Notable appearances in New Zealand Courts

I can appear in Court via VMR or in person. I travel all over New Zealand for Court appearances. 

2023

Type: Criminal 
Court: District Court
​Issue: Discharge without conviction 

First discharge without conviction in NZ history on the basis of complications related to an abortion​
TEST CASE:
June 2023
​Police v  "J"  (District Court, Lead Counsel for "J")
First Discharge in New Zealand history based on complications arising from an abortion.
Discharge without Conviction and finding of "special reasons" under the LTA 1998 on grounds relating to complications arising from an abortion. 
Charge: Driving while suspended
Type: Civil
Court: High Court
​Issue: Extension of Restraining Orders
​and Recall of Judgment for special reasons
​
1. First successful Application for Recall in the criminal proceeds jurisdiction 
2. Joinder of a 1 month old and 5 year old to the proceeding, who have interests in trust property restrained, and additional interests under domestic and international law
3. REMOVAL of the ENTIRE Reply Affidavit of the lead Detective in this matter
4. Important comments and observations about children's rights in the Extension Application Judgment
CRIMINAL PROCEEDS 
June 2023

​[2023] NZHC 1790 (Extension of Restraining Orders)
[2023] NZHC 2528 (Recall)
​
Commissioner of Police v Bracken & Ors  (High Court, Lead Counsel for Second Respondent, Fourth-Fifth-Sixth and Eighth Interested Parties.
Note two interested party clients are minors (1 month old and 5 years old on joinder) with their parent interested parties as their litigation guardians.
​
"I sincerely hope my work encourages and inspires more senior barristers (who may have acted in this area for a decade now) to be more lateral and active in their defence and opposition. Just because you have not achieved something before, or are not brave enough to try, does not mean something cannot be done or achieved."

2022

Type: Civil
Court: High Court
​Issue: Judicial Review and dispute
​between members of religious governance board

CHARITABLE TRUST DISPUTE INVOLVING RELIGIOUS GROUP AND GOVERNANCE BOARD 
​March 2022 

Y & Ors v C & Ors (High Court, Counsel for SS)
- Judicial review
- Consolidation of proceedings
- Application for interim orders 
​
Type: Criminal
Court: Court of Appeal
​Issue: Pre-sentence conviction and
​search and surveillance issue

PRE SENTENCE APPEAL AGAINST CONVICTION
August 2022

Z v The Queen (Court of Appeal) Counsel for "Z"
Successful appeal against conviction on grounds of prejudicial evidence adduced during jury trial. 
Ms Matheson filed the submissions on this matter on jurisdiction for pre-sentence appeals - successfully. 
Criminal specialist counsel conducted the appeal, a decision was released on the same day, allowing the appeal and ordering the re-trial of the matter. In October 2023, "Z" was found not guilty at a jury trial of the matter. Were it not for Ms Matheson's lateral and swift thinking after the first trial, "Z" may have simply accepted the first jury's result and proceeded to sentence. 
Type: Public litigation
Court: High Court
​Issue: Alleged unlawful uplift of 3
young children in circumstances that
did not warrant the use of ex parte
uplift powers under Part 2 of the
​Oranga Tamariki Act 1989
HISTORIC AND UNPRECEDENTED PUBLIC LITIGATION AGAINST ATTORNEY-GENERAL AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF ORANGA TAMARIKI MINISTRY FOR CHILDREN 
Throughout 2022

Mother v Oranga Tamariki and others (Family Court and High Court, Counsel for Mother)

​Lead Counsel: Dr Rodney Harrison KC
Junior Counsel: J M Matheson
​

2021

November 2021: Mother v Oranga Tamariki and others (Family Court and High Court, Counsel for Mother)
Historic and unprecedented civil litigation against the Chief Executive of Oranga Tamariki Ministry for Children 
​Lead Counsel: J M Matheson
Supressed
August 2021: The Queen v  'T'​  (District Court, Counsel for "T")
Supressed
​
CLAIM FG NO LONGER MENTALLY DISORDERED AS DEFINED 
May 2021: In the matter of FG 21-48 (Mental Health Review Tribunal, Counsel for "FG")
[Review of compulsory treatment order under the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992 - client had been imprisoned for 2 years before being moved to and detained in the Mason Clinic, prior to community release, review of community treatment order]
​
LARGE ORGANISATION CLAIMING INDEMNITY AGAINST STUDENT - SUCCESSFUL DEFENCE OF INDEMNITY COSTS 
April 2021: K v The University of Auckland [2021] NZHC 724 (High Court, Counsel for "K")
​[Successful defence of indemnity costs]
​
TEST CASE - WHETHER LEGITIMATE BUSINESS INCOME UPON WHICH TAX HAS NOT BEEN DECLARED CAN BE RESTRAINED AND FORFEITED UNDER THE 'CRIMINAL PROCEEDS' (RECOVERY) ACT 2009
February and March 2021: Commissioner of Police v JNN - [2021] NZHC 2413 (High Court, Counsel for JNN)
​[Defence of Commissioner's restraining and further orders - tax evasion as significant criminal activity resulting in a benefit under the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009]​
​
URGENT APPLICATION FOR INTERIM INJUNCTION
February 2021: K v The University of Auckland [2021] NZHC 225 (High Court, Counsel for "K")
​[Application for interim injunction - refusal to allow international student in the Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery on basis of statutory interpretation of Education Act 1989]

2020
Employed Barrister to May 2020
Barrister Sole from May 2020

ABANDONMENT - ANTICIPATORY BREACH OF EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT - TERMINATION
123 Casino Limited T/A 123 Palm Bar & Restaurant & Function Centre v Zuo [2020] NZEmpC 88 (Employment Court, Junior Counsel to Margaret Lewis)

2019
​Litigation Solicitor working underneath Litigation Partner

COMPLEX CONTRACTUAL PROCEEDINGS - FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS - VARIATION
Gloria Jean's Coffees Int Pty Ltd v Daboko Ltd [2019] NZHC 1097 (High Court, Junior Counsel to David Clark - now his Honour Judge David Clark)

DEFINITION OF REDUNDANCY
Leahy v Fairfit Tooling Ltd [2019] NZERA 103 (Employment Relations Authority, Junior Counsel to David Clark - now his Honour Judge David Clark)

COMPLEX COSTS - REASONABLY AND PROPERLY INCURRED BY TRUSTEES ​
​Treizenberg v Mason (3) [2019] NZHC 2125 (High Court, Junior Counsel to Vanessa Bruton KC)

2018
Litigation Solicitor working underneath Litigation Partner

REMOVAL OF TRIAL COUNSEL
Li v Liu [2019] NZAR 259; [2018] NZCA 528 (Court of Appeal, Junior Counsel to Warren Templeton) 

REMOVAL OF TRUSTEES - EXTREMELY CONTENTIOUS FAMILY TRUST LITIGATION
Triezenberg v Mason (1) [2019] NZHC 14 (High Court, Junior Counsel to Vanessa Bruton KC)

COSTS - REASONABLY AND PROPERLY INCURRED BY TRUSTEES 
​Triezenberg v Mason (2) [2019] NZHC 920 (High Court, Junior Counsel to Vanessa Bruton KC)