Government of Canada Seeking Prothonotaries for the Federal Court

On behalf of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, the Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs is seeking applications from barristers or solicitors who are members in good standing of any provincial or territorial Bar, and who have extensive professional experience spanning at least ten years, to fill an existing prothonotary vacancy at the Federal Court in Vancouver and to create a national pool of candidates to staff future prothonotary positions in Ottawa, Montréal, Toronto, and Vancouver. Candidates must be willing to travel. Applications meeting the requirements specified in the selection criteria must be received by 23:59 (PST) on August 18, 2017.

Prothonotaries are appointed under the Federal Courts Act (s. 12). They are full judicial officers and exercise many of the powers and functions of Federal Court judges. Their authority includes mediation, case management, practice motions (including those that may result in a final disposition of the case, regardless of the amount in question), as well as trials of actions in which up to $50,000 is claimed (see Rules 50, 382, and 383 to 387 of the Federal Courts Rules).

Quick Facts

• Prothonotaries are judicial officers of the Federal Court. They have jurisdiction over a number of procedural and substantive matters, as provided in the Federal Courts Rules.
• Their duties generally include case management, interlocutory motion hearings, and mediations. They can also conduct trials for claims of $50,000 or less.
• Currently, prothonotaries reside in major centres across the country – in Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal – where they preside over each of the Court’s weekly motions courts. They also travel across the country as required.

Links

• Overview of Appointments of Prothonotaries of the Federal Court
• Federal Courts Act
• Canada’s Court System
• Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs