Nova Scotia Supreme Court
| This page was last substantively updated or reviewed May 2023. (Rev. # 96111) |
- (~X) = approximate number of published decisions according to CanLII as of Oct 2018, unless otherwise indicated.
Distribution of Judges
- Composition of Supreme Court
17 (1) The Supreme Court shall be composed of
- (a) the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court;
- (b) the Associate Chief Justice of the Supreme Court;
- (c) the Associate Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (Family Division); and
- (d) not more than forty-seven other judges.
(1A) The Supreme Court shall include a Family Division composed of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Associate Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (Family Division) and not more than twenty-four other judges.
(2) For each office of judge of the Supreme Court there shall be the additional office of supernumerary judge of the Supreme Court and for the office of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and the office of Associate Chief Justice of the Supreme Court there shall be such additional offices of judge as are, from time to time, required for the purpose of section 32 of the Judges Act (Canada).
1992, c. 16, s. 45; 1997 (2nd Sess.), c. 5, s. 1; 2000, c. 28, s. 55; 2019, c. 17, s. 1.
– JA
- Court of Appeal and Supreme Court of Nova Scotia
14 The yearly salaries of the judges of the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia are as follows: [omitted (a) and (b)]
- (c) the Chief Justice and the Associate Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, $371,400 each; and
- (d) the 23 other judges of the Supreme Court, $338,800 each.
R.S., 1985, c. J-1, s. 14; R.S., 1985, c. 50 (1st Supp.), s. 4, c. 39 (3rd Supp.), s. 1; 1989, c. 8, s. 2; 1992, c. 51, s. 5; 2001, c. 7, s. 6; 2006, c. 11, s. 1; 2012, c. 31, s. 210; 2017, c. 20, s. 202; 2022, c. 10, s. 343.
– (DOJ)
Justices of the Supreme Court
(Full complement of 21, including Chief and Ass. Chief)[1]
Nova Scotia Pop. (2021): 979,000
Pop. per Justice: ~47k
| Name | Location | Duration of Appointment | Appointed by | Prior Position(s) | Other Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deborah K. Smith [2] [3] | Halifax | November 8, 2001 (Judge) 2004 (ACJ) June 24, 2019 (Chief) |
Chrétien / McLellan (Lib) (Judge) Martin / Cotler (Lib) (ACJ) J. Trudeau / Lametti (Lib) (Chief) |
McInnes Cooper (1983 to 2001) Called to bar (1984) Dal grad (1983) |
Published criminal decisions (~1) (as of December 2022) |
| Patrick J. Duncan [4][5] | Halifax | November 30, 2007 | Harper / Nicholson (CPC) | Beveridge, MacPherson & Duncan (1986 to 2007) NS Legal Aid (1980 to 1986) Called to bar (1980) Dal grad (1979) |
Published criminal decisions (~51) (as of the end of 2019) |
| Patrick Murray [6][7][8] | Sydney | August 10, 2010 | Harper / Nicholson (CPC) | Murray, Gouthro, Wall LLP (2002 to 2010) Gillis and Murray LLP Stewart, McKelvey, Stirling, Scales LLP (1991 to 2002) |
Published criminal decisions (~47) (as of the end of December 2021) |
| Pierre L. Muise [9] [10] | Yarmouth | August 10, 2010 | Harper / Nicholson (CPC) | Provincial Court Judge (2009 to 2010) Crown attorney (2001 to 2009) Pink MacDonald Harding (1998 to 2001) Legal Aid (1997 to 1998) Patterson Palmer (1996 to 1997) Called to bar (1996) |
Published criminal decisions (~17) (NSSC) (as of December 2023) Published criminal decisions (~0) (NSPC) |
| Peter Rosinski [11] | Halifax | August 11, 2010 | Harper / Nicholson (CPC) | NS Public Prosecution Service (1989 to 2010) Appeal Crown (2005 to 2010) McLean & Associates (1989) Margeson & Wilson(1988) MacIntosh, MacDonnell & MacDonald (1986 to 1988) Called to bar (1986) |
|
| James L. Chipman [12] [13] | Halifax | October 2, 2013 | Harper / MacKay (CPC) | Stewart McKelvey Sterling Scales LLP (1998 to 2013) Cox Downie (1992 to 1998) |
Published criminal decisions (~45) |
| Joshua M. Arnold [14] [15] | Halifax | October 2, 2013 | Harper / MacKay (CPC) | Arnold Pizzo McKegan LLP (1996 to 2013) NS Crown Attorney Called to bar (1990) |
Published criminal decisions (~45) |
