Ontario judge ordered to undergo coaching for 'abusive and intimidating' tone during family court hearing
CTV
A Superior Court justice in Milton has been ordered to participate in coaching from a more senior judge after the Canadian Judicial Council found that his tone was 'abusive and intimidating' during a family court hearing last September.
A Superior Court justice in Milton has been ordered to participate in coaching from a more senior judge after the Canadian Judicial Council found that his tone was “abusive and intimidating” during a family court hearing last September.
In a recent decision, the council wrote that Justice Charles Chang’s tone was “inappropriate” and “intimidating at times.”
“His interventions go beyond what is usually considered the exercise of proper firmness,” the report read.
The council’s report, which includes information from both a screening officer and a reviewing member, does not go into detail about exactly what was said during the hearing.
According to the report, Chang was dealing with an “urgent motion for temporary orders” with respect to “decision-making responsibility, parenting time and the children’s attendance at school and daycare.”
The report notes that Chang “repeatedly expressed his dissatisfaction” with the “he said/she said” nature of the submissions, adding that there was “little or no neutral, external evidence to support the parties’ assertions.”
On the day in question, the report states, Chang had been informed that the Milton Courthouse, where the matter was being heard, would be “closed indefinitely due to substance contamination in the building.”
