Ontario Court of Justice explained

Court Name:Ontario Court of Justice
Native Name:Cour de justice de l'Ontario
Jurisdiction:Ontario
Type:Appointed by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario on advice of the Attorney General of Ontario
Authority:Courts of Justice Act
Appealsto:Superior Court of Justice
Court of Appeal for Ontario
Terms:8 years (Chief Justice),
6 years (Associate Chief Justices)[1]
Website:ontariocourts.ca/ocj
Chiefjudgetitle:Chief Justice of the Ontario Court of Justice
Chiefjudgename:Sharon Nicklas[2]
Termstart:May 1, 2023[3]
Termend:2023
Chiefjudgetitle2:Associate Chief Justice of the Ontario Court of Justice
Chiefjudgename2:Aston J. Hall
Termstart2:June 3, 2021[4]
Termend3:2027
Chiefjudgetitle3:Associate Chief Justice of the Ontario Court of Justice and Coordinator of Justices of the Peace
Chiefjudgename3:Jeanine E. LeRoy
Termstart3:September 23, 2023[5]

The Ontario Court of Justice is the provincial court of record[6] for the Canadian province of Ontario. The court sits at more than 200 locations across the province and oversees matters relating to family law, criminal law, and provincial offences.

Jurisdiction

This court is subordinate in relationship to the "superior" courts. The phrase "provincial court" or "territorial court" is often used to mean a lower court whose decisions can be reviewed by a superior court. Decades ago, they were managed at the local municipal level.

The Ontario Court of Justice is a division of the Court of Ontario.[7] The other division of the Court of Ontario is the Superior Court of Justice. Until 1999, the Ontario Court of Justice was known as the Ontario Court (Provincial Division).

Family law

Family law cases deal with matters of custody, access and support, child protection so long as these are not incidental of or were not previously a part of a divorce application. Cases are heard by a judge only. Appeals from these cases are heard by the Superior Court of Justice.

Criminal law

The Court deals with approximately 95% of criminal charges laid within the province and has responsibility for other matters pertaining to criminal law, including authorizing search warrants, bail hearings, and peace bonds, under sections 515 and 810 of the Criminal Code,[8] respectively.[9]

Criminal law cases heard before the Court are summary conviction offences, less serious indictable offences under section 553 of the Criminal Code,[8] and indictable offences where the defendant has elected to have his or her trial heard in the Ontario Court of Justice (excluding offences found under section 469 of the Criminal Code - murder, treason, etc.). Criminal cases are heard by a judge only. Appeals from cases involving summary conviction offences are heard by the Superior Court of Justice. Appeals involving indictable matters are heard by the Ontario Court of Appeal.

Criminal law matters before the Court also include remand or bail hearings and peace bonds. These matters are not required to be heard by a judge and may be dealt with by a justice of the peace. An appeal of a bail decision (bail review) must be heard by the Superior Court of Justice.[8]

Structure of the Court

Section 35 of the Courts of Justice Act sets out the structure of the Ontario Court of Justice.[10]

Provincial judges

Provincial judges are appointed, as considered necessary, by the Lieutenant Governor in Council on the recommendation of the attorney general. A provincial judge must:

(a) been a member of the bar of one of the provinces or territories of Canada for at least 10 years; or

(b) has for an aggregate of 10 years,

(i) been a member of a bar mentioned in clause (a), and

(ii) after becoming a member of such a bar, exercised powers and performed duties of a judicial nature on a full-time basis in respect to a position held under a law of Canada or of one of its provinces or territories.[10]

The normal age of retirement for a provincial judge is age 65, however there are exceptions that allow a provincial judge to continue in office until age 75, at which point they are required to retire without exception.[10]

Judicial Appointments Advisory Committee

The Judicial Appointments Advisory Committee is responsible for finding suitable candidates for appointment as a judge of the Ontario Court of Justice. Only persons recommended by the Committee may be appointed. Appointments are made by the Lieutenant Governor in Council, on the recommendation of the Attorney General of Ontario. The Committee is currently composed of thirteen members.[11]

