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.
19 June 2026
Case information summary (as at 19 June 2026) – Cases where leave granted (PDF, 89 KB)
Case information summary (as at 19 June 2026) – Cases where leave to appeal decision not yet made (PDF, 126 KB)
All years
Case name
David Edward Thomas v Ian Allen Thompson
Case number
SC 121/2019
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay costs of $2,500 to the respondent.
19 February 2020
B The applicant must pay costs of $2,500 to the respondent.
19 February 2020
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
David Stanley Tranter v Chief Executive of the Department of Corrections
Case number
SC 126/2019
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the High Court was correct to refuse the applicant’s claim for habeas corpus.
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
19 December 2019
19 December 2019
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Geoffrey James Bird v The New Zealand Guardian Trust Company, Philip Anthony Bird, David Andrew Bird and Allen Roger Bird
Case number
SC 1/2018
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the High Court erred in removing the applicant as executor and trustee – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing an application for review of the Deputy Registrar’s decision not to dispense with security for costs.
Result
A The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.
B The applicant is to pay costs of $2,500 to the second, third and fourth respondents. 8 February 2018
B The applicant is to pay costs of $2,500 to the second, third and fourth respondents. 8 February 2018
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Jinyue Young and Hsiang-Fen Ying v Zie Zhang
Case number
SC 4/2018
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the applicant’s appeal to set aside the consent order – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the appellant’s appeal against finding of contempt.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed. B No order as to costs. 28 March 2018
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Gregory David Waters v The Queen
Case number
SC 26/2018
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the trial Judge’s failure to sum up the evidence caused a miscarriage of justice – Whether the trial Judge’ s failure to direct the jury under s 32 of the Evidence Act caused prejudice –Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the appeal against conviction
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed
5 June 2018
5 June 2018
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
GREGORY DAVID WATERS v R [2018] NZSC 49 [5 June 2018] (PDF, 194 KB)
Case name
David Raymond Lewis v Chief Executive of the Department of Corrections
Case number
SC 31/2018
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the applicant’s appeal against an extended supervision order made in the District Court.
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
13 June 2018
13 June 2018
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Mark Robert Sandman v Colin Charles McKay, Roger David Cann and David John Clark
Case number
SC 35/2018
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in granting summary judgment to the respondents on the cause of action against them.
Result
A Leave to appeal is granted (McKay v Sandman [2018] NZCA 103, [2018] NZAR 707).
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal erred in granting summary judgment to the respondents on the cause of action against them.
7 August 2018
________________________
A The appeal is dismissed.
B Costs of $25,000 plus usual disbursements are awarded to the respondents.
16 April 2019
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal erred in granting summary judgment to the respondents on the cause of action against them.
7 August 2018
________________________
A The appeal is dismissed.
B Costs of $25,000 plus usual disbursements are awarded to the respondents.
16 April 2019
Transcripts
- Hearing date 12 November 2018 (PDF, 568 KB)
Media Releases
- MR [2019] NZSC 55 (PDF, 286 KB)
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
Case name
Yusuke (David) Sena v The Queen
Case number
SC 60/2018
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Criminal Procedure Act 2011, s 232(2)(b) – Judge-alone trial –Whether the High Court Judge applied the right standard of review to the applicant’s appeal against conviction.
Result
A Leave to appeal direct to this Court, against the High Court’s judgment (Sena v New Zealand Police [2017] NZHC 2319), is granted.
B The approved ground of appeal is whether the High Court was correct to dismiss Mr Sena’s appeal against conviction brought under s 232(2)(b) of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011.
10 October 2018
__________________________________________________________
A The appeal is allowed.
B The convictions of the appellant are quashed.
C We direct a new trial.
24 May 2019
B The approved ground of appeal is whether the High Court was correct to dismiss Mr Sena’s appeal against conviction brought under s 232(2)(b) of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011.
10 October 2018
__________________________________________________________
A The appeal is allowed.
B The convictions of the appellant are quashed.
C We direct a new trial.
24 May 2019
Transcripts
- Hearing date 13 February 2019 (PDF, 447 KB)
Media Releases
- MR [2019] NZSC 55 (PDF, 286 KB)
District Court decision
Not publicly available
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave granted
Substantive judgment
Case name
David Keith Silby v New Zealand Police
Case number
SC 6/2017
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Criminal Procedure Act 2011, s 237 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in declining leave to bring a second appeal against conviction and sentence in respect of offences under the Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004.
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed. 7 April 2017
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Nicholas David Wright v Vijay Bhosale and Attorney-General
Case number
SC 8/2017
Summary
Civil Appeal – New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990, ss 21, 23 and 24(a) –Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding there was no breach of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in its assessment of the intention required to obtain exemplary damages.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant is to pay costs of $2,500 to the second respondent. 9 May 2017
B The applicant is to pay costs of $2,500 to the second respondent. 9 May 2017
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
High Court decision
Judgment appealed from
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