Media
Access to the Courts The Rules
of Public Access apply to the Media. The following is additional information
specific to the media.
The media play a crucial role in informing the general public about what goes on in our Courts: the average citizen gains knowledge of the legal system primarily through the words and images conveyed by the media in news reports about Court proceedings.
Both the justice system and the public at large are well served when media coverage of hearings and dispositions of specific cases is accurate and complete. Court officials and staff working within the justice system have a responsibility to assist the public, including the media, in obtaining the access to which they are entitled by law to report accurately on Court proceedings.
Access to Courthouses and Courtrooms
Restrictions on Public Access to Documents
Transcripts and Tapes of Proceedings
APPENDIX A
RESOURCES AND CONTACTS - GENERAL
APPENDIX B
NOVA SCOTIA JUSTICE CENTRES
APPENDIX C
CAMERAS IN THE PUBLIC AREAS OF COURT FACILITIES
APPENDIX D
WHAT TO CALL THE JUDGE
DECEMBER, 1999
POLICIES ON MEDIA ACCESS TO THE
COURTS IN NOVA SCOTIA
Access to Courthouses and Courtrooms
(D) Media Rooms
In the Law Courts Building on Upper Water Street, Halifax, an office
has been set aside on the third floor of the Courthouse for the media
covering Appeal or Supreme Court cases. In the Provincial Court on Spring
Garden Road, Halifax, an office has been set aside for the media on
the main floor.
In other Court locations around the Province reporters should check with the local Court Administrator* about arrangements for the media.
(E) Media Tables
A special table for the media has been set up in the Appeal Court Courtroom
(No. 6 on the 5th Floor of the Halifax Law Courts Building).
Some other locations also provide special media tables in the courtroom - please check with the Court Administrator.
(A) General Rule - Access Through
Court Administration Office
The general rule is that Court hearings are open and the public, including
the media, have access to Court documentation in the custody of the
Court Administrator.
The Court Administration office in each Court facility holds all files and documentation related to cases heard in that location. The public may search the file indices or review documentation in these offices during office hours (generally 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., except in the Halifax Law Courts Administration office: 8:30 a.m. - 4:15 p.m.).
NOTE: The term "Court Administrator" is used generically throughout the Guidelines to refer to Court staff with the authority to handle public and media access inquiries. Supervisors of Court Administration, Prothonotaries and Sheriff's Officers may in fact be the staff with whom the public and media most frequently deal.
Any review of such information by a member of the public must be made at the Court office in the presence of Court staff. In no case is a member of the public permitted to remove Court documentation from the Court office for later return.
If photocopies are required, they will be made by staff or, in Halifax, by the individual requesting them. There is a charge of $.50 per page. Media representatives may, as well, photograph or film court documentation in the Halifax Law Courts Administration office.
A list of Justice Centres around the Province can be found on this site. Please contact a staff member in the area where the case in question will be heard for any additional information.
In satellite Courts where no permanent staff is present,
advance inquiries about access should be made to the Court Administrator
at the relevant Justice Centre. On-site inquiries may be addressed to
the Court Clerk or the Sheriff's Officer.
(B) Restrictions on Public
Access to Documents
Although the vast majority of documents filed with the Court are available
to the public and media, there are a number of legislative provisions
and judicial decisions which restrict access to some Court records.
Some of the Court documents which are not publicly accessible, or are
available only with the consent of a Judge, include:
young offender records (including tapes and transcripts);
(The Young Offenders Act, Sections 44.1-46)
records of proceedings under the Children and
Family Services Act (child protection and adoption cases);
(N.S. Civil Procedure Rule 69.16, and S. 85 of the Act for adoptions)
unexecuted or unsuccessfully executed search warrants/Informations to Obtain; (Supreme Court of Canada decision: AGNS et al v. McIntyre, 1982)
contingency fee arrangements;
(N.S. Civil Procedure Rule 63.19)
victim impact statements;
(N.S. Order in Council No. 94-057)
offers to settle; payments into Court; discoveries
(N.S. Civil Procedure Rules)
documentation related to settlement-oriented pre-trial
processes
There is no consistent policy in Nova Scotia regarding public access to presentence and psychiatric or other medical reports. In many cases they are available as part of the Court file, although sometimes the presiding Judge may decide to retain discretion over their public release. There may be concern that these reports contain personal medical information; information of which the offender is not, and in the Judge's view should not be, aware; material which is otherwise banned, or damaging material regarding innocent third parties.
