Attorney General Announces Judicial Appointments

Attorney General and Justice Minister Ross Landry has announced the appointment of three new judges, today, Nov. 10.

Richard MacKinnon of Troy, Inverness Co., Jean M. Dewolfe of Wolfville and Del Atwood of New Glasgow are joining family and provincial courts.

Mr. MacKinnon graduated from Dalhousie law school in 1976 and has been a practicing member of the bar for 32 years. He is a senior Crown counsel with the Nova Scotia Public Prosecution Service in Port Hawkesbury.

Ms. Dewolfe graduated from Dalhousie law school in 1985 and has been a practicing member of the bar for 23 years. She has been a partner in the firm Muttart Tufts Dewolfe and Coyle since 1990 with a primary focus in family law.

Mr. Atwood graduated from Dalhousie law school in 1983 and has been a practicing member of the bar for 24 years. He is a senior Crown attorney with the Public Prosecution Service.

Provincial court judges are required to have at least five years experience as a barrister of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, and must meet other criteria set by the Advisory Committee on Provincial Judicial Appointments. Committee members include two members of the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society, one of whom may be a chief judge, and four members appointed by the Justice Minister.

The provincial court has exclusive jurisdiction over all summary offences under provincial statutes and federal acts and regulations. The family court provides a forum for hearing issues relating to the family including maintenance, custody/access, family violence between spouses or between parent and child and child protection matters. For more information on Nova Scotia courts, see the website at www.courts.ns.ca .