Roland Ritchie: Difference between revisions
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In 1959, without any previous judicial experience, Ritchie was appointed by the Diefenbaker government to replace [[Ivan Rand]] on the Supreme Court of Canada. |
In 1959, without any previous judicial experience, Ritchie was appointed by the Diefenbaker government to replace [[Ivan Rand]] on the Supreme Court of Canada. |
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Ritchie's judgements were typically conservative, which often put him on side with [[Ronald Martland]] and [[Wilfred Judson]]. He is best known for a pair of conflicting decisions concerning the ''[[Canadian Bill of Rights]]'': ''[[R. v. Drybones]]'' and ''[[Attorney General of Canada v. Lavell]]''.<ref>[http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/roland-a-ritchie/ ''Canadian Encyclopedia'': Roland A. Ritchie]</ref> In ''Drybones'', Ritchie wrote the majority decision for the Court, holding that a provision of the ''Indian Act'' was inoperative because it conflicted with the ''Canadian Bill of Rights''.<ref>''R. v. Drybones'', [1970] S.C.R. 282.</ref> However, in ''Lavell'', Ritchie wrote the majority decision holding that a federal statute such as the ''Indian Act'' could not be held inoperative because of the Bill of Rights.<ref>''Attorney General of Canada v. Lavell; Isaac v. Bédard'', [1974] S.C.R. 1349</ref> |
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Ritchie's judgements were typically conservative, which often put him on side with [[Ronald Martland]] and [[Wilfred Judson]]. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 14:12, 2 August 2014
The Hon. Roland Almon Ritchie | |
|---|---|
| Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada | |
| In office May 5, 1959 – October 31, 1984 | |
| Nominated by | John Diefenbaker |
| Preceded by | Ivan Rand |
| Succeeded by | Gérard La Forest |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 19, 1910 Halifax, Nova Scotia |
| Died | June 5, 1988 (aged 77) |
| Alma mater | University of King's College, Oxford University |
| Profession | Lawyer |
Roland Almon Ritchie, CC (June 19, 1910 – June 5, 1988) was a Canadian lawyer and Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.
Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the son of William Bruce Almon Ritchie and Lillian Stewart, he received a B.A. from the University of King's College in 1930, a B.A. in 1932 from Oxford University, and was called to the Nova Scotia Bar in 1934. Ritchie was a scion of prominent families—the Almons, Ritchies, and Stewarts were all major families in Nova Scotia—and his brother, Charles Ritchie was an important Canadian diplomat and diarist. Ritchie's great-uncle, Sir William Johnstone Ritchie, had also been on the Supreme Court, serving as a puisne justice and then as the second Chief Justice of Canada.[1]
His law practice was interrupted by World War II, where he served as Assistant Deputy Judge Advocate with the Third Canadian Division from 1941 to 1944. After the war he helped found the law firm, Daley, Phinney & Ritchie. He was a lecturer on insurance law at Dalhousie University, and acted as counsel to the royal commission on the terms of Newfoundland's union with Canada in 1949.
In 1959, without any previous judicial experience, Ritchie was appointed by the Diefenbaker government to replace Ivan Rand on the Supreme Court of Canada.
Ritchie's judgements were typically conservative, which often put him on side with Ronald Martland and Wilfred Judson. He is best known for a pair of conflicting decisions concerning the Canadian Bill of Rights: R. v. Drybones and Attorney General of Canada v. Lavell.[2] In Drybones, Ritchie wrote the majority decision for the Court, holding that a provision of the Indian Act was inoperative because it conflicted with the Canadian Bill of Rights.[3] However, in Lavell, Ritchie wrote the majority decision holding that a federal statute such as the Indian Act could not be held inoperative because of the Bill of Rights.[4]
He served on the Court until his retirement in 1984. In 1985 he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada. From 1974 to 1988, he was the Chancellor of the University of King's College.
References
- ^ Dictionary of Canadian Biography: Ritchie, William Bruce Almon
- ^ Canadian Encyclopedia: Roland A. Ritchie
- ^ R. v. Drybones, [1970] S.C.R. 282.
- ^ Attorney General of Canada v. Lavell; Isaac v. Bédard, [1974] S.C.R. 1349
External links