Of course, any documents sealed by Order of a Judge are not available to the public. The Order sealing the documents can be reviewed, however.
For access to Exhibits, please see here.
(C) During Trials
It will be difficult to obtain access to Court records immediately before
or during a trial: the Judge may have the documentation in his or her
office for review or, during the proceedings, materials will be in the
custody of the Court Clerk/Reporter. If the decision is reserved, the
Judge will have the file in his or her office while preparing the written
judgment.
If a reporter wishes access to the file when it is in the Judge's office, the reporter may request an opportunity to review the file or specific documents in the file. At the Halifax Law Courts Building the request should be made through the Judicial Assistant of the presiding Judge. At other Courthouses the request should be made to the Judge's Assistant or the Court Administrator. Staff will relay the request to the Judge and will attempt to satisfy the reporter's request.
During the trial itself relevant documentation will be under the control of the Court Clerk. Members of the public, including reporters, are not permitted past the Bar (to the area where counsel and the Clerk sit, and where the Court file is kept) at any time without permission of the Court. Access to the area beyond the Bar will only be permitted in the presence of a supervising official.
Accordingly, a reporter who wishes to check the file during the course of the proceedings must speak with the Court Clerk - preferably before trial or, alternatively, during a break - to arrange access to the relevant documentation. If there is a Sheriff's Officer in Court, the reporter should ask that Officer to get the Clerk's attention.
Generally speaking, the Court Clerk has authority to
show a reporter official court documentation as set out in these Guidelines,
but in the case of any other materials (including exhibits) the Clerk
must bring the request to the attention of the presiding Judge.
Access
To Exhibits
There is no automatic right of access to exhibits in Nova Scotia.
Requests for access to exhibits by members of the media must be made to the presiding Judge if the case is pending or ongoing. Some Judges may entertain informal requests while others might not deal with the issue without a formal Court application. Members of the media should direct their inquiries to the Clerk of the Court or the Court Administrator.
If the media know of their interest in exhibits well in advance of a specific trial date (eg. before a Court Clerk has been assigned) they may wish to contact the Court Administrator. In every case, access to exhibits is entirely in the discretion of the presiding Judge.
After the completion of the case exhibits are returned
to their owners, sent to the Nova Scotia Archives or destroyed as soon
as the appeal period expires. Any enquiries about access after the case
has concluded should be directed to the Court Administrator.
Transcripts
All Courts in Nova Scotia except for Small Claims Courts are Courts
of record.
(A) Transcripts and Tapes of Proceedings
Typed transcripts of proceedings are not provided to the public by the
Court. However, copies of tapes of most proceedings in the Appeal, Supreme
and Provincial Courts are available at reasonable cost. Requests clearly
identifying the case in question must be made in writing to the Court
Administrator or, at the Law Courts Building in Halifax, the Supervisor
of Central Services. It will take anywhere from a day or two to several
weeks to process requests.
Tapes which are purchased by the media may be used for verification purposes only, not for re-broadcast.
(B) Listening to Taped Evidence
At Supreme and Provincial Court locations around the Province (other
than the Law Courts Building in Halifax) it may be possible, for verification
purposes, to listen at the Courthouse to taped evidence of a proceeding.
Requests to listen to taped evidence should be made to the Court Administrator
or Court Clerk.
Because of new recording technology in the Halifax Law
Courts Building, members of the media can no longer listen to taped
Court proceedings in the Recording Room. This issue is under consideration.
Dockets
Dockets (trial schedules) for the Appeal Court and the Halifax sittings
of the Supreme Court are available to the public. Copies are left for
the media in the Media Room at the Law Courts Building. Up-to-date information
about the time and location of cases in the building is available on
a daily basis from the Receptionist (424-4900).
At the Family Division of the Supreme Court, dockets are posted in the Court reception area one day in advance of the trials.
At other Supreme Court locations around the Province docket information should be available from the Court Administration office.
Access to Provincial Court trial and arraignment schedules is through the Court Administration Office.
Media
Related Rules
(A) Jurors
By convention jurors are not photographed or otherwise identified.
(B) Cameras
(1) Courtrooms - Filming or photographing a courtroom
is not permitted from inside or outside the courtroom without permission
of the Court. Specifically included in this restriction is filming through
open courtroom doors or through windows in courtroom doors. Cameras
- including television cameras - are not allowed in any courtrooms in
the province during the conduct of a case without the express permission
of the Court.
