John Sopinka

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

John Sopinka
Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada
In office May 24, 1988 – November 24, 1997
Nominated by	Brian Mulroney
Preceded by	Willard Estey
Succeeded by	Ian Binnie
Born	March 19, 1933 Broderick, Saskatchewan
Died	November 24, 1997

John Sopinka, QC (March 19, 1933 - November 24, 1997) was a Canadian lawyer and puisne justice on the Supreme Court of Canada, the first Ukrainian-Canadian appointed to the high court.

Sopinka was born in Broderick, Saskatchewan and lived there until his family moved to Hamilton, Ontario. He completed secondary school at Saltfleet High School in Stoney Creek. He earned Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of laws degrees at the University of Toronto . While studying law, he also played professional football with the Toronto Argonauts (1955 to 1957, 29 games) and then the Montreal Alouettes (1957, 8 games) of the Canadian Football League. He was called to the bar of Ontario in 1960 and practiced law at Fasken & Calven before becoming a senior partner at Stikeman Elliott. He was designated Queen's Counsel in 1975 and was also a lecturer at both the Osgoode Hall Law School and the University of Toronto Faculty of Law. He has authored several books on the law, including a leading text on the law of evidence.

Sopinka was involved with several high profile cases including acting on behalf of Susan Nelles when she sued the government of Ontario and the Toronto police for malicious prosecution after the withdrawal of charges against her for murdering babies at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. An inquiry into her case exonerated her and she won damages from the government for her ordeal. In 1986 he represented the Ukrainian Canadian Committee at the Deschênes Commission of Inquiry on War Criminals and argued against the deportation of suspected war criminals to their native lands, particularly the Soviet Union.

A noted trial lawyer, he was appointed directly to the Supreme Court of Canada on May 24, 1988 without ever having been a judge. At the time it was highly unusual for a Supreme Court of Canada appointee to have had no prior judicial experience. Following Sopinka's death, the court's next appointee, Ian Binnie, also came directly from private practice.

Sopinka died in 1997 of complications from a rare blood disease.^[1]

In 1999, a new courthouse in downtown Hamilton was named in his honour. The John Sopinka Courthouse has 18 courtrooms, accommodating Hamilton's civil, criminal, and small claims courts. The government of Canada had purchased and renovated the Dominion Public Building for an estimated $64-million. The building was erected in 1935-36 and served as the main post office until 1991.^[2]

[edit] References

1. ^ Supreme Court Justice John Sopinka dies at 64. Retrieved on August 22, 2006.
2. ^ Hamilton Law Association history. Retrieved on August 22, 2006. Post Office. A Virtual Tour of Downtown Hamilton. Retrieved on August 22, 2006.

[edit] External links

• Official Supreme Court biography

Legal Offices
Preceded by Willard Estey	Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada May 24, 1988 – November 24, 1997	Succeeded by Ian Binnie

The Dickson court (1984–1990)

1984–1985: R. Ritchie | J. Beetz | W.Z. Estey | W.R. McIntyre | J. Chouinard | A. Lamer | B. Wilson | G. Le Dain

1985–1987: J. Beetz | W.Z. Estey | W.R. McIntyre | J. Chouinard | A. Lamer | B. Wilson | G. Le Dain | G. La Forest

1987–May 1988: J. Beetz | W.Z. Estey | W.R. McIntyre | A. Lamer | B. Wilson | G. Le Dain | G. La Forest | C. L'Heureux-Dubé

May 1988–Nov. 1988: J. Beetz | W.R. McIntyre | A. Lamer | B. Wilson | G. Le Dain | G. La Forest | C. L'Heureux-Dubé | J. Sopinka

Nov. 1988-1989 W.R. McIntyre | A. Lamer | B. Wilson | G. La Forest | C. L'Heureux-Dubé | J. Sopinka | C. Gonthier | P. Cory

March 1989-1990 A. Lamer | B. Wilson | G. La Forest | C. L'Heureux-Dubé | J. Sopinka | C. Gonthier | P. Cory | B. McLachlin

The Lamer court (1990–2000)

1990–1991: B. Wilson | G. La Forest | C. L'Heureux-Dubé | J. Sopinka | C. Gonthier | P. Cory | B. McLachlin | W. Stevenson

1991–1992: G. La Forest | C. L'Heureux-Dubé | J. Sopinka | C. Gonthier | P. Cory | B. McLachlin | W. Stevenson | F. Iacobucci

1992–1997: G. La Forest | C. L'Heureux-Dubé | J. Sopinka | C. Gonthier | P. Cory | B. McLachlin | F. Iacobucci | J.C. Major

1997–1998: C. L'Heureux-Dubé | J. Sopinka | C. Gonthier | P. Cory | B. McLachlin | F. Iacobucci | J.C. Major | M. Bastarache

1998–1999: C. L'Heureux-Dubé | C. Gonthier | P. Cory | B. McLachlin | F. Iacobucci | J.C. Major | M. Bastarache | W.I. Binnie

1999–2000: C. L'Heureux-Dubé | C. Gonthier | B. McLachlin | F. Iacobucci | J.C. Major | M. Bastarache | W.I. Binnie | L. Arbour