Hon. John Getliffe

This oral history chronicles the distinguished legal career of Justice John Getliffe, from his early days as a criminal lawyer in London, Ontario to his tenure as a provincial court judge from 2000 to 2012. The son of professional hockey player Ray Getliffe, John chose law over a potential hockey career, graduating from Queen’s Law School and establishing himself as a successful criminal defense lawyer handling major cases including murder trials, fraud prosecutions, and biker gang cases.

Appointed to the Ontario Court of Justice in 2000, Getliffe served initially in Stratford as a ‘two-hatter’ handling both family and criminal matters before transferring to London in 2003. His judicial service coincided with significant changes in the court system, including the evolution from political appointments to the judicial advisory committee process and the merger of criminal and family court judges around 1990. The interview provides valuable insights into judicial administration, training programs, court operations across various Ontario jurisdictions, and the challenges of transitioning from advocate to adjudicator in the provincial court system.

This description was written by AI and may contain some inaccuracies.