The Hon. Catherine Maloney

This interview chronicles the legal career of Catherine Maloney (née Corkery), who became one of Ontario’s pioneering female judges. Born in Peterborough in 1917 to a family deeply embedded in the legal profession, Maloney was initially discouraged from pursuing art or music and instead followed the family tradition into law. She attended Osgoode Hall Law School in 1936 as one of only five women among 150 male students, studying under Caesar Wright who notoriously ignored female students. Despite completing three years of the five-year program, she chose not to return to complete her degree, influenced by an engagement that ultimately ended.

After marrying criminal lawyer and MPP James Maloney in 1944, Catherine became a widow with young children when her husband died of a heart attack. At the suggestion of her brother-in-law Arthur Maloney, she applied to become a Family Court Judge in 1967, becoming the first woman appointed as a provincial Family Court Judge when Ontario took over the courts in 1968. Despite lacking formal legal qualifications, she proved highly effective, serving both Peterborough and Lindsay courts until her mandatory retirement at age 70.

Judge Maloney was instrumental in developing innovative court programs including community service alternatives, family service coordination, mediation programs, and psychological assessment services. She handled complex cases ranging from child welfare matters to a notable French-language trial involving a Quebec cult leader. Her judicial philosophy emphasized treating all parties with dignity, and she was particularly known for her work with juvenile offenders under both the Juvenile Delinquents Act and later the Young Offenders Act, earning the nickname “Hanging Kate” from fellow judges for her willingness to use training school dispositions when necessary.

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