# Nova Scotia Supreme Court

The Nova Scotia Supreme Court is a superior court in the province of Nova Scotia.
The Supreme Court consists of 25 judicial seats including the position of Chief Justice and Associate Chief Justice. At any given time there may be one or more additional justices who sit as supernumerary justices. The justices sit in 18 different locations around the province.

## Jurisdiction

As with all superior courts across the country, the court is said to have inherent jurisdiction. It hears civil and criminal trials. The criminal trials can be judge alone or judge and jury. The court will also hear appeals from the provincial court, small claims court, Family court, and various provincial tribunals.
Appeals of Supreme Court decisions are then made to the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal.

## History

While the first court administering the Common Law was established in Annapolis Royal in 1721, the creation of a Supreme Court took place on October 21, 1754, several years before the Province was granted a legislative assembly. The court is the oldest court in Canada and is among the oldest in North America.
Jonathan Belcher was appointed the first Chief Justice of the Nova Scotia Supreme Court. The court's jurisdiction extended to the entire colony, which, after the Treaty of Paris ended the war with France in 1763, includes present day Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and eastern Maine.
In 1990, on the recommendation of the Nova Scotia Court Structure Task Force, the County and Supreme courts were merged to create a bench of 25 judges at the trial level. Since 1999, the Supreme Court also administers the Nova Scotia Family Division Court, with eight judges, that has jurisdiction over divorces and other family law cases in the Halifax and industrial Cape Breton.

## Supreme Court Family Division

The Supreme Court includes the Family Division which adjudicates matters of family law in the regions of Halifax and Cape Breton. As Supreme Court Justices, they have authority over both divorce as well as all other family law matters, unlike their provincial court counterparts who do not have the federal authority to adjudicate divorces.

## Justices of the Supreme Court

| Name | Location | Date appointed | Appointed by | Prior position(s) |
| Chief Justice Deborah K. Smith | Halifax | 2019 | Trudeau | Associate Chief Justice of the Nova Scotia Supreme Court (2004–2019) Nova Scotia Supreme Court Justice (2001–2004) McInnes Cooper (1983 to 2001) |
| Associate Chief Justice Patrick J. Duncan | Halifax | 2007 | Harper | Nova Scotia Supreme Court Justice (2007–2020) Beveridge, MacPherson & Duncan (1986 to 2007) NS Legal Aid (1980 to 1986) |
| Justice Patrick Murray | Sydney | 2010 | Harper | Murray, Gouthro, Wall LLP (2002 to 2010) Gillis and Murray LLP Stewart, McKelvey, Stirling, Scales LLP (1991 to 2002) |
| Justice Pierre L. Muise | Yarmouth | 2010 | Harper | Provincial Court Judge (2009 to 2010) NS Public Prosecution Service (1996 to 2009) |
| Justice Peter Rosinski | Halifax | 2010 | Harper | NS Public Prosecution Service (1989 to 2010) Appeal Crown (2005 to 2010) McLean & Associates (1989) Margeson & Wilson (1988) MacIntosh, MacDonnell & MacDonald (1986 to 1988) |
| Justice James L. Chipman | Halifax | 2013 | Harper | Stewart McKelvey Sterling Scales LLP (1998 to 2013) Cox Downie (1992 to 1998) |
| Justice Joshua M. Arnold | Halifax | 2013 | Harper | Arnold Pizzo McKegan LLP (1996 to 2013) NS Crown Attorney |
| Justice Robin C. M. Gogan | Sydney | 2013 | Harper | Breton Law Group (2011 to 2013) Sampson McDougall (2002 to 2011) |
| Justice Denise Boudreau | Halifax | 2013 | Harper | Public Prosecution Service of Canada (2007 to 2013) NS Legal Aid (1998–2007) LeBlanc, MacDonald, and Pickup (1994 to 1998) |
| Justice Jamie Campbell | Halifax | 2014 | Harper | Provincial Court Judge (2005 to 2014) Cox Hanson (1983 to 2005) |
| Justice Jeffrey R. Hunt | Truro | 2015 | Harper | Patterson Law (1992 to 2015) |
| Justice D. Timothy Gabriel | Halifax | 2016 | Trudeau | Provincial Court Judge (2010 to 2016) Landry McGillivray (1982 to 2010) |
| Justice Ann E. Smith | Halifax | 2016 | Trudeau | Burchells LLP |
| Justice Christa Brothers | Halifax | 2017 | Trudeau | Stewart McKelvey Sterling Scales LLP |
| Justice John Bodurtha | Halifax | 2018 | Trudeau | Atlantic Regional Office, Justice Canada |
| Justice Darlene Jamieson | Halifax | 2018 | Trudeau | Merrick Jamieson Sterns Washington & Mahody |
| Justice Scott Norton | Pictou | 2018 | Trudeau | Stewart McKelvey |
| Justice John Keith | Halifax | 2019 | Trudeau | Weir Foulds, Toronto (1993–1999) Cox & Palmer, Halifax (2000–2019) |
| Justice Diane Rowe | Bridgewater | 2020 | Trudeau | Department of Justice |
| Justice Jean Dewolfe | Kentville | 2021 | Trudeau | Provincial Court of Nova Scotia |
| Justice Lloyd Berliner | | 2021 | Trudeau | Patterson Law |
| Justice Gail Gatchalian | Halifax | 2021 | Trudeau | Pink Larkin Lawyers |

