Judges

There are currently about 150 Provincial Court judges in various locations throughout the province. When appointed, each judge is assigned an office in a particular judicial region, though many judges are required to travel regularly to other areas, in order to meet the demand for judges in the more than 80 locations where Provincial Court is held.

Most Provincial Court judges work full-time. However, judges aged 55 or older, with at least 10 years of service, may elect to hold office as a part-time judge.

Judges conduct trials and other proceedings in criminal, youth, family, and civil matters. They also perform judicial mediation in family and civil settlement conferences. But judges also do considerable work outside the courtroom – reading, writing, public speaking, and committee work.

When they reserve judgment, judges research and prepare written reasons for their decisions. In order to keep abreast of the law they regularly read new legislation as well as reasons for judgment issued by other Provincial Court judges and by judges of other courts, particularly BC courts and the Supreme Court of Canada. They also read articles commenting on recent judgments and on trends in the law.

Judges consider written applications for search warrants in their offices. They also speak frequently to students, service clubs, community groups, justice system professionals and others. They attend swearing in ceremonies for police officers and municipal councils and school boards. Many judges also volunteer their time to serve on committees to help the Court or to liaise with court users and community organizations. Judges also organize and present education programs for their colleagues.

To assist judges and judicial justices with difficult ethical and professional issues and to assist members of the public to better understand the judicial role, the BC Judicial Council has adopted the Ethical Principles for Judges published by the Canadian Judicial Council in 2021, except for its commentary on “Post-Judicial Careers” in s. 5.E.2 restricting the types of activities a judge can engage in upon leaving the judicial office and returning to the legal profession.

For more information on the life of a judge see:

A day in the life of a Provincial Court judge, VictoriaNews
A day in the life of one of Vernon's Provincial Court Judges, infonews.ca
Provincial court judges released for 27 years' good behavior, Northshore News
Retired Provincial Court Judge speaks of his time on the bench, Salmon Arm Observer (VIDEO)
 What judges do in a day, Vancouver Sun

and to read about the welcoming ceremony held for each new judge see:
Ceremony held for new judge, Williams Lake Tribune
New Fort St. John judge approaches court with compassion, patience, Alaska Highway News

For changes to the Court’s judicial complement (appointments, retirements, elections to serve as a Senior Judge) see the Court’s monthly Judicial Complement Reports.

Judges sitting as of June 2, 2023 by region:

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF JUDGE

GILLESPIE, MELISSA (Chief Judge)
DOHM, PAUL (Associate Chief Judge)
WISHART, SUSAN (Associate Chief Judge)
Oh, Grace

The Chief Judge and Associate Chief Judges are also listed in a region below, since they sit in court in addition to their administrative responsibilities.

FRASER REGION

BOWRY, RITA - Regional Administrative Judge
Albert, David
Alexander, Therese
Arthur-Leung, Kimberley
Brown, Anja
Brown, Gregory (Senior Judge)
Browning, Richard
Campbell, Jeffrey
Chettiar, Valliammai
Cohen, Gary (Senior Judge)
Cronin, Kasandra
Davis, Andrea
Dion, Tina
Docolas, Georgia
Dohm, Paul (Associate Chief Judge)
Dorey, Diana
Dossa, Shehni (Senior Judge)
Duncan, Emmet
Dunn, Dannielle
Ferriss, Kathryn
Gaffar, Deanne
Gill, Gurmail (Senior Judge)
Gillespie, Melissa (Chief Judge)
Gunnell, Robert
Harris, Jodie
Hinkson, Timothy
Hughes, Ellen
Jahani, Delaram
Jetté, Mark
La Prairie, Peter
Lee, Wilson
Lopes, Jennifer
Macdonald, Trudy
McQuillan, Robin
Mundstock, Kristen
Ormiston, Andrea
Peacock, Michele
Preovolos, Nicholas
Ritchie, Edna
Rounthwaite, Jill
Sidhu, Satinder
Simpkin, David
Smith, Garth
Solomon, Jay
Sudeyko, Danny
Weatherly, Daniel
Whyte, Peter
Young, Wendy

INTERIOR

KOTURBASH, GREGORY - Regional Administrative Judge
Armstrong, Mariane
Bennett, Lorianna
Brown, Robert
Burnett, Clarke
Daneliuk, Michelle
Dickey, Roy
Doerksen, Lynal
Frame, Stella
Guild, Jeremy
Heinrichs, Cathie
Hewson, Richard
Jung, Lynett
Keyes, Shannon
Leven, George
McParland, Monica
Phillips, Raymond
Ruse, David
Sheard, Grant
Sicotte, Craig
Skilnick, Kenneth (Senior Judge)
Tam, Andrew
Wyatt, Lisa

NORTHERN REGION

STRUYK, CALVIN - Regional Administrative Judge
Bernt, Wendy
Blaskovits, Richard (Senior Judge)
Brecknell, Michael (Senior Judge)
Daley, Brian (Senior Judge)
Doulis, Judith
Fleck, Oliver
Golinsky, Tamera
Jackson, William (Senior Judge)
Malfair, Cassandra
McDermick, Peter
Mengering, Susan
Mulder, Scott
Nadon, Martin
Patterson, David
Purewal, Nina
Reeves, Darin
Stanford, Michelle
Thomas, Linda
Wright, Terence

VANCOUVER REGION

MILNE, JOHN - Regional Administrative Judge
Adams, Nancy
Bahen, James
Bakan, Laura
Boblin, Dawn
Bond, Patricia
Brownstone, Andrea
Challenger, Joanne (Senior Judge)
Craig, Bonnie
Denhoff, Kathryn
Dhillon, Harbans (Senior Judge)
Doherty, Patrick
Galati, Joseph
Gordon, Ellen
Hamilton, Robert
Harris, Reginald
Jamieson, Eugene
Janzen, Patricia (Senior Judge)
Lee, Glenn
MacLean, Malcolm
Mah, Derek
McQueen, Jacqueline
Merrick, Steven
Oulton, Jennifer
Phillips, Nancy (Senior Judge)
Raven, Rose (Senior Judge)
Rideout, Gregory
Sangha, Susan
Senniw, Donna
Smith, Lyndsay
St. Pierre, David
Stark, Patricia
Sutherland, James
Vandor, Diana

VANCOUVER ISLAND REGION

ROGERS, CARMEN - Regional Administrative Judge
Archer, Sheila
Barrett, Jennifer
Brooks, Adrian (Senior Judge)
Cutler, Roger
Flewelling, Barbara
Gouge, Ted
Harvey, Brian
Hermanson, Jeremy
Hodge, Tamara
Hutcheson, Brian
Lamperson, Ronald
Lowe, Christine
MacCarthy, Parker (Senior Judge)
McKimm, Mayland (Senior Judge)
Mrozinski, Lisa (Senior Judge)
Munro, Michael
Sacca, Karina
Saunders, Justine (Senior Judge)
Silverman, David
Stewart, Dwight
Whonnock, Karen
Wishart, Susan (Associate Chief Judge)
Wolf, Alexander

This list does not include judges who are not sitting due to long term disability conditions.

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