... The issue came to light after the Atlantic version of Frank Magazine reported Judge Ronda van der Hoek, associate chief judge of the Provincial Court, and Nova Scotia Supreme Court Justice Jean Dewolfe (of the family division), who both work out of the Kentville Justice Centre in the Annapolis Valley, did not want court staff wearing poppies in their courtrooms.
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No conversations about poppies occurred in the courtroom, according to Andrew Preeper, a spokesman for the Nova Scotia courts.
“Nor did a judge ban poppies from the courtroom,” Preeper said in an email Friday.
“Members of the public are welcome to wear poppies in the courthouse and courtroom. Staff who wished to wear poppies in the courtroom were advised to speak with the presiding judge and conversations, as needed, have occurred around that specific topic. It is within the discretion of the presiding judge. Typically, to protect the neutrality of the courtroom space, symbols of support are not permitted to be worn by judges or staff within the courtroom.”
To “ensure the fair administration of justice, the courts must be neutral and appear to be neutral at all times, particularly inside the courtroom,” Preeper said.
“Everyone appearing in court must feel that their case will be heard fairly and without bias. As a result, all judges and staff are expected not to wear any symbols of support in the courtroom.”
Preeper pointed to The Canadian Judicial Council’s Ethical Principles for Judges, which notes “the wearing or display of symbols of support, even if they seem innocuous … may be interpreted as reflecting a lack of impartiality or the use of the position of the judge to make a political or other statement. For those reasons, judges should avoid statements or visible symbols of support, particularly in the context of court proceedings.”
According to Preeper, “in order to respect these ethical principles and ensure a neutral hearing, staff are also asked not to wear symbols of support in the courtroom. The courts’ position on this matter is not unique to Nova Scotia.”
