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
L v W
Case number
SC 31/2017
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Supreme Court has jurisdiction to hear an appeal by a complainant in a criminal matter – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in its analysis of the complainant’s credibility.
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
21 June 2017
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
L (SC 31/2017) v R [2017] NZSC 94   21 June 2017 (PDF, 79 KB)
Judgment appealed from

W (CA731/2015) v R [2017] NZCA 73 not electronically available __
Case name
W v The Queen 
Case number
SC 71/2017
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding that the trial Judge’s directions as to belief in consent were adequate – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in holding that the youth discount applied to the applicant’s sentencing was sufficient
Result
A An extension of time to apply for leave to appeal is granted.
B The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
6 October 2017
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
W (SC 71/2017) v R [2017] NZSC 154 [6 October 2017] (PDF, 45 KB)
Judgment appealed from

W(CA378/2016) v R [2017] NZCA 235   6 June 2017
Case name
W v The Queen
Case number
SC 74/2017
Summary
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 trial. Publication in law report or law digest permitted.
Result
not publicly available
High Court decision
Not publicly available
Judgment appealed from

W (CA378/2016) v R [2017] NZCA 235    6 June 2017
Case name
W V The Family Court at North Shore and The Chief Executive o the Ministry of Vulnerable Children
Case number
SC 120/2017
Summary
Civil Appeal – Court of Appeal (Civil) Rules 2005 – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in declining an application for extension of time.
Result
A The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.
B Costs of $2,500 are awarded to the second respondent.
8th February 2018
High Court decision
W v THE FAMILY COURT AT NORTH SHORE [2014] NZHC 2483 [9 October 2014]
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
W (SC 120/2017) v THE FAMILY COURT AT NORTH SHORE [2018] NZSC 10 [8 February 2018] (PDF, 210 KB)
Court of Appeal decision

W (CA317/2017) V THE FAMILY COURT AT NORTH SHORE [2017] NZCA 481 [20 October 2017]
Case name
W v The Queen 
Case number
SC 9/2016
Summary
Criminal Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the applicant’s appeal against sentence.[2011] NZCA 135  CA 591/2010
Result
A   An extension of time is granted.                                          
B  The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.  
2 May 2016
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
IVAN JAMES WILSON v R [2016] NZSC 47     2 May 2016 (PDF, 78 KB)
Judgment appealed from

W (CA378/2016) v R [2017] NZCA 235 6 June 2017
Case name
X v W and The Queen
Case number
SC 80/2016
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the Court of Appeal erred in determining that it had no jurisdiction to appoint independent counsel to represent the applicant in criminal proceedings in respect of which he is the complainant.CA731/2015
Result
The application for leave to appeal is dismissed. 
16 August 2016
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
Not publicly available
Case name
W v The Queen
Case number
SC 123/2016
Summary
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 trial.  Publication in law report or law digest permitted.[2016] NZCA 461   CA310/2016
Result

Judgment released.
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 trial.Publication in law report or law digest permitted. 

5 December 2016
SC judgment
not publicly available
Judgment appealed from
not publicly available
Case name
W v The Queen
Case number
SC 132/2016
Summary
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 trial.  Publication in law report or law digest permitted.                       [2016] NZHC 2401    CRI 2016-087-000335
Result
Judgment released.
Order prohibiting publication of the judgment or any part of the proceedings (including the result) in the 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.                                              
30 November 2016
SC judgment
not publicly available
Judgment appealed from
not publicly available
Case name
W v The Family Court at North Shore and The Chief Executive of the Ministry of Social Development
Case number
SC 156/2016
Summary
Civil Appeal – Whether the High Court erred in dismissing the applicant’ s application for judicial review of a Family Court Minute discharging a restraining order.CIV 2014-404-001670    [2014] NZHC 2483
Result
A The application for an extension of time to appeal is dismissed.
B Costs of $2,500 are awarded to the second respondent. 17 March 2017
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
W (SC156/2016) v THE FAMILY COURT AT NORTH SHORE [2017] NZSC 35   17 March 2017 (PDF, 139 KB)
Judgment appealed from

W v THE FAMILY COURT AT NORTH SHORE [2014] NZHC 2483   9 October 2014
Case name
Doug Andrews Heating and Ventilation Limited and Multi KC Limited v Wayne James Dil, Gary Roy Mitchell and G & W Imports Limited'
Case number
SC 45/2015
Summary
Civil appeal – whether the Court of Appeal erred in rejecting the applicant’s appeal against the High Court’s decision dismissing the applicant’s claim of patent infringement.[2015] NZCA 122    CA 5/2014
Result
A The applications for leave to appeal and cross-appeal are dismissed.
B The applicants are to pay the respondents costs of $5,000 in respect of both applications.
8 October 2015
Leave judgment - leave dismissed
DOUG ANDREWS HEATING AND VENTILATION LIMITED AND MULTI KC LIMITED v WAYNE JAMES DIL [2015] NZSC 141  8 October 2015 (PDF, 81 KB)
Judgment appealed from

Doug Andrews Heating & Ventilation Ltd & Anor v Wayne James Dil & Ors CA5/2014 [2015] NZCA 122   20 April 2015
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