Collectively, the province's judges are known as the Nova Scotia Judiciary. Depending on the level of Court, they are appointed by either the federal or provincial government.
The Court of Appeal has a Chief Justice, who is also the Chief Justice of Nova Scotia. The Supreme Court and the Provincial Court both have a Chief Justice or a Chief Judge, as well as Associate Chief Justices or Associate Chief Judges. The Bankruptcy Court is headed by a Registrar, as is the Probate Court. The Small Claims Court has a Chief Adjudicator.
How to Address a Judge
The Nova Scotia Court of Appeal offers the following guidance for counsel, parties and other court participants on how they should address judges of that Court, both in and outside the courtroom:
Many judges prefer to be addressed in a gender-neutral fashion. Counsel should consider doing so by using the term “Justice”, followed by the jurist’s last name. The gender-neutral term “Court” is also acceptable, as in: “I would like to direct the Court’s attention to…”. This is particularly useful in appeal hearings where a panel of three or five judges may be presiding.
Unless otherwise directed, it is also acceptable to address a male judge as “My Lord” and a female judge as “My Lady”.
When speaking to a judge outside of the courtroom, the preferred manner of address is “Justice” or “Judge”.
In other levels of Court, unless a judge indicates to the contrary, counsel is permitted to use gender-neutral terms, such as Justice or Judge, followed by the jurist's last name. The gender-neutral term "Court" is also acceptable. it is also acceptable to address a male judge as “My Lord” and a female judge as “My Lady”.
In the Provincial Court, the judge is addressed as "Your Honour", regardless of gender.
Adjudicators and Registrars in the Probate Court, the Bankruptcy Court and the Small Claims Court should be addressed as "Sir" or "Madam".
Court of Appeal
The Court of Appeal has a Chief Justice, who is also the Chief Justice of Nova Scotia, and seven other full-time judges. The Court of Appeal may also include semi-retired, or supernumerary judges, who sit part-time. Judges of the Court of Appeal do not sit on any other Court and they have no previous involvement with the cases that come before them on appeal.
Michael J. Wood
Chief Justice of Nova Scotia
Chief Justice of the Court of Appeal
Office of the Chief Justice of Nova Scotia
The Law Courts, 5th Floor
1815 Upper Water St.
Halifax, N.S.
B3J 1S7
P: 902-424-6932
Judges of the Court of Appeal:
Justice Carole A. Beaton
Justice Cindy A. Bourgeois
Justice Peter M.S. Bryson
Justice Anne S. Derrick
Justice Robin C. M. Gogan
Justice David P.S. Farrar
Justice Joel E. Fichaud *
Justice J. Edward (Ted) Scanlan *
Justice Elizabeth Van den Eynden
* Supernumerary Status
Supreme Court
The judges who sit on the Supreme Court are appointed by the federal government and are known as Justices. There is a Chief Justice who administers both divisions of the Supreme Court, assisted by one Associate Chief Justice for each division. There is also a variable number of full-time and supernumerary Justices on the Court.
Upon appointment, the Justices of the Supreme Court are also ex officio members of the Court of Appeal and can be called upon to act as appellate judges when necessary.
The Supreme Court is a circuit court, which means its Justices travel to and from their primary courthouse to hear cases in other regions of Nova Scotia.
Deborah K. Smith
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia
Office of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
The Law Courts, 6th Floor
1815 Upper Water St.
Halifax, N.S.
