Skip to content

Local judge accused of misconduct wants details kept private

Misconduct allegation against Paul Currie to go before a hearing panel on a date TBD
20221130_131803
The Waterloo Region Courthouse on Frederick Street in Kitchener.

A hearing has been ordered to review allegations of misconduct of an Ontario judge.

But details of the complaint against Paul Currie, which are no longer before the criminal court, could be kept under wraps for the time being.

A motion will be argued on Dec. 13 to determine whether or not a publication ban will be placed on details outlined in the notice. A date for the hearing in front of the Ontario Judicial Council (OJC) panel has not been set.

Among the reasons for the motion, Brennan Smart – Currie's lawyer – cites most of the allegations are "dependent upon statements and testimony of one witness" and believes disclosing the allegations before the hearing "will cause irreparable harm to RSJ Currie's reputation."

Currie, who serves as the senior justice of the province’s central west region, was charged with assault and assault causing bodily harm in April 2023. 

Those charges were withdrawn in June 2023 by an independent out-of-province prosecutor.

At the time, it wasn’t known if Currie would be able to resume judicial or administrative duties.

According to the OJC, the complaint was investigated and an interim recommendation was accepted to suspend Currie with pay “pending the final disposition of the complaint.”

The hearing panel can either dismiss the complaint – with or without a finding that the complaint is unfounded – or place a sanction on Currie if they find there has been a misconduct.

A sanction could include giving Currie a warning, reprimanding him, ordering an apology to be delivered or measures such as education or treatment or suspending Currie with or without pay for a period of time.

It could also make a recommendation to the Attorney General to remove Currie from office.

A judge can only be removed from office by an order issued by the Lieutenant Governor in Council.