Nunavut Court of Justice

Nunavut Court of Justice

Arms of the Court of Justice
Established 1999
Country Nunavut Nunavut
Location Iqaluit
Composition method appointed by the federal government
Authorized by Government of Canada by Nunavut Act, 1993
Decisions are appealed to Court of Appeal of Nunavut
Number of positions 5[1]
Website http://www.nucj.ca/
Senior Judge Justice
Currently Mr Justice Robert Kilpatrick
Since 2009

The Nunavut Court of Justice is the superior court and territorial court of the Canadian territory of Nunavut. It is administered from the Nunavut Justice Centre (Building #510) in Iqaluit. It was established on April 1, 1999 as Canada's only "unified" or single-level court with the consent of Canada, the Office of the Interim Commissioner of Nunavut and Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. the Inuit Land Claims representative organization. Prior to the establishment of Nunavut as a separate territory justice was administered through two courts, the Territorial Court of the Northwest Territories and the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories.[2]

Besides court proceedings in Iqaluit the judges travel as a circuit court to communities throughout the territory to conduct cases.

Current judges

Position Name Appointed Short History
Senior Judge

Justice		 Robert Kilpatrick October 2009

1999

Appointed at the creation of Nunavut in 1999, Administrative Crown Counsel, (British Columbia), Legal Counsel in Inuvik and Whitehorse

Justice Earl Johnson 2002 Senior Legal Counsel, Northwest Territories Department of Justice (Yellowknife) appointed in 2003 to support growing work of the Court, largely engaged in civil cases
Justice Neil Sharkey December 2008 Legal Director at Maliiganik Tukisiniakvik (Iqaluit - 1986), first judge called to the bench from the Nunavut Bar, appellate practice, Justice of the Peace Administrator (1999)
Justice Susan Cooper December 2009 Law Clerk to the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut, Partner with law firm Chandler & Cooper
Justice Andrew Mahar March 2012 Clinic Director in Kitikmeot, Defence Counsel
Justice Bonnie M. Tulloch March 2012 Special Advisor on northern issues, Public Prosecution Service of Canada, Legal Aid Executive Director (Gjoa Haven) and Kivalliq Legal Aid Director (Rankin Inlet), Director of Akitsiraq Law School Society
Justice Beverley Browne 1993 - 2009 originally a Territorial Court Judge in pre-division Northwest Territories, made Senior judge in 1999 on the creation of Nunavut, strong supporter of the Akitsiraq Law School program, leader in music education (Iqaluit Music Society), church organist (St. Jude's Anglican Cathedral) and responsible for the integration of Inuit elders into functions in the Nunavut Courts. now resigned as Senior Judge and sitting on the Alberta Bench

Judges of the Court of Appeal of Nunavut

References

  1. ↑ http://www.nucj.ca/judges.htm
  2. ↑ Nunavut Court of Justice: About the Nunavut Court of Justice

External links