A long-serving Nova Scotia judge who played a leading role in drafting and maintaining the Nova Scotia Civil Procedure Rules, which govern procedure in the Superior Courts in this province, is retiring.

Three judges were appointed to the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia earlier today. Two of those appointments fill new positions on the province’s Unified Family Court.

Nova Scotians who use the courts have benefited from technological changes introduced during the pandemic and now a new task force will explore more ways to use technology to improve access to justice and increase efficiencies.

The Honourable Patrick J. Duncan, a judge of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia for almost 13 years, has been appointed the new Associate Chief Justice for the Court.

The Hon. D. Merlin Nunn, a retired Justice of the Nova Scotia Supreme Court and former Conflict of Interest Commissioner for Nova Scotia, has passed away. He was 89 years old.

The Nova Scotia Supreme Court is extending a warm welcome to its newest judge, The Hon. Diane Rowe, a former Senior Solicitor with the provincial government who was appointed to the Bench on May 14, 2020.

The Nova Scotia Supreme Court is pleased to welcome four new judges to its Family Division, the first step in the move toward a single, unified court for all family law matters in the province.

AJEFNE has recognized The Hon. Lawrence I. O’Neil, Associate Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (Family Division), with the 2019 Jurist of the Year Award for his ongoing support of efforts to facilitate access to justice in French.

Two current Nova Scotia judges received new appointments today, filling some of the vacancies on the province’s superior Courts.

The Honourable Deborah K. Smith has been appointed the new Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, only the second woman in the province’s history to achieve that position.