PD - 64: Form of Address

Effective Date: 2024/01/15
Number: PD - 64

Summary: 

This Practice Direction directs how counsel, litigants, witnesses and others are to address a judge, associate judge, registrar or district registrar in a courtroom. It also clarifies how parties and counsel can advise the Court, other parties and counsel of their pronouns and form of address.

Direction:

1. This Practice Direction replaces Practice Direction 32 – Manner of Address for Registrars dated December 1, 2011, Practice Direction 59 – Forms of Address for Parties and Counsel in Proceedings dated December 16, 2020 and Practice Direction 60 – Form of Address dated November 18, 2021.

Form of address for judges, associate judges, the registrar and district registrars

2. A judge is to be addressed as “Chief Justice”, “Associate Chief Justice”, “Justice”, “Madam Justice”, or “Mr. Justice” as the context requires. The use of the terms “My Lord”, “My Lady”, “Your Lordship”, and “Your Ladyship” is to be avoided.
3. An associate judge is to be addressed as “Your Honour”.
4. The registrar and district registrars sitting in court are to be addressed as “Your Honour”.

Form of address for parties and counsel

5. At the beginning of a proceeding when parties or counsel introduce themselves, their client, a witness, or another person, they should provide the Court with each person’s name, title (e.g. “Mr./Ms./Mx./Counsel Jones”) and pronouns to be used in the proceeding.

Christopher E. Hinkson
Chief Justice