### Past Judges

| Name | Location | Duration | Appointed by | Prior position(s) |
| Justice M. Heather Robertson | | 1998 to 2021 | Jean Chrétien | Chief of Staff to the Premier of Nova Scotia (1995) Burchell, MacDougall (1986 to 1998) Walker, Dunlop (1985 to 1986) |
| Chief Justice Joseph Phillip Kennedy | | 1997 to 2019 | Jean Chrétien | Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia (1998 to 2019) Chief Judge of Provincial Court (1993 to 1997) Provincial Court Judge (1978 to 1993) Kenney, Theakson, Kennedy & Allen (1969 to 1978) |
| Justice Felix A. Cacchione | | June 12, 1986, to February 27, 2018 | Brian Mulroney | Private Practice Nova Scotia Legal Aid |
| Justice Elizabeth Van den Eynden | | October 2, 2013 to February 6, 2015 | Stephen Harper | MacIntosh, MacDonnell & MacDonald (1988 to 2013) |
| Justice Arthur W. D. Pickup | | December 11, 2002, to September 30, 2016 | Jean Chrétien | LeBlanc, MacDonald & Pickup (1975 to 2002) |
| Justice Linda Lee Oland | | 1998 to 2000 | Jean Chrétien | McInnes, Cooper & Robertson (1976 to 1998) |
| Justice Arthur Joseph LeBlanc | | 1998 to 2017 | Jean Chrétien | |
| Justice Joseph Michael MacDonald | | 1995 to 2005 | Jean Chrétien | |
| Justice Marlene Jill Hamilton | | 1995 to 2001 | Jean Chrétien | |
| Justice John Edward Flinn | | 1995 to 2002 | Jean Chrétien | |
| Justice J. Edward Scanlan | | 1993 to 2015 | | |
| Justice Hiram Joseph Carver | | 1993 to 2005 | | |
| Justice Nancy Jean Bateman | | 1993 to 1995 | | |
| Justice Charles Edward Haliburton | | January 1993 to 2013 | Brian Mulroney | Eric Kinsman (1962 to 1986), Member of Parliament (1972 to 1974, 1979 to 1980) |
| Justice Ian Palmeter | | 1993 to 1997 | | County Court Judge (1985 to 1993) |
| Justice Simon James MacDonald | | January 30, 1993 to December 17, 2016 | Brian Mulroney | County Court Judge (November 18, 1982 to January 30, 1993) Crown attorney MacIntyre, MacDonald & Gillis federal Department of Justice |
| Justice Donald MacKinnon Hall | | 1993 to 2006 | | County Court Judge (1982 to 1993) |
| Justice Douglas Lawrence MacLennan | | 1993 to unknown | | |
| Justice Norman Robert Anderson | | 1993 to 1998 | | |
| Justice John Hugh MacDonnell | | 1993 to 1995 | | |
| Justice Murray James Ryan | | 1993 to 1994 | | |
| Justice Ronald Newton Pugsley | | 1993 to 2000 | | |
| Justice Jamie William Sutherland Saunders | | 1990 to 2015 | Brian Mulroney | |
| Justice David William Gruchy | | 1990 to 2007 | Brian Mulroney | |
| Justice Walter Robert Evans Goodfellow | | 1990 to 2009 | Brian Mulroney | |
| Justice Allan Paul Boudreau | | March 30, 1990 to 2007 2007 to October 31, 2016 (Supernumerary) | Brian Mulroney | Crawford, Boudreau & Khattar (1975 to March 30, 1990) |
