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.
3 July 2026
Case information summary (as at 3 July 2026) – Cases where leave granted (PDF, 88 KB)
Case information summary (as at 3 July 2026) – Cases where leave to appeal decision not yet made (PDF, 127 KB)
All years
Case name
Colyn David Stoves v The Queen
Case number
SC 44/2005
Summary
Criminal appeal - whether the Court of Appeal erred in failing to give sufficient weight to the delay between conviction and sentencing in assessing the applicant’s appeal against sentence - whether the Court of Appeal wrongly concluded that the Crown was not obliged to make an application under s 344A of the Crimes Act when advised that the admissibility of certain evidence was to be challenged by the applicant . CA 457/04 24 May 2005
Result
Leave to appeal dismissed. 22 September 2005
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
STOVES V R SC 44/2005 [22 September 2005] (PDF, 15 KB)
Judgment appealed from
Case name
L v The Queen
Case number
SC 49/2005
Summary
Criminal appeal against conviction - appellant convicted of sexual violation and attempted sexual violation - whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that the trial Judge did not misdirect the jury - whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding the verdicts were capable of being supported by the evidence – whether the Court of Appeal erred in the standard required for an attempt.
CA 115/05 18 July 2005
Result
Leave to appeal granted
7 October 2005
Leave judgment - leave granted
Judgment appealed from
Transcript
Case name
John Patrick Round v The Queen
Case number
SC 59/2005
Summary
Criminal - whether counsel's alleged failures in cross-examination of the complainant, and not forcefully advising the applicant to give evidence led to a real risk of an unsafe verdict. CA 125/05 29 August 2005
Result
Leave to appeal dismissed. 24 November 2005
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
ROUND v R SC 59/2005 [24 November 2005] (PDF, 15 KB)
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Brett Lionel Allison v The Queen
Case number
SC 63/2005
Summary
Criminal law - whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding that the High Court judge’s finding (that the Crown had proved beyond a reasonable doubt that certain cash was the proceeds of a serious offence or offences) was supported by the evidence - requirements of s257A(2) Crimes Act 1961.CA 20/05 15 August 2005
Result
Leave to appeal dismissed. 16 December 2005
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
ALLISON V R SC 63/2005 [16 December 2005] (PDF, 15 KB)
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Devanand Solanki v The Queen
Case number
SC 65/2005
Summary
Criminal law - “ assault on a child - whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding that the evidence of the complainant's mother was undisputed - “ trial Judge indicated that a mere touching of the complainant might constitute an assault, and that the jury would have to be so informed.CA 106/05 6 September 2005
Result
Leave to appeal refused. 22 November 2005
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
SOLANKI V R SC 65/2005 [22 November 2005] (PDF, 15 KB)
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Swetman and Westham Holdings Limited v Globe Holdings Limited
Case number
SC 69/2005
Summary
Civil appeal - summary judgment - sale and purchase of land - whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding that s225(1) of the Resource Management Act did not apply - whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that the Appellants' failure to settle constituted a breach - whether the Court of Appeal erred in refusing to acept new evidence - whether the Court of Appeal misdirected itself as to the applicable principles of law.CA 81/05 17 October 2005
Result
Leave to appeal dismissed. 27 March 2006
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Malcom Alan Francis v The Queen
Case number
SC 70/2005
Summary
Criminal Law - alleged counsel error - whether the accused’s failure to give evidence at trial led to a miscarriage of justice - whether the admission of certain evidence at trial led to a miscarriage of justice.CA 186/03 7 July 2004
Result
Leave to appeal dismissed. 13 February 2006
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
FRANCIS V R SC 70/2005 13 February 2006 (PDF, 11 KB)
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Phillip Edward Crooks v R
Case number
SC 74/2005
Summary
Criminal law - inducing and indecent act and indecent assault on a girl under 14 years - whether Court of Appeal judgment factually flawed - whether Court of Appeal finding that evidence of grooming complainant a "highly relevant aggravating feature" unreasonable having regard to the evidence (s24 Sentencing Act 2002).CA 157/05 17 November 2005
Result
Leave to appeal dismissed. 20 March 2006
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
CROOKS V R SC 74/2005 [20 March 2006] (PDF, 15 KB)
Case name
Governors Ltd & Stephen Kevin Chamberlain v George Albert Anderson and others
Case number
SC 75/2005
Summary
Civil - business premises unlawfully re-entered by landlord - whether damages correctly assessed - whether Court of Appeal properly dismissed an application to produce further evidence, without allowing the applicants to be heardCA 94/04 19 December 2005
Result
Leave to appeal dismissed. 5 April 2006
Recall judgment
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Case name
Ponifasio Ioane v Waitakere City Council.
Case number
SC CIV 17/2004
Summary
Employment law - Whether the employee's own conduct was causative of his dismissal - Whether the Employment Court was obliged under the Employment Contracts Act 1991 to reduce the damages awarded to the employee - Whether the employee was unduly prejudiced by the Employment Court's failure to explicitly state that medical evidence could be adduced at a resumed hearing. CA 21/03 9 September 2004
Result
Leave to appeal dismissed. 3 December 2004
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Judgment appealed from
Page 45 of 46