By Seth DuChene
Editor
As the court system steadily became more busy over the years, many communities — including Lennox and Addington — dropped their ‘opening of the courts’ ceremony that, in days past, marked the resumption of court following a summer recess.
On Friday, however, the ceremony was revived in Napanee in order to provide something of a pause from that busy routine to reflect on the work the courts, and their associated parts, do each day.
“These ceremonies mark an opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of Ontario’s legal system, and serve as a reminder that, as citizens, we all share a common responsibility to promote the rule of law, to improve the administration of justice and to assist those who seek justice,” said Justice Graeme Mew of the Superior Court of Justice.
Representatives of both the bench and the bar working in the Napanee criminal, civil and families courts participated in the ceremony held at the L&A County Courthouse.
Justice Geoffrey Griffin of the Ontario Court of Justice in Napanee used the ceremony to thank those associated with the court — from court staff to lawyers to law enforcement — for helping to make it one of the best performing Ontario courts in the province in terms of clearing cases. “Ninety-six per cent of our cases are cleared and disposed of within 10 months — in fact, the average time it takes to clear a case in Napanee is 81 days,” he said.
“We work hard and we’re proud of it, because we know that for a criminal justice system to enjoy the respect of the community, it must be fair, quick and efficient. We know that justice delayed is justice denied,” Justice Griffin said later.
“We in the Ontario Court of Justice in Napanee are going to continue to strive to provide fair, quick and efficient justice to the community, because this community — and the entire Canadian community — deserves nothing less than that,” he said.
Monica Heine, the Crown Attorney for L&A, used the ceremony to reflect on the court system’s emphasis on respect, and to challenge those associated with the court to always keep that concept front-of-mind in their work.
“The opening of courts provide the unique opportunity to show our community that we respect the law, the courts, each other, but most importantly, the people that we serve. It’s a unique opportunity to remind us why we call each other ‘your honour’, ‘my friend’ or ‘my colleague’. With our very vocabulary, we remind ourselves that respect within those walls is a fundamental tenet of our justice system. We are so fortunate to have professional lives which give us that unique opportunity. No other profession is so rooted,” Heine said.
She pointed to how, when a judge calls court into session, those in the courtroom bow to the judge, and the judge bows to those assembled. “Consider what the community sees at that moment,” she said. “In my experience, it might be the only time in a young person’s life where any respect is shown in such a public way; I wonder whether the litigants who attend with us might be changed in the slightest way by that single, profound act,” she said.
Heine also suggested a little more respect between people would go a long way towards improving society as a whole. “Consider whether greater respect for each person could reduce violence, despair and poverty, (and) how it could increase accountability in politics, social justice and reconciliation,” she said.
Jillian Burford-Grinnell, president of the L&A Law Association, brought greetings on behalf of the lawyers that work in the Napanee courts. “Our local bar may be small in number; however, we are a bar that is dedicated to fulfilling our role in the administration of justice,” she said. “To this end, our association endeavours to maintain a presence in our community. We promote and facilitate continuing education of our membership to ensure our ability to deliver quality legal services. The association lobbies for the continuation and expansion of existing services, and for the implementation of new services for our community, in order to promote access to justice for all.”
Among those invited to participate in Friday’s ceremony included Greater Napanee Mayor Gord Schermerhorn. In a brief address, Schermerhorn thanked those associated with the courts for their ongoing efforts. “We are lucky to live in a society where our courts are truly independent, and that’s part of a system of checks and balances that separates the creation of law, the enforcement of law and the determination of guilt and innocence,” he said. “But before the system works effectively, it puts a great onus on all people who work to keep the system healthy and in high regard.”
He also urged judges to give greater weight to restitution in their judgements and sentencing, pointing to offenses such as vandalism and nuisance fires. “They burden economic development, they deter investment and dissuade tourism,” he said. “These acts also hurt volunteerism, and make people less inclined to donate to community projects. I hope when these types of matters come before you, you will seek out creative ways for people to give back to the community equal to the damage they have caused, (and that helps them understand) the effect of their actions.”