Chief Justice

The Lieutenant Governor in Council may, on the recommendation of the attorney general, appoint a provincial justice to the position of Chief Justice of the Ontario Court of Justice. The Chief Justice is the President of the Ontario Court of Justice. They are responsible for directing and supervising the sittings of the Court throughout Ontario and for assigning its judicial duties. If the Chief Justice is absent from Ontario or is for any reason unable to act, his or her powers and duties shall be exercised and performed by an associate chief justice of the Ontario Court of Justice designated by the Chief Justice. A Chief Justice has a single term of office of eight years, but will nonetheless continue in office until a successor is appointed, up to a total term of nine years.[10]

Associate Chief Justice

The Lieutenant Governor in Council may, on the recommendation of the attorney general, appoint provincial justices to the positions of Associate Chief Justice and Associate Chief Justice-Coordinator of Justices of the Peace of the Ontario Court of Justice for single terms of six years.[10] The Associate Chief Justice and the Associate Chief Justice-Coordinator of Justices of the Peace provide support to the Chief Justice and have specific delegated responsibilities as well as those set out in statute. The Associate Chief Justice-Coordinator of Justices of the Peace administers the Ontario Native Justice of the Peace Program. Within the Court, the principal responsibility for this program falls to the Senior Justice of the Peace/Administrator of the Ontario Native Justice of the Peace Program. The stated goal of the program is to encourage and enable Aboriginal Canadians to play a greater role in decision-making in the administration of justice, by serving as justices of the peace, particularly in areas of the province with significant Aboriginal population.[12]

Regional Senior Justice

Ontario is divided into seven geographic regions for judicial administration: northwest, northeast, west, central west, central east, east, and Toronto. Each region has a regional senior judge and a regional senior justice of the peace. The Lieutenant Governor in Council may, on the recommendation of the attorney general, appoint a provincial justice to the position of regional senior justice for a term of three years. The responsibilities of a regional senior judge are to exercise the same powers and functions as the Chief Justice of the Ontario Court of Justice in his or her region, subject to their authority.[10] A regional senior justice also assists in the supervision of the justices of the peace within that region. This is done in consultation with the Associate Chief Justice-Coordinator of Justices of the Peace and the regional senior justice of the peace.

Regions

Regions[13]
Central East Region
(10 base courts,
7 satellite courts)
Central West Region
(9 base courts,
2 satellite courts)
East Region
(10 base courts,
10 satellite courts)
Northeast Region
(10 base courts,
20 satellite courts)
Peterborough
Lindsay
Orillia
Bracebridge
Midland
Newmarket
Oshawa
Barrie
Orangeville
Brampton
Milton
Burlington
Hamilton
St. Catharines
Welland
Brantford
Simcoe
Pembroke
Perth
L'Original
Cornwall
Ottawa-Carleton
Brockville
Kingston
Napanee
Belleville
Cochrane
Timmins
Haileybury
Sault Ste Marie
Elliot Lake
Gore Bay
Sudbury
North Bay
Parry Sound
Northwest Region
(4 base courts,
36 satellite courts)
Toronto Region
(7 base courts,
2 satellite courtrooms)
West Region
(15 base courts,
4 satellite courts)
Kenora
Fort Frances
Dryden
Thunder Bay
Base courts:
10 Armoury St.

Satellite courtrooms:
1530 Markham Rd.
2700 Eglinton Ave. W.
Windsor
Chatham
Sarnia
Goderich
Walkerton
Owen Sound
Stratford
London
St. Thomas
Woodstock
Kitchener
Cambridge
Guelph

Current justices

The current Chief Justice of the Ontario Court of Justice is Sharon M. Nicklas, whose term began on May 1, 2023.[14]

One of the two Associate Chief Justices of the Ontario Court of Justice is Aston J. Hall, whose term began on June 3, 2021.[15]

The second of the two Associate Chief Justices of the Ontario Court of Justice, who is also the Coordinator of Justices of the Peace, is Jeanine E. LeRoy, whose term began on September 2, 2019.[16]

Each judicial region has its own Regional Senior Justice:

The Ontario Court of Justice maintains a full list of all current judges and justices of the peace of the court on its website.[24] [25]

