Attorney General and Justice Minister Diana Whalen has announced the appointment of Alain Bégin of Truro, as the newest judge of the provincial and family courts. Mr. Bégin was appointed today, Sept. 1.
Mr. Bégin is fully bilingual and was called to the Nova Scotia bar in 1995. Since then, he has practiced in the Truro area specializing in litigation and criminal matters. He joined McLellan Richards and Bégin in 2000.
“Nova Scotia has a need for more French-speaking judges,” said Ms. Whalen. “Mr. Bégin’s ability to provide French language services, along with his significant experience in the justice system, make him well prepared to take on these important duties.”
Mr. Bégin is very active in his community, serving on several volunteer boards during the last 21 years. He was the Truro and District Chamber of Commerce’s Outstanding Volunteer of the Year for 1997.
Judges are appointed to both provincial and family courts to allow flexibility in dealing with court workloads. They are selected from a list of candidates put forth by the Committee on Provincial Judicial Appointments. The committee includes two members of the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society, judges of the provincial and family courts, and four members appointed by the Minister of Justice. The committee recommendations are based on criteria in the Guidelines for Provincial Judicial Appointments.
The provincial court presides over most indictable offence charges under the Criminal Code and has exclusive jurisdiction over all summary offence charges under provincial and federal statutes and regulations except a charge of murder by an adult.
The family court provides a forum to hear family issues, including maintenance, custody and access, and child protection matters.
For more information on Nova Scotia courts, visit www.courts.ns.ca.
Source: Release