Update to Court Operations at Devonshire Courthouse
Following flooding and water damage, remediation work at the Devonshire courthouse (3380 Devonshire Ave., Halifax) continues. Effective August 7, 2026, in-person matters will recommence.

During ongoing remediation work, the Court Administration Office is continuing to accept filings; however, the documents counter is temporarily relocated to the main floor of the courthouse. Similarly, the front counter for the Family Law Information Program (FLIP) is temporarily relocated on the main floor. Other family law programming, including conciliation and alternative dispute resolution, will proceed by telephone. Further updates will be provided.

New Judge Appointed to Supreme Court of Nova Scotia

A portrait of Justice Jillian Barrington

The Hon. Justice Jillian Barrington, formerly a judge of the Provincial Court of Nova Scotia, is the newest judge of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia.

The appointment, effective immediately, was announced on November 1, 2024, in a news release from the Justice Minister and Attorney General of Canada.

“On behalf of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, I’m pleased to welcome Justice Barrington to our bench,” said the Hon. Deborah K. Smith, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia. “She has served Nova Scotians well on the Provincial Court and I have no doubt she will be a tremendous asset to the Supreme Court.”

The appointment of Justice Barrington fills the vacancy created when Justice R. Lester Jesudason was appointed Associate Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (Family Division) on February 15, 2024. The Supreme Court is now at full complement with 42 full-time judges.

“I wish to thank the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada for ensuring all our Court’s vacancies are filled,” said Chief Justice Smith. “A full complement allows us to properly serve the people of Nova Scotia.”

The Hon. Justice Jillian Barrington

Justice Barrington was raised in Cape Breton, N.S. She graduated from Dalhousie University’s Schulich School of Law in 2010 and has a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in Psychology from Mount Allison University. She was called to the Nova Scotia Bar in 2011.

She was appointed to the Provincial Court of Nova Scotia on February 3, 2023.

As a lawyer, Justice Barrington served on Bar Council with the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society and was a member of the Society’s Credentials Committee, the Small and Solo Firm Working Group, the Family Standards Committee, the Rural Practice Working Group, and the Society’s Complaints Investigation Committee. She was also involved with the Cape Breton Barristers’ Society and served on various boards and community organizations.

As a judge, Justice Barrington served as one of the Provincial Court representatives on the All Courts Technology Committee.