 2026)  – Cases where leave to appeal decision not yet made (PDF, 128 KB) 

All years

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
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
TAYLOR v R SC 5/2009 [15 May 2009] (PDF, 15 KB)
Judgment appealed from

The Queen v Taylor [2008] NZCA 558 17 December 2008
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

The Queen v Chatha [2008] NZCA 547 (10 December 2008)
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
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
THOMAS v R SC 11/2009 [7 April 2009] (PDF, 16 KB)
Judgment appealed from

R V GREEN AND ANOR CA CA77/2008 8 September 2008
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
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
TURAKI v R SC 12/2009 [9 March 2009]  (PDF, 15 KB)
Judgment appealed from

The Queen v Turaki [2008] NZCA 543 (9 December 2008)
Case name
Wallace Leslie Waugh v The Queen 
Case number
SC 15/2009
Summary
Criminal – whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that the Court had jurisdiction to try the applicants – whether the Court of Appeal was wrong to find that the applicants had sold and advertised medicines in breach of the Medicines Act 1981 by using the internet.[2008] NZCA 563  CA 19/2008 18  December 2008
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed.
30 April 2009
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
WAUGH v R SC 15/2009 [30 April 2009] (PDF, 15 KB)
Case name
Ink Media Limited v The Queen
Case number
SC 16/2009
Summary
Criminal – whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that the Court had jurisdiction to try the applicants – whether the Court of Appeal was wrong to find that the applicants had sold and advertised medicines in breach of the Medicines Act 1981 by using the internet.[2008] NZCA 563  CA 18/2008 18  December 2008
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed.
30 April 2009
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
WAUGH v R SC 15/2009 [30 April 2009]  (PDF, 15 KB)
Case name
Edin Bozz Boskovic  v The Queen
Case number
SC 20/2009
Summary
Criminal – Sexual violation by rape – Appeal against conviction - Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that the alleged incompetence of trial counsel did not cause a miscarriage of justice – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding that the trial Judge’s ruling on alibi evidence was correct.CA 33/2006  12 December 2006
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed.
3 June 2009
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
BOSKOVIC v R SC 20/2009 [3 June 2009]  (PDF, 12 KB)
Judgment appealed from

R v Boskovic CA33/06 [2006] NZCA 519 (12 December 2006)
Case name
Aaron Mark Wi v The Queen
Case number
SC 28/2009
Summary
Criminal – Appeal against convictions for wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and assault with intent to injure – Substantial miscarriage of justice – Whether appellant unfairly prejudiced by trial Judge’s ruling precluding appellant from adducing evidence of lack of convictions for violent offending.[2009] NZCA 81  CA 586/2008
Result
Application for leave to appeal granted.
7 May 2009
_____________________
Appeal dismissed.
27 November 2009
Media Releases
Leave judgment - leave granted
AARON MARK WI v R SC 28/2009 [7 May 2009] (PDF, 12 KB)
Substantive judgment
WI v R SC 28/2009 [27 November 2009] (PDF, 147 KB)
 Transcript

Hearing date : 18 August 2009

Elias CJ, Blanchard, Tipping, McGrath and Wilson JJ.
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