It has emerged a Supreme Court judge went on a sailing holiday with Colin Craig's lawyer, while he was considering his decision in a high-profile case.

It was an appeal over a defamation case between the former Conservative Party leader and Jordan Williams - in which Williams won a record $1.27 million.

After appeals and counter-claims reached the Supreme Court, and a retrial was ordered in April this year.

NZ Herald reporter Jared Savage told Heather du Plessis-Allan during the months before the decision, Craig's lawyer Stephen Mills QC phoned Williams' lawyer.

He says they claim Mills alerted them of the holiday which had been planned with one of the judges presiding over the case - and it was okayed.

"A few months later the decision came back in 3-2 in favour of Colin Craig."