A project permitting cameras into the Court of Appeal is currently underway. Copies of the project Guidelines and precedents for the documents (which must be filed by interested media well in advance of the case) are available from Gail Salsbury.
(2) Public Areas of Courthouses
General conditions
Cameras are generally permitted in the public areas of Courthouses,
although in some Court facilities there are restrictions on camera access
to public space. Generally, television camerapersons or still photographers
should check upon arrival at a Court facility with the Court Administration
office or the Sheriff to enquire where they may locate.
Any camera operator in the public area of a Courthouse must not film or photograph from the public area into courtrooms through doors or windows without the express permission of the Court.
To ensure public safety and unimpeded access to and exit from courtrooms, Court staff have the authority to direct where camera operators may locate in the public areas of Courthouses.
Some site-specific guidelines are set out in Appendix C.
(3) Special Events - On such special occasions as swearing-in ceremonies television cameras may be used in the courtroom unless the media is notified otherwise. Because space is so restricted, camera operators will be limited to a pre-determined area of the courtroom to minimize disruption.
(4) Courtrooms as Background/Sets
Requests for use of empty courtrooms for news-related filming should
be made to the presiding Judge or Chief Justice or Chief Judge through
the Court Clerk (or alternatively, at the Halifax Law Courts Building,
through the Executive Assistant to the Chief Justice or her Secretary).
(C) Tape Recorders
Generally, members of the media may tape proceedings held in Nova Scotia
Courts for verification purposes, but not for broadcast.
(D) Computers
Lap top computers are generally permitted in Nova Scotia Courts provided
there is no disturbance to the proceedings and the computers are used
solely for the purpose of note-taking.
(E) Cell Phones
Reporters may take their cell phones with them into the courtroom but
the phones must be turned off and never used in Court.
(F) Interviews
In the Law Courts Building and the Spring Garden Road Courthouse in
Halifax, the media may hold interviews in the public areas subject to
direction by Court staff to ensure public traffic is not impeded.
In other Court locations around the province the media
should check in advance with the Sheriff or Court Administrator on an
appropriate location for interviews.
While the media is, in general terms, constitutionally entitled to publish information about trials, there are exceptions to this right. The Court may (and frequently, must) impose publication bans to protect the fairness and integrity of the trial, the privacy or safety of a victim or witness, or the identity of a young offender.
In addition to the presiding Judge's inherent discretion to control Court proceedings to ensure a fair trial, statutory provisions permitting or requiring publication bans are set out in such Acts as the Criminal Code of Canada and the Young Offenders' Act. A Judge may impose a publication ban that exceeds the statutory minimum.
The area is a complicated one, and reporters covering legal proceedings are urged to familiarize themselves with the subject. On occasion it may be prudent to seek legal advice on whether publication is permitted. There are serious consequences for breaching publication bans.
Court staff attempt to flag all publication bans imposed by the Appeal or Supreme Court by highlighting the ban on the cover of the file. In addition, a one-page form is inserted as the first document in the Court file indicating the file name, the name of the Judge making the order, the date of the order and its conditions.
At Provincial Court, staff attempt to flag all publication bans imposed by Provincial Court Judges by noting bans on the back of the Informations or on the Court file.
Many bans, however, are imposed statutorily (such as in the case of preliminary hearings, voir dires etc.) and reporters must be aware of the relevant provisions in the Criminal Code and other legislation.
Queries about whether a publication ban exists in a particular case may be directed to the Court Administrator.
Dagenais and Publication Bans: As a result of the 1994 Supreme Court of Canada decision in Dagenais v. CBC, Judges, in exercising common law or discretionary authority to impose publication bans in criminal cases, must weigh all competing Charter rights (e.g. freedom of expression, right to a fair trial) and impose, at most, the minimal ban necessary to protect fundamental rights. The decision establishes that members of the media have standing to be heard and to raise objections in open Court when a party requests that a Judge impose a non-statutory ban.
APPENDIX
A
RESOURCES AND CONTACTS
A good general reference for reporters covering the courts is Michael Crawford's "The Journalist's Legal Guide", 3rd ed., Carswell 1996.
A valuable course on "Courts and the Media" is offered annually at Kings' College School of Journalism in Halifax. Working reporters can make arrangements through the School to audit the course.
