The Review Committee appointed to investigate complaints against Provincial Court Judge Alain Bégin has completed its review and released its report on the matter.

The Review Committee has resolved the complaints with the agreement of Judge Bégin. A dissenting opinion is included in the final report.

The report was delivered to the Hon. Deborah K. Smith, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, in her role as Acting Chair of the Nova Scotia Judicial Council. A copy of the report is available on the Courts of Nova Scotia website here.

The Provincial Court Act states that a review committee must consist of three members of the Judicial Council, specifically a Judge of the Provincial Court, a public representative and a practicing lawyer. Accordingly, the following three people were appointed to conduct this review:

     • Provincial Court Judge Alan Tufts, appointed by the Nova Scotia Provincial Judges’
        Association;
     • Joseph Gillis, appointed by Nova Scotia’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice; and
     • Melanie Petrunia, appointed by the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society

Per the Provincial Court Act, members of the Committee must consider the cases referred to them and decide whether to dismiss the complaints, resolve them with the agreement of the judge involved or refer them to a hearing of the Nova Scotia Judicial Council.

In light of the Review Committee’s decision and the provisions of the Provincial Court Act, the review process is now complete.

-30-

Media Contact:
Andrew Preeper
Communications Director
Nova Scotia Judiciary
902-222-0266
Andrew.Preeper@courts.ns.ca