Allegations against Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench Associate Chief Justice Lori Douglas have been made public.
The inquiry committee investigating a sexual harassment and discrimination complaint filed against the judge in September 2010 released the
notice of allegations yesterday.
Alex Chapman, a client of the judge’s husband, Winnipeg lawyer Jack King, launched a complaint that claimed King showed him nude web photos of Douglas performing sexual acts and pressured him to have sex with her.
The notice alleges Douglas “knowingly participated” in the sexual harassment of Chapman; that she failed to disclose anything about the situation in a personal history form related to an application for judicial appointment; that she is incapable as a judge because the nude photos question “the image and concept of integrity of the judiciary”; and that she did not fully disclose facts to independent counsel by modifying a personal diary entry that was relevant to the investigation.
In
response to these allegations, Douglas claims she was “the victim of wrongdoing” by her husband and Chapman; that she filled out the personal history form truthfully as it did not ask about the wrongdoing of a family member; that she did not post the photos on the Internet; and that she did not anticipate that her diary would be used as evidence in the investigation.
None of the allegations have been proven at proceedings before the Canadian Judicial Council. Hearings will take place at the Federal Court in Winnipeg from June 25 to 27.
