The Hon. Judythe Little

This interview with Madam Justice Judythe Little chronicles her groundbreaking career as one of the first women provincial court judges in Northwestern Ontario. Little discusses her path from psychology work at Queen Street Mental Health Centre to Osgoode Hall Law School in 1971, followed by articles at Jarvis, Blott, Fejer, Pepino. In 1976, she and her husband established a law practice in Kenora, where she became the only woman lawyer in the district, developing a significant family law practice during a period of major legislative changes in the mid-1970s.

Appointed to the provincial bench in 1986, Little describes the challenges of being a judicial pioneer, including gender-based discrimination from some male colleagues and the unique pressures of raising children in a small community where both parents were judges. She details her innovative approaches to family law, particularly in cases involving First Nations children, including collaborative settlement conferences that incorporate traditional circle discussions with extended family and community members.

The interview extensively covers the evolution of family law practice in Northern Ontario, the impact of court system reorganizations in 1990, resource challenges, and the distinctive collaborative approach that developed among the small northern bar. Little discusses her leadership roles in the Ontario Family Law Judges Association and International Women Judges Association, as well as her pioneering work in judicial education on First Nations issues through a landmark 1992 conference.

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