Fired Justices of the Peace

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Courts of Justice Act. http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_90c43_e.htm. RSO. C.43. 1990. SO 2009, c 33, Sched. 6, s 50.
  2. Web site: Judges. Ontario Court of Justice. 22 February 2022.
  3. Web site: Seymour. Andrew. Ottawa judge named chief justice of Ontario Court of Justice. Ottawa Citizen. 3 July 2016. 4 April 2015.
  4. Web site: New Associate Chief Justice Appointed to the Ontario Court of Justice. 19 February 2021 . Newsroom. Government of Ontario. 22 February 2022.
  5. Web site: New Associate Chief Justice - Coordinator of Justices of the Peace Appointed to the Ontario Court of Justice. 24 April 2019. Newsroom. Government of Ontario. 22 February 2022.
  6. Courts of Justice Act . RSO . 1990 . C.43 . 34 . http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_90c43_e.htm#s34 . ServiceOntario . SO 1996, c 25, s 9(5).
  7. Courts of Justice Act. RSO. 1990. C.43. 10(2). http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_90c43_e.htm#s10s2. ServiceOntario. SO 1996, c 25..
  8. Web site: Criminal Code (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-46) . laws-lois.justice.gc.ca.
  9. Web site: Judges and Justices of the Peace. Ontario Courts. Judges Library. February 9, 2017.
  10. Web site: Law Document English View . Ontario.ca . en . 24 July 2014.
  11. Web site: Ontario Courts maintained by the Judges' Library-Members,Ontario Court of Justice . Ontario Courts.
  12. Web site: Structure of the Court. Ontario Courts. Judges Library. February 9, 2017.
  13. http://www.ontla.on.ca/library/repository/ser/269710/2008-2009.pdf Biennial Report on Ontario Court of Justice 2008-2009
  14. Web site: Ontario Newsroom . 2024-05-29 . news.ontario.ca.
  15. . New Associate Chief Justice Appointed to the Ontario Court of Justice . . . 2022-05-19. .
  16. . New Associate Chief Justice - Coordinator of Justices of the Peace Appointed to the Ontario Court of Justice . . . 2022-05-19. .
  17. . New Regional Senior Judge Appointed to the Ontario Court Of Justice . . . 2022-05-19. .
  18. . New Regional Senior Justice Appointed to the Ontario Court of Justice . . . 2022-05-19. .
  19. . New Regional Senior Justice Appointed to the Ontario Court of Justice . . . 2022-05-19. .
  20. . New Regional Senior Justices Appointed to the Ontario Court of Justice . . . 2022-05-19. .
  21. . New Regional Senior Justices Appointed to the Ontario Court of Justice . . . 2022-05-19. .
  22. . New Regional Senior Justices Appointed to the Ontario Court of Justice . . . 2022-05-19. .
  23. . New Regional Senior Justices Appointed to the Ontario Court of Justice . . . 2022-05-19. .
  24. Web site: Judges . Ontario Court of Justice . 2022-05-19.
  25. Web site: Justices of the Peace . Ontario Court of Justice . 2022-05-19.
  26. https://www.ontariocourts.ca/ocj/jprc/public-hearings-decisions/#Former_Justice_of_the_Peace_John_Guthrie Public Hearings Decisions, Retired June 14,2019
  27. https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2018/02/01/toronto-justice-of-the-peace-guilty-of-judicial-misconduct.html Toronto Star, February 1,2018
  28. https://www.ontariocourts.ca/ocj/jprc/public-hearings-decisions/#Former_Justice_of_the_Peace_Tom_Foulds Public Hearings Decisions, 2018
  29. https://www.ontario.ca/orders-in-council/oc-9302018 Order in Council, May 2,2018
  30. https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2018/02/01/toronto-justice-of-the-peace-guilty-of-judicial-misconduct.html Toronto Star, February 2,2018
  31. https://www.ontariocourts.ca/ocj/jprc/public-hearings-decisions/#FormerJustice_of_the_Peace_Errol_Massiah Public Hearings Decisions
  32. https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2018/03/29/fired-justice-of-the-peace-wont-have-legal-bill-covered.html Toronto Star, March 29,2018
  33. https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2018/03/29/fired-justice-of-the-peace-wont-have-legal-bill-covered.html Toronto Star, March 29,2018
  34. https://www.ontariocourts.ca/ocj/jprc/public-hearings-decisions/#Former_Justice_of_the_PeaceDonna_Phillips Public Hearings Decisions
  35. https://www.thestar.com/news/crime/2013/08/13/jp_found_guilty_of_judicial_misconduct_after_misleading_police_about_daughters_identity.html Toronto Star, August 13,2013