Top Ten Most Cited Canadian Court Cases

Ever wonder what the top ten most cited canadian court cases are? Here is a list determined by a CanLii search. If the case is cited, perhaps you should read it (or at least the headnote!). The descriptors are not necessary accurate or verified – they are words commonly used throughout the decision and pulled by a CanLii program.

1. R. v. W.(D.), [1991] 1 S.C.R. 742 — 1991-03-28
Supreme Court of Canada — Federal recharge — jury — beyond a reasonable doubt — main charge — evidence
cited by 3689 cases

2. Dunsmuir v. New Brunswick, 2008 SCC 9, [2008] 1 S.C.R. 190 — 2008-03-07
Supreme Court of Canada — Federal adjudicator — review —reasonableness — administrative — procedural fairness
cited by 2855 cases

3. Baker v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), [1999] 2 S.C.R. 817 — 1999-07-09
Supreme Court of Canada — Federal humanitarian — compassionate — reasonable apprehension of bias — duty of procedural fairness — children
cited by 2701 cases

4. Housen v. Nikolaisen, 2002 SCC 33, [2002] 2 S.C.R. 235 — 2002-03-28
Supreme Court of Canada — Federal curve — road — municipality — hazard — standard
cited by 2142 cases

5. Pushpanathan v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), [1998] 1 S.C.R. 982 — 1998-06-04
Supreme Court of Canada — Federal drug trafficking — contrary to the purposes — international — principles — refugee
cited by 2118 cases

6. R. v. Collins, [1987] 1 S.C.R. 265 — 1987-04-09 Supreme Court of Canada — Federal administration of justice into disrepute — bring the administration of justice — search — heroin — admission of the evidence
cited by 2044 cases
7. RJR — MacDonald Inc. v. Canada (Attorney General), [1994] 1 S.C.R. 311 — 1994-03-03 Supreme Court of Canada — Federal
public interest — irreparable harm — tobacco products — legislation — regulations
cited by 1923 cases

8. R. v. Proulx, 2000 SCC 5, [2000] 1 S.C.R. 61 — 2000-01-31
Supreme Court of Canada — Federal conditional sentence — offender — incarceration — community — imprisonment
cited by 1913 cases

9. Canada (Director of Investigation and Research) v. Southam Inc., [1997] 1 S.C.R. 748 — 1997-03-20
Supreme Court of Canada — Federal community newspapers — inter-industry competition — substantial lessening of competition — remedy — advertisers
cited by 1910 cases

10. R. v. M. (C.A.), [1996] 1 S.C.R. 500 — 1996-03-21
Supreme Court of Canada — Federal
sentence — offender — parole — imprisonment — fixed-term sentences
cited by 1900 cases