Two current Nova Scotia judges received new appointments today, filling some of the vacancies on the province’s superior Courts.
Currently a Justice of the Supreme Court (Family Division) in Halifax, The Honourable Carole A. Beaton has been appointed to the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal. As well, The Honourable Samuel Moreau, who currently sits on the Family Court in Antigonish, is now a Justice with the Supreme Court (Family Division).
Justice Canada announced the judicial appointments in a news release this afternoon. Justice Beaton replaces Justice Joel Fichaud, who went from full-time to supernumerary status on Nov. 1, 2019, and Justice Moreau replaces Justice Beryl MacDonald, who retired from the Bench on Nov. 30, 2019.
“The appointments of Justice Beaton and Justice Moreau are welcome news to their new Courts and even better news for the people of Nova Scotia,” said The Honourable Michael J. Wood, Chief Justice of Nova Scotia. “Both are talented jurists who have demonstrated a strong commitment to the administration of justice in our province. On behalf of the entire Judiciary, I offer my congratulations and best wishes to them and their families on this wonderful occasion.”
Justice Beaton was raised in Port Hawkesbury, N.S. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from St. Francis Xavier University and received her law degree from the University of New Brunswick. Admitted to the bar in 1988, she practiced as an associate at Creighton and Shatford in Amherst. In 1994, Justice Beaton was a founding partner of the Amherst firm Beaton Blaikie, where she practised primarily criminal and family law, and represented several municipal institutions. She also sat as Taxing Master and a Regional Assessment Appeal Court adjudicator.
Throughout her practice, Justice Beaton sat on Bar Council for the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society and the executive of the Canadian Bar Association – Nova Scotia Branch. In 2001 she was a recipient of the biannual Francis Fish Award honouring women lawyers who have achieved excellence in their profession and the community.
Justice Carole A. Beaton
Justice Beaton was first sworn in as a Provincial Court judge in January 2003, and later that year as a Family Court Judge. She heard primarily criminal matters and chaired the Court’s Education Committee. She sat on the Atlantic Education Committee and in 2010 was named co-chair of the National Education Committee of the Canadian Association of Provincial Court Judges.
In 2011, Justice Beaton was appointed to the Supreme Court (Family Division). Since then, she has participated on various committees with that Court and was a member of several professional organizations. She has been actively involved in the development and delivery of judicial education programs at the provincial and national levels and participates in mentoring the Court’s newly appointed judges.
Justice Samuel Moreau
Born in The Valley, Anguilla, Justice Moreau lived several years in Trinidad before emigrating to Halifax in 1979. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from St. Francis Xavier University and later completed his law degree at Dalhousie University. He was appointed to the Nova Scotia Bar in 1998.
Justice Moreau was working as a managing lawyer with Nova Scotia Legal Aid in Port Hawkesbury when he was appointed to the Family Court in March 2017. While in that position, he also chaired a committee on child welfare.
Justice Moreau volunteered several years as a coach with St. Francis Xavier University’s football team and in 2002 was awarded the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) Volunteer Coach of the Year. During his 18 years as a lawyer, he also sat on the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society Hearing Committee and on the Board of the Council on African Canadian Education.
With today’s appointments, there are now eight full-time and five supernumerary judges sitting on the Court of Appeal. On the Supreme Court (Family Division), there are now eleven full-time and three supernumerary judges.