New Military Judge Appointment

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Oct 4, 2013) - Today the Government of Canada announced the appointment of Colonel Michael Gibson, M.S.M., C.D., as a military judge.

The appointment is the first in six years, and fills an opening resulting from the recent retirement of one of four military judges.

The National Defence Act requires that military judges be military officers for at least 10 years and members of a provincial bar for at least 10 years.

Colonel Gibson has been a member of the Canadian Armed Forces since 1980, and was called to the Bar in Ontario in 1996. Before becoming a lawyer, he served as an Air Navigator in the Royal Canadian Air Force. As a legal officer in the Canadian Armed Forces, Colonel Gibson has acted as prosecution, defence and appellate counsel, and has also acted as a legal adviser in a variety of field and headquarters positions. Most recently, he has advised on the development of military justice policy.

Colonel Gibson was appointed following a process that included an assessment of eligible candidates by an independent committee administered by the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs. Once appointed, military judges may remain in office up to age 60, and may only be removed by the Governor in Council upon the recommendation of an independent Military Judges Inquiry Committee.

Military judges preside at courts martial and adjudicate at other military proceedings, such as the judicial review of accused persons held in pre-trial custody.

A backgrounder on military judges is available.

Notes to editor / news director: For more information, please visit: Office of the Chief Military Judge.