Media Liaison Committee
There exists in Nova Scotia a Media Liaison Committee composed of five
members of the Bench and six media representatives. This Committee meets
regularly to discuss issues of mutual concern, and reporters should
feel free to contact the following representatives to raise matters
for consideration:
Mr. Dean Jobb
The Halifax Herald
Post Office Box 610
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 2T2
Tel: 426-1147 Fax: 426-1158
Ms. Carol McDade
GLOBAL
14 Akerley Blvd.
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia B3B 1J3
Tel: 494-5200 Fax: 481-7427
Mr. Jim Crichton
Broadcast News/Canadian Press
Suite 100
1888 Brunswick Street
Post Office Box 37, Station M
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 2L4
Tel: 422-8496 Fax: 425-2675
Ms. Kathy Large
CBC Radio
Post Office Box 3000
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 3E9
Tel: 420-4346 Fax: 420-4357
Mr. Bill Turpin
The Daily News
Post Office Box 8330
Station "A" Halifax, Nova Scotia B3K 5M1
Tel: 468-1222 Fax: 468-2645
Professor Michael Cobden
University of King's College
School of Journalism
6350 Coburg Road
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 2A1
Tel: 422-1271 Fax: 425-8183
Some contacts who may be of assistance to reporters covering the Courts include:
The Courts: Ms. Gail Salsbury
Executive Assistant to the Chief Justice
Tel: 424-4812
Ms. Michele McKinnon
Department of Justice, Communications Officer
Tel: 424-6811
Mr. Darrel Pink
Professional Associations Executive Director
Nova Scotia Barristers' Society
Tel: 422-1491
Ms. Alison Davidson
Executive Director
Canadian Bar Association (N.S. Branch)
Tel: 422-1905
APPENDIX
B
JUSTICE CENTRES AND SATELLITE COURT FACILITIES IN NOVA SCOTIA
For purposes of efficient court administration, Nova Scotia is served by a number of centralized Justice Centres. Court continues to sit in numerous additional Court locations across the Province, but staff and administrative services are provided from the Justice Centres. Phone and fax numbers for all Justice Centres are set out below:
1. Amherst and Surrounding Areas
The Amherst Justice Centre serves Cumberland, Pictou (only for Provincial
Court matters for the area served by the Tatamagouche Department of
the RCMP) and Colchester Counties (only for Provincial Court matters
for the area served by the Parrsboro Detachment of the RCMP).
Address: Amherst Justice Centre,
16 Church St., Amherst, N. S. B4H 3A6
Telephone: 667-2256 Fax: 667-1108
2. Antigonish and Surrounding Areas
The Antigonish Justice Centre serves Antigonish and Guysborough Counties
(excluding Provincial Court matters for the area served by the Port
Hawkesbury Detachment of the RCMP).
Address: Antigonish Justice Centre,
11 James St., Antigonish, N.S. B2G 1R6
Telephone: 863-7545 Fax: 863-7479
3. Bridgewater and Surrounding Areas
The Bridgewater Justice Centre serves Lunenburg and Queens Counties.
Address: Bridgewater Justice Centre,
80 Pleasant St., Bridgewater, N. S. B4V 1N1 Telephone:
543-4678 Fax: 543-0639
4. Digby, Annapolis and Surrounding Areas
The Digby Justice Centre serves Annapolis (excluding Family Court matters)
and Digby Counties.
Address: Digby/Annapolis Justice Centre,
Court House, 117 Queen St. Crescent,
Digby, N.S. B0V 1A0
Telephone: 245-4567 Fax: 245-6722
5. Halifax Metropolitan Offices
There is no single Halifax Justice Centre. The Nova Scotia Court of
Appeal and the Supreme Court are headquartered in the Law Courts Building
at 1815 Upper Water Street. The Family Division of the Supreme Court
is located at 3380 Devonshire Avenue in Halifax. The Provincial Court
operates from locations in Dartmouth, Bedford and Spring Garden Road,
Halifax. The Provincial Court serves Halifax Regional Municipality,
excluding matters for the area served by the Enfield and Sheet Harbour
Detachments of the RCMP.