B3J 1S7
P: 902-424-6939
Patrick J. Duncan
Associate Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
Judges of the Supreme Court:
Justice Joshua M. Arnold (Halifax)
Justice John Bodurtha (Halifax)
Justice Denise Boudreau (Halifax)
Justice Christa M. Brothers (Halifax)
Justice Jamie S. Campbell (Halifax)
Justice James L. Chipman (Halifax)
Justice C. Richard Coughlan (Halifax) *
Justice D. Timothy Gabriel (Halifax)
Justice Gail L. Gatchalian (Kentville)
Justice Frank Hoskins (Pictou)
Justice Jeffrey R. Hunt (Truro)
Justice Darlene Jamieson (Halifax)
Justice John A. Keith (Halifax)
Justice Mona Lynch (Halifax) *
Justice Glen G. McDougall (Halifax) *
Justice Pierre L. Muise (Yarmouth)
Justice Patrick J. Murray (Sydney)
Justice Scott Norton (Halifax)
Justice Peter Rosinski (Halifax)
Justice Diane Rowe (Bridgewater)
Justice D. Shane Russell (Sydney)
Justice Ann E. Smith (Halifax)
* Supernumerary Status
Supreme Court (Family Division)
R. Lester Jesudason
Associate Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (Family Division)
Judges of the Supreme Court (Family Division):
Justice Jillian Barrington
Justice Lloyd I. Berliner (Kentville/Shubenacadie)
Justice C. Lou Ann Chiasson (Halifax)
Justice Michelle K. Christenson (Yarmouth/Digby)
Justice Cindy G. Cormier (Halifax)
Justice Aleta Cromwell (Bridgewater)
Justice Leslie J. Dellapinna (Halifax) *
Justice Jean M. Dewolfe (Kentville)
Justice Christine Doucet (Halifax)
Justice Theresa M. Forgeron (Halifax)
Justice Robert M. Gregan (Sydney)
Justice Kenneth Haley (Sydney) *
Justice Daniel W. Ingersoll (Halifax)
Justice Moira C. Legere Sers (Halifax/Port Hawkesbury) *
Justice Lorne J. MacDowell (Port Hawkesbury)
Justice Pamela J. MacKeigan (Halifax)
Justice Lee Anne MacLeod-Archer (Sydney)
Justice Pamela Marche (Sydney)
Justice Shannon Mason (Sydney)
Justice Samuel Moreau (Halifax)
Justice Paul Morris (Halifax)
Justice Cindy Murray (Antigonish)
Justice Lawrence I. O'Neil (Halifax) *
Justice Terrance G. Sheppard (Truro)
Justice James R. Williams (Halifax) *
* Supernumerary Status
Provincial & Family Courts
The judges who sit on the Provincial Court are appointed by the provincial government. There is a Chief Judge of the Provincial Court, assisted by an Associate Chief Judge. There is also a variable number of full-time and per diem (part-time) judges on the Court.
The Provincial Court judges work in courthouses across the province. It is a circuit court, which means the judges also travel to and from their home location to other communities to hear cases, as required. Retired judges may preside part-time, as required, until they reach the age of 75. The number of retired part-time judges varies. These judges are referred to as per diem judges.
Perry F. Borden
Chief Judge of the Provincial Court of Nova Scotia
Office of the Chief Judge
277 Pleasant St., Suite 200
Dartmouth, N.S.
B2Y 4B7
P: 902-424-8750
Ronda van der Hoek
Associate Chief Judge of the Provincial Court (Kentville)
Judges of the Provincial Court:
Judge Del W. Atwood *
Judge Barbara Beach *
Judge Alain Bégin (Truro)
Judge Catherine Benton (Bridgewater)
Judge Rickcola Brinton (Dartmouth)
Judge Elizabeth A. Buckle (Halifax)
Judge James H. Burrill (Yarmouth)
Judge Angela Caseley (Kentville/Windsor)
Judge Marc C. Chisholm *
Judge Timothy Daley (Pictou)
Judge Christine Driscoll (Halifax)
Judge Bronwyn Duffy (Halifax)
Judge Laurel J. Halfpenny MacQuarrie (Port Hawkesbury/Wagmatcook)
Judge Jill Hartlen (Dartmouth)
Judge Bryna Hatt (Pictou)
Judge Mark Heerema (Truro/Shubenacadie)
Judge Ian Hutchison (Truro)
Judge Timothy D. Landry (Digby/Yarmouth)
Judge Claudine MacDonald *
Judge E. Ann Marie MacInnes *
Judge Daniel A. MacRury (Sydney)
Judge Chris Manning *
Judge Diane L. McGrath (Sydney)
Judge Marci Lin Melvin *
Judge Rosalind Michie (Amherst)
Judge Alanna Murphy (Dartmouth)
Judge A. Peter Ross *
Judge Nicole Rovers (Antigonish)
Judge Amy Sakalauskas (Dartmouth)
Judge Paul B. Scovil *
Judge Brad Sarson (Dartmouth)
Judge Kelly J. Serbu (Halifax)
Judge Michael B. Sherar *
Judge Ann Marie Simmons (Halifax)
Judge Theodore K. Tax *
Judge Alan Tufts *
Judge James Van Wart (Dartmouth)
Judge Jean M. Whalen *
Judge Pamela S. Williams *
Judge Alonzo C. Wright (Halifax)
* Part-time Status