Whanganui Crown solicitor Michele Wilkinson-Smith appointed High Court Judge

New High Court Justice Michele Wilkinson-Smith has been Crown solicitor for Whanganui since 2016. Photo / Bevan Conley

Whanganui’s Crown solicitor Michele Wilkinson-Smith has been appointed a High Court Judge.

The announcement was made by Attorney-General Judith Collins last week.

Justice Wilkinson-Smith graduated with an LLB (Hons) from Auckland University School of Law in 1993 and commenced practice as a staff solicitor with Brewer Mazengarb in New Plymouth.

She became a partner of Auld Brewer Mazengarb and McEwen in 1998.

Justice Wilkinson-Smith joined the independent bar in 2004, practising as both a defence barrister in Auckland and Crown panel prosecutor in Palmerston North until 2016.

She was involved in a number of high-profile cases, including defending Chris Kahui, who was acquitted of murder following a High Court trial over the deaths in June 2006 of his 3-month-old twin sons, Chris and Cru. She was co-counsel with Lorraine Smith.

She was a member of the Legal Aid Review Panel from 2008 to 2011 and a Visiting Justice at Whanganui Prison from 2011 to 2016.

Justice Wilkinson-Smith was appointed Crown solicitor for Whanganui in 2016, taking over from Lance Rowe when he was appointed a District Court Judge. She and her lawyer husband Chris Wilkinson-Smith set up legal offices in Whanganui.

She has also been a member of the Legal Aid Performance Review Committee - assessing the performance of legal aid providers - since 2015.

There are four main levels in New Zealand’s court system, the first being the District Court.

Above that is the High Court, the highest in which cases can start. The most serious criminal and civil cases are heard there, with most criminal cases heard by juries.

The Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court are the top two courts.

There are currently 40 High Court Judges, including Chief High Court Judge Sally Fitzgerald and seven associate Judges.

Justice Wilkinson-Smith’s appointment will take effect on February 1.

Chris Wilkinson-Smith is the acting Crown solicitor for Whanganui.