Brown looks on during his welcoming ceremony at the Supreme Court in Ottawa, Oct. 6, 2015. Brown, who was facing a judicial conduct review, is retiring from the Supreme Court of Canada. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
OTTAWA – Justice Russell Brown is retiring from the Supreme Court of Canada effective immediately, ending a probe into alleged misconduct.
The Canadian Judicial Council, the body tasked with disciplining judges, says it no longer has jurisdiction to continue investigating allegations of misconduct stemming from an event at an Arizona hotel in January.
Brown has vigorously denied accusations that he was intoxicated and harassed a group of friends at an event in Scottsdale, Ariz., honouring another judge.
The justice, who was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2015 by then-prime minister Stephen Harper, had been on leave from the court since Feb. 1 pending the outcome of the council’s review.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Richard Wagner acknowledged Brown’s contribution over the last eight years in a statement, and wished him all the best in his future endeavours.
He is calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to promptly appoint a new justice to replace Brown.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 12, 2023.