| Denise Boudreau [16] | Halifax | December 18, 2013 | Harper / MacKay (CPC) | Public Prosecution Service of Canada (2007 to 2013) NS Legal Aid (1998 - 2007) LeBlanc, MacDonald, and Pickup (1994 to 1998) Called to bar (1994) |
Published criminal decisions (~15) (as of the end of 2023) |
| Jamie Campbell [17] | Halifax | June 13, 2014 | Harper / MacKay (CPC) | Provincial Court Judge (2005 to 2014) Cox Hansen (1983 to 2005) |
Published criminal decisions (~16) |
| Jeffrey R. Hunt [18] | Truro | February 6, 2015 | Harper / MacKay (CPC) | Patterson Law (1992 to 2015) Called to bar (1992) |
Published criminal decisions (~20) (as of the end of December 2023) |
| D. Timothy Gabriel [19] | Halifax | October 20, 2016 | J. Trudeau / Wilson-Raybould (Lib) | Provincial Court Judge (2010 to 2016)
Landry McGillivray (1982 to 2010) |
Published criminal decisions (~2) |
| Ann E Smith [20] | Halifax | October 20, 2016 | J. Trudeau / Wilson-Raybould (Lib) | Burchells LLP (2002 to 2016) Stewart McKelvey Called to bar (1991) |
Published criminal decisions (~2) |
| Christa Brothers [21] [22] | Halifax | July 18, 2017 | J. Trudeau / Wilson-Raybould (Lib) | Stewart McKelvey (1999 to 2017) Called to bar (1999) |
Published criminal decisions (~17) (as of the end of 2022) |
| John Bodurtha [23] | Halifax | August 31, 2018 | J. Trudeau / Wilson-Raybould (Lib) | Justice Canada (tax) (1997 to 2018) Legal Aid (1996 to 1997) Called to bar (1996) |
Published criminal decisions (~0) |
| Scott Norton [24] | Halifax | 30 November 2018 | J. Trudeau / Wilson-Raybould (Lib) | Stewart McKelvey McInnes Cooper Called to bar (1984) Dal grad (1983) |
Published criminal decisions (~9) (as of the end of December 2021) |
| Darlene Jamieson [25] [26] | Halifax | 30 November 2018 | J. Trudeau / Wilson-Raybould (Lib) | Merrick Jamieson Sterns Washington & Mahody (1998 to 2018) Wickwire Holm Called to bar (1989) Dal grad (1988) |
Published criminal decisions (~6) (as of the end of December 2022) |
| John A. Keith [27] | Kentville | March 26, 2019 | J. Trudeau / Lametti (Lib) | Cox & Palmer (1999 to 2019) Called to bar (1993) |
Published criminal decisions (~0) |
| Diane Rowe [28] | Bridgewater | May 14, 2020 | J. Trudeau / Lametti (Lib) | NS DOJ (2002 to 2020) Called to bar (1998) UNB grad (1997) |
Published criminal decisions (~0) |
| Gail L. Gatchalian [29] | April 06, 2021 | J. Trudeau / Lametti (Lib) | Pink Larkin (1999 to 2021) U of T grad (1996) |
Published criminal decisions (~4) (as of the end of December 2023) | |
| Frank P. Hoskins [30] [31] | Pictou | July 2021 | J. Trudeau / Lametti (Lib) | NS Public Prosecution Service (1991 to 1995, 1996 to 2008) Pink Murray (1995 to 1996) Crosby Murtha (1990 to 1991) Called to bar (1990) Dal grad (1989) |
Published criminal decisions (~5) (NSSC) (as of the end of December 2023) Published criminal decisions (~27) (NSPC) |
Supernumerary
| Name | Location | Date appointed | Appointed by | Prior Position(s) | Other details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justice Mona M. Lynch [32] | Bridgewater | December 12, 2002 (Judge) March 1, 2020 (sup) [33] |
Chrétien / Cauchon (Lib) | Justice of Family Division Dept of Justice, Youth Crime NS Legal Aid (1987 to 1999) Called to bar (1986) |
Published criminal decisions (~13) (as of December 2021) |
| Justice C. Richard Coughlan [34] | Bridgewater | March 2, 2001 | Chrétien / McLellan (Lib) | Coughlan and Coughlan Called to bar (1975) |
Published criminal decisions (~50) |
| Justice Glen G. McDougall [35] [36] | Halifax | November 8, 2001 (Judge) May 14, 2018 (Sup.) [37] |
Chrétien / McLellan (Lib) | Sampson McDougall LLP (1983 to 2001) Called to bar (1983) |
Published criminal decisions (~45) |
Past Justices
References
Contact Info
The Law Courts Phone: (902) 424-6900 Prothonotary: Court Administration Office: Scheduling Coordinators: Phone: (902) 424-7967 (Criminal) Jury Coordinator:
1 Church Street |
Prothonotary Phone: (902) 485-7350
(Street Address) Phone: (902) 667-2256 Fax: (902) 667-1108
Prothonotary Phone: (902) 679-5540 Jury Co-ordinator: (902) 679-5540
119 Queen St. Phone: (902) 245-7134 |
Prothonotary Phone: (902) 742-4142
141 High Street Phone: (902) 543-4679
15 Kennedy Street Phone: (902) 625-2665
Prothonotary Phone: (902) 563-3550 |