Two New Judges Appointed to Provincial and Family Court

NOTE: Photos of the judges are available at https://novascotia.ca/news/photos/2020/07/09/1/

Aleta Cromwell of Shubenacadie East and Perry Borden of Middle Sackville have been appointed as Nova Scotia’s newest judges. They will sit on both the provincial court and the family court.

“Mr. Borden and Ms. Cromwell have both made outstanding contributions to the legal profession,” said Mark Furey, Attorney General and Minister of Justice. “Nova Scotians are fortunate to have individuals of their character and experience who will preside over provincial and family court matters.”

With the appointments of Ms. Cromwell and Mr. Borden, the provincial and family courts retain a full complement of 32 full-time sitting judges and 11 part-time judges and maintain gender parity on the bench.

The provincial court presides over most indictable offence charges under the Criminal Code. Family court provides a forum to hear family issues, including parenting and support, and child protection matters.

Quick Facts:

• Ms. Cromwell was called to the Nova Scotia bar on Oct. 1, 1999 and was appointed as Queen’s counsel in March 2018
• before her appointment, Ms. Cromwell was a managing lawyer, Legal Services Division, Department of Justice and on secondment to the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University as the acting director of the Indigenous Blacks and Mi’kmaq Initiative.
• Ms. Cromwell was president of the Nova Scotia Chapter of the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers. She has held numerous volunteer positions with the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society over the years including Chair of the Racial Equity Committee, member of the Complaints Investigation Committee, vice-chair of the Hearing Committee and was an elected member of Bar Council. She has volunteered with the Boys and Girls Club of Dartmouth, the Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia and the Senate Review Committee of Dalhousie University. She also served on the Indigenous Blacks and Mi’kmaq Initiative Advisory Council and Standing Committee.
• Mr. Borden was called to the Nova Scotia bar on Nov. 7, 2003 and was appointed as Queen’s counsel in February 2020
• Mr. Borden was a senior Crown attorney, Public Prosecution Service, Special Prosecution Section
• Mr. Borden was president of the Nova Scotia Crown Attorneys’ Association, vice-chair of the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society Hearing Committee, past member of the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society Racial Equity Committee and part-time instructor at the Schulich School of Law. He has also volunteered with Scouts Canada, served as an Associate Trustee of the Beechville Baptist Church and mentored students from the Indigenous Blacks and Mi’kmaq Initiative at the Schulich School of Law

Additional Resources:

For more information on Nova Scotia courts, visit www.courts.ns.ca