Update to Court Operations at Devonshire Courthouse
Following flooding and water damage, remediation work at the Devonshire courthouse (3380 Devonshire Ave., Halifax) continues. Effective August 7, 2026, in-person matters will recommence.

During ongoing remediation work, the Court Administration Office is continuing to accept filings; however, the documents counter is temporarily relocated to the main floor of the courthouse. Similarly, the front counter for the Family Law Information Program (FLIP) is temporarily relocated on the main floor. Other family law programming, including conciliation and alternative dispute resolution, will proceed by telephone. Further updates will be provided.

Retired Supreme Court Justice Passes Away

Grey-haired man wearing red, white and black judicial robes.

The Hon. Murray J. "Rick" Ryan, a retired Justice of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, passed away peacefully at home on Sept. 18, 2022. He was 103 years old.

Born in North Sydney, N.S., Justice Ryan graduated from St. Francis Xavier University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1944. Upon graduation, he entered active service in the Royal Canadian Navy. At the end of the Second World War, Justice Ryan completed his Bachelor of Laws degree at Dalhousie Law School, graduating in 1948.

After articling in Sydney, he was admitted to the Nova Scotia Bar in November 1948 and opened a private law office in North Sydney. In 1971, he received the Queen's Counsel designation, now known as King's Counsel. Aside from his private law practice, he also served many years as the Solicitor for the Town of North Sydney, Solicitor for the Town of Sydney Mines, and as a Federal Crown Prosecutor.

On Aug. 5, 1982, Justice Ryan was appointed a Judge of the County Court of Nova Scotia. In January 1993, he was appointed to the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, where he served until his retirement at age 75.

To read Justice Ryan’s full obituary, go to the W. J. Dooley Funeral Service website.