LogoutThe Hon. William Golden
This interview traces Judge William Golden’s remarkable journey from small-town Ontario beginnings through his distinguished legal and judicial career. Born in 1921 to a lumberman father, Golden served as a wireless air gunner in WWII before attending Victoria College and Osgoode Hall Law School. After articling with Best & Lee in Bracebridge and a memorable stint with Toronto lawyer Bill Sheppard, he became a partner in Best, Lee & Golden, handling mainly real estate work during the post-war boom.
Golden’s judicial career began in 1963 when he accepted a part-time appointment as Juvenile and Family Court Judge for Muskoka, initially for $1,000 per year. His passion for family law and community involvement, including his work with the Muskoka Boys Club, led him to accept full-time appointment in 1968 under the Provincial Court Judges Act. He became Senior Judge of Central East Ontario region in 1975, overseeing courts from Muskoka to Durham County.
Throughout his 25-year judicial career, Golden championed community-based solutions over incarceration, working to establish crisis centres and group homes while maintaining a “soft” sentencing philosophy focused on rehabilitation rather than punishment. His approach to family law emphasized the protection of children and innovative alternatives to traditional institutional responses, reflecting his deep understanding of rural community dynamics and his commitment to practical justice.
This description was written by AI and may contain some inaccuracies.
References
The following are a selection of topics discussed in this oral history.
- County Court of Ontario
- Division Court
- Juvenile and Family Court
- Magistrates Court
- Provincial Court of Ontario
- Small Claims Court
- Supreme Court of Canada
- Surrogate Court
- Osgoode Hall Law School
- University of Toronto Faculty of Law
- Department of Labour
- Department of Veterans Affairs
- Federal Government
- Ontario Government
- Ontario Provincial Police
- Charter of Rights and Freedoms Adoption
- Great Depression
- Patriation of the Constitution
- Post-War Boom
- Provincial Court Judges Act 1968
- World War II
- Barrie
- Bracebridge
- Central East Ontario
- Collingwood
- Huntsville
- Midland
- Muskoka
- Ontario
- Orillia
- Simcoe County
- Best & Lee
- Best, Lee & Golden
- Judge
- Ontario Court of Justice
- Arthur Maloney
- Arthur Martin
- Bill Sheppard
- Bob Walmsley
- Bora Laskin
- Bruce Minns
- Caesar Wright
- Douglas Bice
- Edson Haines
- Elliott Pepper
- Frank Miller
- Gordon Aikenhead
- John Bolton
- John Christianson
- John Gammell
- John Golden
- Judge Morton
- Judge Thomas
- Ken Black
- Lewis McKenzie
- Marjorie Hamilton
- Nancy Kirkpatrick
- Peter Stewart
- Pierre Genest
- Smalley Baker
- Stanton Hoag
- Ted Andrews
- William Golden
- Law Society of Ontario
- Muskoka Bar Association
- Ontario Provincial Judges Association
- 1920s
- 1930s
- 1940s
- 1950s
- 1960s
- 1970s
- 1980s
- 1990s
- Administrative Law
- Child Welfare Law
- Corporate Law
- Criminal Law
- Estate Law
- Family Law
- Juvenile Law
- Legal Aid
- Municipal Law
- Real Estate Law
Some of these references were generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies.
Archive Details
File consists of oral history records documenting the life and career of William Golden (b.1921), a Toronto-area lawyer who served as a judge in the Juvenile and Family Court in Bracebridge, Ontario (1963-). Interview topics include: World War II; University of Toronto; Osgoode Hall Law School; early practice; appointment as part- time judge; becomes full-time judge; Senior judge, Central East Ontario; Young Offenders Act; Native Justice Program, Christian Island. Interview conducted by Christine J.N. Kates. File includes four audio cassettes from a series of two interviews and a transcript with index (160 p.).