description Michael J. Moldaver Overview
Michael J. Moldaver is a Canadian jurist who served as a puisne justice of the Supreme Court of Canada from 2011 until his mandatory retirement in 2023. Prior to his appointment to the Supreme Court by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Moldaver built a prominent career specializing in criminal law, ultimately serving on the Ontario Court of Appeal. Throughout his tenure on the nation's highest bench, he was known for his strict, literal interpretations of statutory law and his contributions to defining the rights of the accused.
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Why was Michael J. Moldaver considered a criminal-law specialist?
Before joining Canada's highest court, Moldaver worked as a criminal defence lawyer and served on the Ontario Court of Appeal. Criminal cases remained a major part of his work during his 2011 to 2022 tenure on the Supreme Court of Canada.
What role did Michael Moldaver play in R. v. Jordan?
Moldaver co-authored the Supreme Court's majority reasons in R. v. Jordan with Justice Andromache Karakatsanis. The 2016 ruling established presumptive ceilings of 18 months for provincial-court trials and 30 months for trials in superior court.
Who appointed Michael Moldaver to the Supreme Court of Canada?
Prime Minister Stephen Harper nominated Moldaver alongside Justice Andromache Karakatsanis in 2011. Moldaver replaced Justice Ian Binnie and served until his retirement in 2022.
Why did Michael Moldaver retire from the Supreme Court?
Canadian Supreme Court judges must retire at age 75, and Moldaver reached that age in 2022. Michelle O'Bonsawin succeeded him, becoming the Court's first Indigenous justice.
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