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 July 2026

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

All years

Case name
Lee Kalso Peri Thompson v The Queen
Case number
SC 90/2019
Summary
Criminal Appeal - Application for leave to bring a pre-trial appeal
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B Order prohibiting publication of the judgment and any part of the proceedings (including the result) in news media or on the internet or other publicly available database until final disposition of the trial. Publication in a law report or law digest permitted.
23 October 2019
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
LEE KALSO PERI THOMPSON v R [2019] NZSC 116 [23 October 2019] (PDF, 50 KB)
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
High Court decision
BIRD & ORS v BIRD [2017] NZHC 1612 [12 July 2017]
Court of Appeal decision
GEOFFREY JAMES BIRD v THE NEW ZEALAND GUARDIAN TRUST COMPANY LIMITED [2017] NZCA 627 [21 December 2017]
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
GEOFFREY JAMES BIRD v THE NEW ZEALAND GUARDIAN TRUST COMPANY LIMITED [2018] NZSC 9 [8 February 2018] (PDF, 204 KB)
Case name
William George Graham Cameron Cleary v Ewart & Ewart
Case number
SC 9/2018
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether Court of Appeal erred in upholding the High Court’s dismissal of the applicant’s claim against his lawyer for negligence and breach of fiduciary duty.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant is to pay costs of $2,500 to the respondent.                           
12 April 2018
High Court decision
CLEARY v EWART & EWART [2017] NZHC 39 [27 January 2017]
Court of Appeal decision
CLEARY v EWART & EWART [2017] NZCA 620 [20 December 2017]
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
CLEARY v EWART & EWART [2018] NZSC 28 [12 April 2018] (PDF, 206 KB)
Case name
Jiri Kupec v The Queen
Case number
SC 92/2018
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding that the trial Judge correctly applied the formulation of recklessness adopted in Cameron v R [2017] NZSC 89 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that the trial Judge was correct to dismiss a defence submission that, if the applicant proved an innocent state of mind, an acquittal should follow – Whether the Court of Appeal was wrong to find that the trial Judge’ s direction on the applicant’s out of court statement was adequate.
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
22 November 2018
Court of Appeal decision
KUPEC v R [2018] NZCA 377 [19 September 2018]
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
JIRI KUPEC v R [2018] NZSC 113 [22 November 2018] (PDF, 41 KB)
Case name
Hyun Su Park v Joong Song Kwak and Hye Sook Kwak, Andrew J Steele and Jarred Scott, Tim J Rainey and Jonathan Wood
Case number
SC 7/2017
Summary
Civil Appeal – Weathertight Homes Resolution Services Act 2006, ss 93 and 95 – Whether the High Court and Court of Appeal erred in their approach to a second appeal under the Weathertight Homes Resolution Services Act.
Result
A The application is dismissed for want of jurisdiction.
B Costs of $2,500 are awarded to the third respondents.                
9 February 2017
High Court decision
KWAK & ANOR v PARK [2016] NZHC 530    24 March 2016
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
HYUN SU PARK v JOONG SONG KWAK AND HYE SOOK KWAK [2017] NZSC 2  9 February 2017 (PDF, 77 KB)
Judgment appealed from

PARK v KWAK & ANOR [2016] NZCA 574   8 December 2016 not available online  _
Case name
Earl Raymond Hagaman v Andrew James Little
Case number
SC 53/2017
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the High Court erred in holding that the respondent was entitled to claim the defence of qualified privilege in relation to allegedly defamatory statements made by him about the applicant – Whether exceptional circumstances exist warranting a direct appeal to the Supreme Court.  
Result

A notice of abandonment having been lodged, the appeal is deemed to be dismissed.                                                                                                                 

12 June 2017
Judgment appealed from -HC judgment
HAGAMAN AND HAGAMAN v LITTLE [2017] NZHC 813  28 April 2017
Case name
Stuart Walton Herron v Wayne Andrew Wallace and Belmont Lifestyle Village Limited
Case number
SC 98/2017
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that the respondent was entitled to a reduction in debt in respect of the sale and purchase
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B Costs of $2,500 are awarded to the respondents.
High Court decision
Herron v Wallace [2016] NZHC 1129 [27 May 2016]
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
STUART WALTON HERRON v WAYNE ANDREW WALLACE [2017] NZSC 174 [22 November 2017] (PDF, 192 KB)
Judgment appealed from

WALLACE & ANOR v HERRON [2017] NZCA 346 [14 August 2017]
Case name
Graeme Andrew Joblin v The Queen
Case number
SC 110/2017
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Appeal against conviction – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding there was no miscarriage of justice at trial.
Result
A The application for an extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is granted.
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
19 December 2017
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
GRAEME ANDREW JOBLIN v R [2017] NZSC 192 [19 December 2017] (PDF, 221 KB)
Judgment appealed from

JOBLIN V R [2016] NZCA 287 [27 June 2016]
Case name
Earl Raymond Hagaman v Andrew James Little
Case number
SC 121/2017
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the appeal on the basis that the proceeding abates with the death of Mr Hagaman.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The personal representatives of Mr Hagaman must pay costs of $2,500 to the respondent.
13 February 2018
High Court decision
HAGAMAN AND HAGAMAN v LITTLE [2017] NZHC 813 [28 April 2017]
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
EARL RAYMOND HAGAMAN v ANDREW JAMES LITTLE [2018] NZSC 13 [13 February 2018] (PDF, 206 KB)
Judgment appealed from

HAGAMAN v LITTLE [2017] NZCA 447 [2 November 2017]
Case name
Steven Philip Mason and Katharine Mary Mason v Andrew Hamilton Magee and Sharon Lee Magee
Case number
SC 128/2017
Summary
Civil Appeal – Contractual Remedies Act 1979, s 6 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that there was no misrepresentation.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicants are to pay the respondents costs of $2,500.
9th February 2018
High Court decision
MASON v MAGEE [2017] NZHC 51 [31 January 2017]
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
MASON v MAGEE [2018] NZSC 11 [9 February 2018] (PDF, 215 KB)
Court of Appeal decision

MAGEE & ORS v MASON & ORS [2017] NZCA 502 [8 November 2017]
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