Justices of the Peace
10 Year Term (with possibility of renewal)
Two (2) Bilingual Appointments
One (1) English Appointment
Saint John, New Brunswick

Context:

Pursuant to the provisions of the recently enacted Justices of the Peace Act (the "Act"), applications are invited from highly capable and motivated candidates for three (3) newly created Justice of the Peace ("JP") appointments. JPs are appointed by the Lieutenant-Governor in Council and shall carry out their judicial functions independently of the Department of Justice and Public Safety. Accordingly, each JP shall be supervised and have their duties assigned by the Chief Judge of the Provincial Court of New Brunswick (the "CJPC").

Each JP shall be subject to a term of appointment of up to ten (10) years, with an opportunity for reappointment by the Lieutenant-Governor in Council. These are newly created appointments and their focus shall be to alleviate pressures, reduce delays and achieve greater efficiencies within New Brunswick's criminal justice system.

Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to consider and review the terms of the Act prior to applying.

Qualifications and Limitations:

To be eligible for appointment, JPs must hold a Juris Doctorate ("JD") degree, or its equivalent, and have a minimum of ten (10) years experience as a practicing lawyer. JPs must also be a member in good standing of the Law Society of New Brunswick or another provincial law society or barrister's society, and shall be obligated to submit, as part of their application, a certificate of good standing from the law society or barrister's society of the province(s) where they are currently licensed to practice law.

Two (2) of these appointments require fluency in both English and French while one (1) appointment requires fluency in English. Prior to appointment, each shortlisted JP applicant shall be required to complete language testing to confirm they have the required verbal and written fluency in English and/or French, as the case may be, to successfully discharge the functions of their office.

While holding office, JPs are prohibited from engaging in the practice of law.

Each shortlisted JP applicant shall be required to successfully undergo a criminal history clearance as well as a security background clearance.

Responsibilities and Skills of the JPs:

The focus of JPs shall be to adjudicate bail hearings and carry out associated responsibilities pursuant to the provisions of the Criminal Code of Canada which govern judicial interim release; however, the Act expressly contemplates that certain other judicial functions may be delegated to JPs under statute or by regulation in the future.

Canada's bail system promotes public safety, maintains confidence in the administration of justice and ensures respect for the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It is a critically important component of the criminal justice system. Under a new and dynamic model, bail hearings shall be centralized and conducted virtually by JPs from the Saint John Law Courts at Peel Plaza in Saint John, New Brunswick. Given the virtual nature of many JP functions, technical competencies in such programs as Microsoft Office Suite and Microsoft Teams will be an asset.

JPs shall be vested with the solemn responsibility of carrying out judicial functions as it relates to judicial interim release, as contemplated in the Criminal Code of Canada and further informed by the common law. These functions shall include, but are not limited to, the following: carefully reviewing the documentary and viva voce evidence, carefully considering the submissions of the parties, assessing risks, and giving clear, cogent and timely reasons for decision. Where judicial interim release is granted following a bail hearing, or without the necessity of a bail hearing owing to the Crown's objection to release being lifted, JPs shall be responsible for fashioning and imposing often detailed and nuanced release conditions which are intended to effectively mitigate ongoing public safety risks while not being any more onerous than necessary to achieve that end.

As a JP, you shall be required to possess strong analytical, communication and listening skills while demonstrating integrity, a commitment to professional excellence, and community, social and cultural awareness and sensitivity. You shall also be responsible for acquiring and maintaining knowledge of the Criminal Code of Canada, applicable common law authority and the New Brunswick criminal justice system so you can competently discharge the functions delegated under statute or by regulation to your office. To this end, JPs must engage in significant ongoing professional development and training under the supervision of the CJPC.

Work Location and Hours of Work:

JPs shall carry out their functions from the Saint John Law Courts at Peel Plaza in Saint John, New Brunswick, with counsel, accused and witnesses usually participating virtually in bail hearings. Work hours are generally expected to be between 8:15am and 4:30pm, Monday to Friday; however, demands may require JPs to work outside these anticipated hours to discharge the functions of their office.

Salary and Benefits:

The salary of each JP shall be set at $113 178 to $135 538 annually (under review). Also accompanying this appointment is a comprehensive benefits package and membership in the Public Service Shared Risk Pension Plan.

Application Process:

Interested applicants for appointment as a JP are required to:

1. complete and submit the Form found at the following link: Personal Suitability

1. submit a curriculum vitae which outlines, in chronological order, your educational, employment and community service experience, and

1. submit a personal statement which explains why you are applying to serve as a JP and how it is that your background, skills and experience positions you to successfully discharge the solemn responsibilities of this important office.

We encourage applicants to submit the above documents by email to the following address: [email protected] by February 7, 2025 indicating competition number
R78-2024-0246.

Suitable candidates, as determined by the CJPC, shall be interviewed by a panel which consists of a representative of the Minister of Justice and Public Safety, the CJPC and/or his designate(s) as well as any other panel member(s) as may be determined by the CJPC.

This competition may be used to fill future vacancies at the same level.

Department of Justice and Public Safety
Human Resources Branch
Marysville Place ¿ 20 McGloin Street, 3rd floor
Fredericton, NB E3A 5T8
(506) 453-2719

We thank all those who apply, however, only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.

Equal Opportunity Employer
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to building a workforce that reflects the diversity of our communities in which we live and serve.