Judgment Writing Seminar (2025 Edition)
OVERVIEW
This annual seminar is designed to assist judges in improving their judgment-writing skills. The program includes lectures, discussions, and workshops that stress the nature of good prose, point-first writing and the special requirements and special challenges of judicial writing. Since the art of writing is a skill that, like all skills, can be improved only through practice, much of the instruction will center on written exercises and judgments. Please note that the number of available places is limited.
Each judge will be assigned an instructor who will read a sample of the judge’s writing prior to the seminar and will supervise the seminar discussions and workshops. The academic faculty members, most associated with major Canadian universities, have been chosen for their writing abilities as well as for their experience in teaching legal writing. The instructors work in collaboration with the teaching judges to conduct the workshops.
Judges who have participated in this seminar and then have gained some years of experience are encouraged to upgrade their skills by participating in the advanced program entitled “Mastering the Skill of Judgment Writing“, which takes place every two years.
Bilingual program with simultaneous interpretation.
Participation in this program is approved under Section 41 (1) of the Judges Act.
‘‘I have gained an entirely new appreciation of what my decisions need to convey and how I need to approach writing them. I learned that it is not just WHAT I say but HOW I say it that is my responsibility as a judge. Making the decision is only half of the duty I have to litigants. The other half is to convey the decision in a way that is timely, understandable, gracious and free from unnecessary personal critique. I need to leave the parties feeling that they were fairly dealt with, pursuant to clearly explained legal principles, and with a continued respect for the justice system that I represent.’’
— Participant from the 2024 edition
CO-CHAIRS
- The Honourable Justice Breese Davies, Superior Court of Justice (Ontario)
- The Honourable Justice Marie-Josée Hogue, Court of Appeal of Quebec
REGISTRATION
Please contact the Project Manager of Judicial Programs, Vicki Gondek, CMP:
Tel.: 514-731-2855, extension 6
Email: vicki.gondek@ciaj-icaj.ca
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
- Inability to attend may result in a registration being transferred to a colleague of the same organization up to 7 days before the Event. The request must be made in writing.
- Cancellation incurs processing fees as follows: $100 for cancellations 30 days or more before the event and 50% of the registration fee for cancellations 7 days or more before the event. No refund will be extended for cancellations made less than 7 days before the event.