Hon. Rommel Masse

This oral history interview captures the remarkable career trajectory of Justice Rommel Masse, who served on the Ontario Court of Justice from 1989 to 2012. Born into a French-Canadian farming family in Windsor, Ontario, Masse initially pursued chemical engineering at the University of Windsor before transitioning to law in 1973. After graduating from Windsor Law School in 1976 and articling in Hamilton, he established a private practice focusing on criminal litigation before becoming Crown Attorney for the United Counties of Prescott & Russell in L’Orignal in 1981.

Masse’s judicial career began in 1989 when he was among the first four judges appointed under Ontario’s new merit-based selection system, serving initially in Ottawa’s francophone courts. He later transferred to Brockville (1993-1998) where he handled both criminal and family matters, and finally to Kingston (1998-2012) where he served as Administrative Judge from 2001-2011. Throughout his tenure, he was deeply involved in judicial administration, serving as president of the Ontario Conference of Judges and participating in various court reform initiatives.

The interview provides valuable insights into the evolution of Ontario’s provincial courts, including the transition from magistrate courts to the professional Ontario Court of Justice, the implementation of merit-based judicial appointments, and the integration of family and criminal divisions. Masse’s bilingual capabilities and rural background gave him unique perspectives on access to justice in francophone communities and smaller centers across Eastern Ontario.

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