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
Wayne Jones v The Queen
Case number
SC 13/2018
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the applicant’s appeal against conviction – Whether the persons called by the Crown to give evidence met the definition of “witness” in s 4 of the Evidence Act 2006 – Whether the trial Judge erred in allowing the Crown to call knowingly hostile witnesses.
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
10 May 2018
10 May 2018
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
WAYNE JONES v R [2018] NZSC 44 [10 May 2018] (PDF, 197 KB)
Case name
John William Ross v The Queen
Case number
SC 14/2018
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the appeal against conviction – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in its application of s 122 of the Evidence Act 2006.
Result
A The application for an extension of time is granted.
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
30 April 2018
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
30 April 2018
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
JOHN WILLIAM ROSS v R [2018] NZSC 38 [30 April 2018] (PDF, 229 KB)
Case name
Nobilangelo Ceramalus v Chief Executive of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and The Minister of Immigration
Case number
SC 15/2018
Summary
Civil Appeal – Immigration Act 2009 – Whether the High Court Judge erred in striking out the applicant’s application for review of Immigration New Zealand’s refusal to grant a visa.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed. B The applicant is to pay costs of $2,500 to the respondents. 27 March 2018
High Court decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Phillip John Smith v Attorney General
Case number
SC 17/2018
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that wearing a hairpiece does not constitute expression and therefore is not protected under s 14 of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990.
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
7 May 2018
7 May 2018
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Christopher Joseph O'Neill v Kit Toogood, Cecil Harding Croucher and Matt Amon
Case number
SC 19/2018
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether Court of Appeal erred in declining to recall its judgment refusing to grant the applicant extension of time to apply for leave to appeal to that Court.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant is to pay costs of $2,500 to the respondents.
17 April 2018
B The applicant is to pay costs of $2,500 to the respondents.
17 April 2018
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Jeremy James McGuire v The Secretary for Justice
Case number
SC 22/2018
Summary
Civil Appeal – Legal Services Act 2011 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in striking out the applicant’s application for judicial review – Whether a self-represented litigant who is a practising lawyer can receive a costs award.
Result
A Leave to appeal is granted (McGuire v The Secretary for Justice [2018] NZCA 37)
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal and allow the cross-appeal
12 June 2018
_______________________
A The appeal is dismissed.
B There is no order for costs.
27 November 2018
B The approved question is whether the Court of Appeal was correct to dismiss the appeal and allow the cross-appeal
12 June 2018
_______________________
A The appeal is dismissed.
B There is no order for costs.
27 November 2018
Transcripts
- Hearing date 1 August 2018 (PDF, 407 KB)
Media Releases
- MR [2018] NZSC 116 (PDF, 293 KB)
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave granted
Substantive judgment
Case name
Patty Tzu Chou Lin v Commissioner of Inland Revenue
Case number
SC 23/2018
Summary
Civil Appeal – Income Tax Act 2007 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that the applicant was not entitled to a tax credit against income tax liability for tax spared by China under New Zealand’ s Controlled Foreign Company tax regime.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
20 June 2018
B The applicant must pay the respondent costs of $2,500.
20 June 2018
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Case name
Rajendra Prasad v Indiana Publications (NZ) Limited, Arin Lal, Venkat Ram and Mahesh Parera
Case number
SC 24/2018
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in striking out the applicant’s claim for breach of copyright – Whether the Supreme Court should recall its decision to dismiss the application for leave to appeal.
Result
A The applications for recall and for an extension of time for leave to appeal are dismissed.
B There is no award of costs.
21 May 2018
B There is no award of costs.
21 May 2018
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Recall judgment
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
Desmond William Cook v Housing New Zealand Corporation
Case number
SC 27/2018
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B There is no award of costs.
8 May 2018
B There is no award of costs.
8 May 2018
High Court decision
Court of Appeal decision
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
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