Atlantic Courts Education Seminar for Federally Appointed Judges 2021

This program was provided by the National Judicial Institute with the superior and appellate courts of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Overview

This program focused on a variety of topics relevant to judges in Atlantic Canada, including child protection matters, the revitalization of Indigenous legal traditions, coercive control in intimate partner relationships, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on access to justice.

Objective

The objectives of this program were to enhance practical skills in jury trials, to provide a better understanding of the impact of race and cultural factors in child protection proceedings, to increase knowledge of key jurisprudential developments in criminal and family law, to provide a better understanding of coercive control and how it manifests in intimate partner relationships, and to explore the revitalization of Indigenous legal traditions and how this could impact the judiciary. 

Summary

With a combination of presentations, panel discussions and exercises led by senior judges, multi-disciplinary academics, and representatives from the local community, the program explored topics including substantive legal updates in the areas of criminal, administrative, family, and Indigenous law; training on judicial ethical issues, matters relating to sexual assault law and social context such as coercive control in intimate partner relationships, and child protection matters. It also included an in-depth discussion on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the public and access to justice.