They both have extensive experience in criminal law
Attorney General and Justice Minister Barbara Adams announced the appointments of Halifax lawyers Ian Hutchison and James Van Wart as judges of the Nova Scotia Provincial Court.
Ian Hutchison graduated from the University of Glamorgan in Wales in 1999 and began practising law in England and Wales in 2001. He received his national certificate of accreditation in 2007 and joined the Nova Scotia bar the same year. Hutchison has extensive experience in criminal defence, representing survivors of residential schools and defending clients accused of serious crimes. He has also appeared before all levels of court in Nova Scotia.
James Van Wart was called to the bar in British Columbia in 2002, Yukon in 2003, and Nova Scotia in 2009. With 20 years of criminal law experience, he served as a youth justice prosecutor with the Nova Scotia Public Prosecution Service and regularly appeared in Nova Scotia courts. Van Wart also served as commission counsel for the Mass Casualty Commission and taught youth criminal justice at Dalhousie University’s Schulich School of Law.
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These appointments were driven by the creation of a new bail court, announced in February. Based in Halifax Regional Municipality, the bail court can hear cases virtually from all regions of the province, improving access to justice across Nova Scotia. Eight new Justice Department positions will support the bail court, along with the appointment of four additional presiding justices of the peace.
"Filling all provincial court vacancies is essential for an effective and efficient justice system," said Adams. "These appointees bring vast legal and community service experience, which will help reduce the time Nova Scotians wait for access to justice."
The government selects judges from candidates recommended by a seven-member Advisory Committee on Provincial Judicial Appointments. Judges are chosen based on merit and professional excellence, with additional considerations for gender, language, racial and cultural diversity, geographical representation, and public service commitment.
