The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced the appointment of the Honourable James W. Gormley, a judge of the Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island, as the new Chief Justice of the Court of Appeal of Prince Edward Island.
Chief Justice Gormley replaces the Honourable David H. Jenkins, who elected to retire from his full-time position effective October 31, 2021, but continues to work as a supernumerary judge.
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“I wish Chief Justice Gormley every success as he takes on his new role. He is a respected and active member of the legal community with deep ties to his province, and he brings a wealth of experience to the bench. I am confident he will be a great asset to the people of Prince Edward Island as Chief Justice.”
Quick Facts
- Chief Justices and Associate Chief Justices in Canada are responsible for the leadership and administration of their courts. They also serve as members of the Canadian Judicial Council, which works to improve the quality of judicial services in the superior courts of Canada.
- Chief Justices and Associate Chief Justices are appointed by the Governor General on the advice of Cabinet and the recommendation of the Prime Minister.
The Honourable James W. Gormley was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island in 2017. Prior to his appointment, he was a partner at Stewart McKelvey, where his main areas of practice were criminal law, administrative law, and health law.
Chief Justice Gormley has served in a variety of professional and community volunteer roles. He was President of the PEI Branch of the Canadian Bar Association, President of the University of PEI Alumni Association, President of the Canadian Bar Insurance Association, Chair of the Board of Governors of JA Prince Edward Island, and Chair of the Professional Section of the United Way of PEI. The Canadian Bar Association of PEI presented him with its Distinguished Service Award in 2016.
Chief Justice Gormley was born and raised in the village of Murray River, Prince Edward Island. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Prince Edward Island, followed by an LL.B. from Dalhousie University, where he worked in the Dalhousie Legal Aid Clinic.