| Justice Gerald B. Freeman | | 1990 to 1993 | Brian Mulroney | County Court Judge (1988 to 1990) |
| Justice Elizabeth Ann MacKinnon Roscoe | | 1989 to 1992 | Brian Mulroney | |
| Justice David Ritchie Chipman | | 1987 to 2000 | Brian Mulroney | |
| Justice John McNab Davison | | 1987 to 2008 | Brian Mulroney | |
| Justice Gordon Alfred Tidman | | 1985 to 2007 | Brian Mulroney | |
| Justice Francis Bernard William Kelly | | 1985 to 2009 | Brian Mulroney | |
| Justice Kenneth McNeill Matthews | | 1985 to 1997 | Brian Mulroney | |
| Justice Robert Buckley MacDonald | | 1985 to 1995 | Brian Mulroney | |
| Justice Hilroy Selig Nathanson | | 1982 to 2007 | | |
| Justice Daniel Merlin Nunn | | 1982 to 2005 | | |
| Justice Lorne Otis Clarke | | 1981 to 1997 | | |
| Justice Roderick MacLeod Rogers | | 1981 to 1998 | | |
| Justice Peter M. Nicholson | Digby, Annapolis Royal | February 26, 1981 – April 15, 1986 | | |
| Justice Charles Denne Burchell | | 1979 to 1989 | | |
| Justice Kenneth Peter Richard | | 1978 to unknown | | |
| Justice Leonard Lawson Pace | | 1978 to 1990 | | |
| Justice Constance Rachlle Glube | | 1977 to 1998 | | |
| Justice James Doane Hallett | | 1977 to 1990 | | |
| Justice William Johnston Grant | | 1977 to 1995 | | |
| Justice Angus Lewis Macdonald (1973–1992) | |
| Justice Alexander Murdoch Macintosh (1973–1991) | |
| Justice Ian Malcolm MacKeigan (1973–1990) | |
| Justice Vincent Alan James Morrison (1973–1987) | |
| Justice Malachi Cornelius Hubert Jones (1970–1979) appointed to Court of Appeal | |
| Justice Gordon Leavitt Shaw Hart (1968–1999) | |
| Justice Donald Joseph Gillis (1968–1973) | |
| Justice Arthur Gordon Cooper (1968–1983) | |
| Justice Justin Louis Dubisky (1967–1976) | |
| Justice Gordon Stewart Cowan (1966–1981) | |
| Justice Alexander Hugh McKinnon (1966–1973) | |
| Justice Ronald Manning Fielding (1965–1972) | |
| Justice Vincent Joseph Pottier (1965–1970) | |
| Justice Thomas Herbert Coffin (1961–1981) | |
| Justice Frederick William Bissett (1961–1977) | |
| Justice Frank Harris Patterson (1958–1965) | |
| Justice Vincent Christopher MacDonald (1950–1964) | |
| Justice Lauchlin Daniel Currie (1949–1968) | |
| Justice James Lorimer Ilsley (1949–1967) | |
| Justice Eugene Troop Parker (1948–1961) | |
| Justice Josiah H. MacQuarrie (1947–1968) | |
| Justice John Stanley Smiley (1938–1945) | |
| Justice Joseph Andrew Chisholm (1916–1950) | |
| Justice Robert Edward Harris (1915–1931) | |
| Justice James Johnston Ritchie (1912–1925) | |
| Justice Wallace Nesbit Graham (1889–1917) | |
| Justice Charles James Townshend (1887–1914) | |
| Justice James McDonald (1881–1904) | |
| Justice Robert Linton Weatherbe (1878–1907) | |
| Justice John William Ritchie (1870–1882) | |

