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Article: The independence of judges.(Criminal Law)
- Article from:
- LawNow
- Article date:
- September 1, 2007
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2007 Legal Resource Centre of Alberta Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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These days, Canadians are more and more frequently debating how we select our judges and what we expect of them. Central to this debate is a most fundamental principle: the independence of our courts and those appointed to preside over them.
What do we mean when we speak of an "independent judiciary" and why is this considered to be so important in Canada?
One of the most basic aspects of our concept of justice is also one of the most easily understood: true justice is not likely to be done (or to even be seen to be done) unless the person or entity making the decision in question is impartial and unbiased. If the decision-maker--the judge or jury, ...