New Judge Appointed for Yarmouth

Michelle Christenson is Nova Scotia's newest provincial and family court judge.

Ms. Christenson was called to the bar in 1996 and has been active in Yarmouth's legal community since then. Most recently, she worked as a senior Crown attorney in Yarmouth, having joined the Public Prosecution Service in 2003. Before that, she was in private practice, working primarily in family law.

"I'm so pleased to appoint Ms. Christenson to the bench," said Attorney General and Justice Minister Lena Diab. "In addition to her years of experience in the justice system, she is an active member of the Yarmouth community. I'm confident she'll serve Nova Scotians well."

Judges are appointed to both the provincial and family courts to allow flexibility in dealing with court workloads.

They are selected from a list of candidates put forth by the Committee on Provincial Judicial Appointments. The committee includes two members of the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society, judges of the provincial and family courts, and four members appointed by the Minister of Justice. The committee recommendations are based on criteria in the Guidelines for Provincial Judicial Appointments.

The provincial court presides over almost all indictable offence charges under the Criminal Code, a charge of murder by an adult accused being the main exception, and has exclusive jurisdiction over all summary offence charges under provincial and federal statutes and regulations.

The family court provides a forum to hear family issues, including maintenance, custody and access, and child protection matters.

For more information on Nova Scotia courts, visit www.courts.ns.ca .