Judge Satinder Sidhu has been assigned to Surrey, effective March 30. Sidhu earned an LLB from the University of British Columbia in 1995 and was called to the B.C. bar in 1996. After beginning her career with the Surrey Regional Crown office, she served as Crown counsel in New Westminster, where she handled many of the more complicated criminal cases in the busiest Crown counsel region in the province.
VICTORIA – An Indo-Canadian woman is among the three new provincial court judges appointed by the BC Government to support the judiciary with the resources required to continue providing access to justice.
Judge Satinder Sidhu has been assigned to Surrey, effective March 30. Sidhu earned an LLB from the University of British Columbia in 1995 and was called to the B.C. bar in 1996. After beginning her career with the Surrey Regional Crown office, she served as Crown counsel in New Westminster, where she handled many of the more complicated criminal cases in the busiest Crown counsel region in the province.
Sidhu regularly authored papers and presented them at Canadian Bar Association conferences, Crown conferences and the Canadian Police College. She speaks fluent Punjabi.
The other two judges are Judge Jeffrey Campbell, who has been assigned to Coquitlam, effective March 23 and Judge Karina Sacca, who has been assigned to Victoria, effective April 8.
Government and the public rely on judges for their integrity and impartiality, and trust they will deliver fair, learned decisions. These qualities are essential for maintaining the public’s confidence in the courts and are a vital component of any democratic system.
Quick Facts:
* The chief judge determines the locations to which judges are assigned in order to meet the needs of the court.
* The process to appoint judges involves the following steps:
* Interested lawyers apply to the Judicial Council of B.C. This statutory body, made up of the chief judge, an associate chief judge, other judges, lawyers and lay people, reviews the candidates.
* The council recommends potential judges to the attorney general, with the final appointment made through a cabinet order-in-council.
* Although judges are located in a judicial region, many travel regularly throughout the province to meet changing demands.
