Sir Smellie’s judiciary journey began with his appointment as a Judge of the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands in 1993, becoming Chief Justice in 1998, a role he held until his retirement in 2022. His expertise and dedication were further acknowledged in 2018 when he was appointed to Bermuda's Court of Appeal.

The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council continues to serve as the final court of appeal for numerous British Overseas Territories, including the British Virgin Islands, Bermuda, and the Cayman Islands, as well as Crown Dependencies such as Jersey.

This is a welcome trend of recognising the Chief Justices of offshore courts, following the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council welcoming the Hon Dame Janice Pereira DBE’s to sit as a judge for a week in December. Dame Pereira is the former Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, of which the British Virgin Islands is a member.

Harneys, along with the entire Cayman legal community, takes immense pride in Sir Smellie's achievements and offers heartfelt congratulations to him.