The Law Courts Building
Address: 1815 Upper Water St., Halifax, N.S. B3J 1S7
Telephone: 424-4900 Fax: 424-0524
The Family Division of the Supreme Court
Address: 3380 Devonshire Ave., Halifax, N.S. B3K 5M6
Telephone: 424-3990 Fax: 424-0562
The Spring Garden Road Provincial Court
Address: 5250 Spring Garden Rd., Halifax, N.S. B3J
1E7
Telephone: 424-8718 Fax: 424-0551
The Dartmouth Provincial Court
Address: 200-277 Pleasant St., Dartmouth, N.S. B2Y
3S2
Telephone: 424-2390 Fax: 424-0677
The Bedford Provincial Court
Address: Sun Office Tower,
1550 Bedford Hwy., Bedford, N.S. B4A 1E6
Telephone: 424-4004 Fax: 424-0383
6. Kentville and Surrounding Areas
The Kentville Justice Centre serves Kings and West Hants Counties. It
serves East Hants for files relating to the administration of probate
estates and for all Supreme Court matters, as well as for Provincial
Court matters for the area served by the Windsor Rural Detachment of
the RCMP. The Kentville Justice Centre also serves Annapolis County
for Family Court matters and all Sheriff-related functions.
Address: Kentville Justice Centre,
87 Cornwallis St., Kentville,N.S. B4N 2E5
Telephone: 679-6070 Fax: 679-6178
7. Pictou, New Glasgow and Surrounding Areas
The Pictou/New Glasgow Justice Centre serves Pictou County (excluding
Provincial Court matters for the area served by the Tatamagouche Detachment
of the RCMP) and Halifax County (only for Provincial Court matters for
the area served by the Sheet Harbour Detachment of the RCMP).
Address: Pictou/New Glasgow Justice Centre,
115 MacLean Street, 1st floor
New Glasgow, NS B2H
4M5
Telephone: 752-5106 Fax: 755-7783
8. Port Hawkesbury and Surrounding Areas
The Port Hawkesbury Justice Centre serves Inverness and Richmond Counties.
It also serves Guysborough and Antigonish Counties for Provincial Court
matters for the area served by the Port Hawkesbury Detachment of the
RCMP.
Address: Port Hawkesbury Justice Centre,
281
McSween Street, Unit 2
Port Hawkesbury, NS B9A 2J9
Telephone: 625-4219 Fax: 625-4020
9. Sydney and Surrounding Areas
The Sydney Justice Centre serves the Cape Breton Regional Municipality
and Victoria County.
Address: Sydney Justice Centre,
6 - 136 Charlotte St., Sydney, N.S. B1P 1C3
Telephone: 563-3550 Fax: 563-0510
10. Truro and Surrounding Areas
The Truro Justice Centre serves Colchester County, excluding Provincial
Court matters for the areas served by the Tatamagouche and Parrsboro
Detachments of the RCMP. It also serves East Hants and Halifax Regional
Municipality for Provincial Court matters for the area served by the
Enfield Detachment of the RCMP.
Address: Truro Justice Centre,
540 Prince St.,Truro, N.S. B2N 1G1
Telephone: 893-5840 Fax: 893-6261
11. Yarmouth and Surrounding Areas
The Yarmouth Justice Centre serves Yarmouth and Shelburne Counties.
Address: Yarmouth Justice Centre, Court House,
403 Main St., Yarmouth,
N.S. B5A 1G3
Telephone: 742-0500 Fax: 742-0678
APPENDIX
C
CAMERAS IN THE PUBLIC AREAS OF COURT FACILITIES
Media personnel should check with the Sheriff or Court Administrator
either in advance or upon arrival at a Court facility since camera access
varies from Courthouse to Courthouse across the Province.
The following are site-specific guidelines respecting cameras in some
Court locations in Nova Scotia.
Filming from the Halifax Law Courts Media Room -
The Media Room in the Halifax Law Courts Building is just outside the
entrance to Courtroom No. 4. Unless a Judge orders otherwise, camera
operators may film from inside the Media Room into the adjacent carpeted
area immediately outside Courtroom No. 4; however, they must remain
in the Media Room and off the carpeted area, and they must not shoot
into the courtroom through the courtroom doors.
Supreme Court - Amherst and Truro
In both the Amherst (Victoria Street) and Truro (Church Street) Supreme
Court Buildings, cameras are accommodated on the first floor only. Camera
operators may not film or take photographs on the second floor or on
the stairs/landing.
Provincial Court - Spring Garden Road , Halifax
At the Spring Garden Road Courthouse television cameras are allowed
into the building in accordance with the following guidelines:
1. The media cameras will be required to stay off to
the side of the carpeted area on the ground floor, excluding the area
to the left when coming into the building.
2. The media cameras will also be allowed on the second floor between
courtrooms
1 and 2.
3. Photos may be taken of courtrooms 1, 2 and 3 from the media area
on the second floor under the following conditions only:
a) when the door to the courtroom is open as a result of someone entering
or exiting; and
b) the court is not in session and the Judge is not on the bench.
