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.

22 September 2026

Case information summary (as at 18 September 2026) –  Cases where leave granted (PDF, 112 KB)
Case information summary (as at 18 September 2026)  – Currently unavailable

All years

Case name
Rosalie May Yozin v New Zealand Guardian Trust Company Limited, M B Yozin and N H Yozin-Smith
Case number
SC 12/2020
Summary
Civil Appeal - Application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The application for an extension of time is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay costs of $1,500 to each of the second and third respondents.
8 July 2020
High Court decision
YOZIN v NEW ZEALAND GUARDIAN TRUST COMPANY LIMITED [2018] NZHC 1390 [12 June 2018]
Court of Appeal decision
YOZIN v NEW ZEALAND GUARDIAN TRUST COMPANY LIMITED [2019] NZCA 202 [4 June 2019]
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
ROSALIE MAY YOZIN v NEW ZEALAND GUARDIAN TRUST COMPANY LIMITED [2020] NZSC 63 [8 July 2020] (PDF, 477 KB)
Case name
Michael Richard Smith v The Queen
Case number
SC 59/2020
Summary
Criminal Appeal - application for leave to bring an appeal
Result
A The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed.
B The application for bail is dismissed.
10 September 2020
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Not publicly available
Case name
Ernest Smith v The Queen
Case number
SC 66/2020
Summary
Criminal Appeal - application for leave to bring an appeal
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.
7 October 2020
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
SMITH v R [2016] NZCA 617 [16 December 2016]
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
ERNEST SMITH v R [2020] NZSC 106 [7 October 2020] (PDF, 53 KB)
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
High Court decision
SMITH v ATTORNEY-GENERAL [2017] NZHC 463 [16 March 2017]
Court of Appeal decision
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL v SMITH [2018] NZCA 24 [1 March 2018]
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
PHILLIP JOHN SMITH v ATTORNEY-GENERAL [2018] NZSC 40 [7 May 2018] (PDF, 201 KB)
Case name
Wayne William Smith v The Queen
Case number
SC 48/2018
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Evidence Act 2006, s 76 – Juror misconduct – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the applicant’ s application for an order to appoint a special counsel.
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
21 August 2018
District Court decision
Not publicly available
Court of Appeal decision
Smith v R [2018] NZCA 158 [18 May 2018]
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
WAYNE WILLIAM SMITH v R [2018] NZSC 77 [21 August 2018] (PDF, 41 KB)
Case name
Phillip John Smith v The New Zealand Parole Board
Case number
SC 67/2018
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether Court of Appeal Judge erred in upholding a Deputy-Registrar of that Court’s decision to refuse to dispense with security for costs.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B The applicant must pay costs of $2,500 to the respondent.                                            16 October 2018
High Court decision
SMITH v NEW ZEALAND PAROLE BOARD [2018] NZHC 955 [7 May 2018] 
Court of Appeal decision
SMITH v NEW ZEALAND PAROLE BOARD [2018] NZCA 295 [7 August 2018]
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
PHILLIP JOHN SMITH v NEW ZEALAND PAROLE BOARD [2018] NZSC 95 [16 October 2018] (PDF, 213 KB)
Case name
Graham D’Arcy-Smith v Natural Habitats Limited
Case number
SC 19/2016
Summary
Civil appeal – Whether the Employment Court erred in determining that the applicant was not an employee – Whether the Employment Court erred in not addressing a matter argued by the applicant.[2015] NZEmpC 123  ARC 57/14
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
The applicant must pay costs of $500 to the respondent.
28 April 2016
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
GRAHAM WILLIAM D'ARCY-SMITH v NATURAL HABITATS LIMITED [2016] NZSC 46    28 April 2016 (PDF, 109 KB)
Judgment appealed from
GRAHAM D'ARCY-SMITH v NATURAL HABITATS LIMITED NZEmpC AUCKLAND [2015] NZEmpC 123    28 July 2015
Case name
Alan Ivo Greer v Ray Smith and Jack Harrison
Case number
SC 80/2015
Summary
Civil Appeal – Habeus Corpus Act 2001 – Whether High Court correctly applied Habeus Corpus Act.   [2014] NZHC  326  CIV 2015-412-15
Result
Application for leave to appeal dismissed.
21 September 2015
____________________________________________
Application for recall is dismissed.
10 February 2016
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
ALAN GREER v RAY SMITH [2015] NZSC 136    21 September 2015 (PDF, 76 KB)
Additional document
ALAN IVO GREER v RAY SMITH [2015] NZSC 196 [18 December 2015] (PDF, 95 KB)
Recall judgment
ALAN IVO GREER v RAY SMITH [2016] NZSC 4     10 February 2016 (PDF, 75 KB)
Judgment appealed from 

GREER v SMITH & ANOR [2015] NZHC 326     2 March 2015
Case name
Francis Thomas Dooley v Raymond Bruce Smith and Mohammed Shahadat
Case number
SC 117/2013
Summary
[2013] NZCA 428   CA 233/2012
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
FRANCIS THOMAS DOOLEY v RAYMOND BRUCE SMITH [2013] NZSC 155 [20 December 2013] (PDF, 48 KB)
Dates

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.

Costs of $2,500 plus usual disbursements (to be set by the Registrar if necessary) are awarded to the first respondent.

20 December 2013. 

Case name
Philip John Smith v The Attorney-General
Case number
SC 71/2010
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal denied the appellant the right to a fair hearing on account of bias, hostility and predetermining the appellant’s recusal applications; whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding that evidence tendered at the High Court was admissible; whether psychological reports of the appellant were obtained in breached s 11 of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990.[2010]  NZCA 258  23 June 2010
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
PHILIP JOHN SMITH v THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL SC 71/2010 [8 September 2010] (PDF, 63 KB)
Dates

Application for leave to appeal dismissed.

8 September 2010
Page 2 of 3