## Judges of the Supreme Court Family Division

| Name | Location | Date appointed | Appointed by | Prior position(s) |
| Associate Chief Justice Lawrence I. O'Neil | Halifax | September 19, 2007 | Stephen Harper | Justice of Family Division (19 September 2007 to present) NS Legal Aid, Antigonish (1999 to 2007) Pickup & MacDowell (1997 to 1999) Advisor to the Prime Minister of Canada (1990 to 1993) Sole Practitioner (1989 to 1990) Member of Parliament (1984 to November 21, 1988) Assistant to the Premier of Nova Scotia (1980 to 1982) |
| Justice Leslie J. Dellapinna | Halifax | June 7, 2001 | Jean Chrétien | Cox Hanson O'Reilly Matheson |
| Justice Theresa M. Forgeron | Sydney | June 24, 2005 | Paul Martin | H. F. MacIntyre and Associates |
| Justice Kenneth Haley | Sydney | July 31, 2008 | Stephen Harper | Crown attorney (1984 to 2008) MacLellan, MacDonald & Haley (1980 to 1984) |
| Justice Elizabeth Jollimore | Halifax | November 28, 2008 | Stephen Harper | Stewart McKelvey (1988 to 2008) Olsers (1987 to 1988) |
| Justice Beryl A. MacDonald | Halifax | March 24, 2005 | Paul Martin | Hicks, LeMoine |
| Justice Robert M. Gregan | Sydney | June 24, 2015 | Stephen Harper | NS Legal Aid Hicks, Lemoine (1991 to 2003) |
| Justice Robert Ferguson | Halifax | March 24, 1999 | Chrétien | McIntyre, Gillis & Ferguson (1962 to 1971) Family Court Judge (1971 to 1999) |
| Justice Carole A. Beaton | Halifax | February 4, 2011 | Stephen Harper | Provincial court (2002 to 2011) Beaton Blaikie (1994 to 2002) Sole practitioner (1992 to 1994) Creighton & Shatford (1988 to 1992) |
| Justice C. Lou Ann Chiasson | Halifax | February 6, 2015 | Stephen Harper | Weldon McInnes (2000 to 2015) Chiasson McClure (1995 to 2000) Sole practitioner (1994 to 1995) Burchell MacAdam & Hayman (1992 to 1994) |
| Justice Cindy G. Cormier | Halifax | October 10, 2014 | Stephen Harper | Department of Justice |
| Justice R. Lester Jesudason | Halifax | May 5, 2015 | Stephen Harper | Blois Nickerson (1997 to 2015) |
| Justice Pamela J. MacKeigan | Halifax | October 20, 2016 | Justin Trudeau | Blois Nickerson NS Legal Aid |
| Justice Lee Anne MacLeod-Archer | Sydney | April 11, 2014 | Stephen Harper | Stewart McKelvey Stirling Scales (1992 to 2002) LaFosse MacLeod (2002 to 2014) |
| Justice Cindy Murray | Halifax | July 18, 2017 | Justin Trudeau | NS Legal Aid (1993 to 2017) |