4. The camera operators will not be permitted to take pictures at any
time while they are on the stairs, landings or any of the carpeted areas.
5. Interviews being conducted by the reporters will not be an excuse
for the camera operators to move from their designated areas.
6. Reporters and other press persons, camera operators, etc. are not
permitted in the restricted areas.
7. The Media Room is the only area where equipment may be left unattended.
Any such equipment is left at the owner's risk.
APPENDIX D
WHAT TO CALL THE JUDGE
Nova Scotia's Courts - General Background
Nova Scotia has four principal Courts:
The Nova Scotia Court of Appeal - the highest Court in the Province, with broad authority to hear appeals from the other Courts and administrative tribunals. Its Judges are referred to as "Justice (Doe)".
The Supreme Court of Nova Scotia (including the Family Division) - the highest trial Court in the Province, with broad authority to try a wide range of civil and serious criminal matters; to hear appeals from other Courts and tribunals; exclusive authority to hold jury trials, to try murder cases, to grant divorce and divide matrimonial property. Its Judges are referred to as "Justice (Doe)".
The Provincial Court - authority to try a wide range of federal criminal matters and both provincial and federal offences. Its Judges are referred to as "Judge (Doe)".
The Family Court - authority to hear
matters relating to family law, including custody, maintenance, child
and adult protection, and some assault cases. Its Judges are referred
to as "Judge (Doe)". The Family Court operates in areas other than Cape
Breton and the Halifax Regional Municipality (where the Family Division
of the Supreme Court sits).
Judges of the Provincial, Family and Supreme Court (Family Division)
also serve as Youth Court Judges. Supreme Court Judges may, on occasion,
serve as Judges of the Probate Court.
The Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court are established by the Canadian
Constitution and their Judges are appointed by the federal government,
while the Provincial and Family Courts are established by provincial
statute and their Judges are appointed by the provincial government.
Further detail on proper titles for the judiciary follows:
The Chiefs
The proper titles of the Chiefs of the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal and
the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia are:
Chief Justice (John)(Jane) Doe, (Chief Justice of the XX Court)
Associate Chief Justice (John)(Jane) Doe, (Associate Chief Justice
of the XX Court)
The proper titles of the Chiefs of the Provincial and Family Courts
are:
Chief Judge (John)(Jane) Doe, (Chief Judge of the XX Court)
Associate Chief Judge (John)(Jane) Doe, (Associate Chief Judge
of the XX Court)
After initial identification in a story, a Chief Justice/Judge may be
referred to as "the Chief Justice/ Chief Judge". Similarly for the Associate
Chiefs.
Individual Judges
The remaining individual Judges of the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal and
the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia are referred to as:
Justice (John)(Jane) Doe; or Justice Doe
If two or more Judges of the Appeal or Supreme Courts are being referred
to by name, they may be referred to as:
Justices (John) Doe, (Jane) Smith and (Robert) Black
The remaining individual Judges of the Provincial and Family Courts
are referred to as:
Judge (John)(Jane) Doe; or Judge Doe
After initial identification in a story, a Judge may continue to be
referred to as "Justice Doe" (Appeal and Supreme Courts) or "Judge Doe"
(Provincial and Family Courts); or alternatively, after initial identification
a Judge of any Court may simply be referred to as "the Judge" (without
mention of the name).
Judges of a Court, collectively
Reference to the members of any court collectively may be to "the Judges
of the XX Court".
List of Judges
Interested reporters may obtain a current list of the Judges of any
Nova Scotia Court from the Executive Assistant to the Chief Justice
or her Secretary.
( You can also obtain lists of Judges on this web site. Go
to the top of the page and click on the Court you are interested
in. From there simply click on the "Judges" link on each page.)
Family Division of the Supreme Court - At the Family
Division Court facility on Devonshire Avenue in Halifax, cameras are
allowed in a restricted area of public space on the first (?) and second
(?) floors of the facility. Television camerapersons or still photographers
should check with security officers or court administration staff for
direction. (Should clear restrictions be set out in the Guidelines as
for Spring Garden Road? - may not be necessary as long as staff and
security have any agreed-upon restrictions clearly marked on a facility
plan to which they can easily refer when media arrive on site.)
At the Family Division facility in Sydney (Port Hawkesbury?) media members
with cameras must check with court administration or security staff
about where cameras will be permitted in the public areas of those court
houses.
For information on a specific court click on the appropriate
court link at the top of the page.
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