News Release Archive
JUSTICE--APPOINTMENTS TO THE PROVINCIAL COURT ----------------------------------------------------------- Justice Minister Bill Gillis announced today that the province will be seeking applications to fill two vacancies in the Provincial Court. One of the new appointees will sit in the Halifax area and the other in Kentville. An advisory committee, comprised of two members appointed by the Nova Scotia Barristers Society, the Chief Judges of the Provincial and Family Court (or another designated judge of these courts) and four lay persons appointed by the Minister of Justice will consider the applications. Dr. Gillis announced that guidelines for provincial judicial appointment have been revised. The advisory committee will submit a short list of recommended candidates, which will normally contain between three and six names. Candidates will not be ranked. Instead, a brief description of each of the candidates will be provided by the committee. The committee will evaluate applicants based on a broad range of criteria. The committee will review the candidate's qualifications, personal characteristics, intellectual and judgemental ability, professional excellence, and community awareness and understanding. Included in the evaluation will be the potential candidate's reputation for fairness, commitment to public service, and level of professional achievement. The guidelines state that the provincial judiciary should be reasonably representative of the population it serves. The committee is therefore asked to address the serious under-representation of women and minorities when considering applications. As well, the guidelines ensure the bilingual nature of the province is recognized, and reflected in the judiciary. The revised guidelines are similar to those used by the Government of Canada in federal judicial appointments. "These guidelines underscore our commitment to the integrity of the judicial process," said Dr. Gillis. The two appointments are expected to be made within three months. -30- Contact: Michele McKinnon 902-424-6811 trp Oct. 25, 1995