Pursuant to ss. 51.4(18) and 51.6 of the Courts of Justice Act, R.S.O. 1990, c.43, a hearing panel of the Ontario Judicial Council will conduct a hearing of a complaint about the conduct of Regional Senior Justice Paul Currie.

Current Status

The hearing on the merits of the complaint will commence on April 14, 2025, with the following additional days reserved for continuance as necessary: April 15, 24, 25 and June 4, 5, 6 and 27, 2025. The hearing will take place at the Federal Court building located at 180 Queen Street West, Toronto. If you wish to attend the proceedings, please complete the Request to Attend Public Hearing form and send it by email to Council_information@ontario.ca to register.

The hearing panel will consider the allegations summarized below and detailed in the Notice of Hearing to determine whether they are proven and constitute judicial misconduct:

• On or around January 11, 2023, Justice Currie engaged in non-consensual sexual intercourse with A.A. and physically assaulted A.A. causing bodily injury.
• On or around April 5, 2023, Justice Currie pushed A.A., causing bodily injury.  A.A. called 911. Justice Currie left prior to the arrival of the police.
• On April 6, 2023, Justice Currie attempted – or could be perceived as attempting – to influence A.A. to decline to give a statement to the police.
• On April 6, 2023, a warrant for Justice Currie’s arrest was issued. Justice Currie did not surrender into custody for 5 days following the issuance of an arrest warrant. (After surrendering to the police, Justice Currie was charged criminally with assault causing bodily harm and assault.  On or around June 20, 2023, the criminal charges against Justice Currie were withdrawn.)
• Having been informed that the Ontario Judicial Council was investigating a complaint about his conduct, Justice Currie engaged in conduct that was – or could be perceived as – an attempt to dissuade A.A. from cooperating with the Council’s investigation.
• Justice Currie's conduct involving the alleged assaults on A.A. are linked to alcohol consumption and anger management issues.
• Justice Currie’s conduct is contrary to the impartiality, integrity and independence of the judiciary and undermines public confidence in the judge and in the administration of justice generally.

Background

The complaint was investigated by a two-person complaint subcommittee of the Council, consisting of a judge and a community member.

Pursuant to s. 51.4 of the Courts of Justice Act, the subcommittee made an interim recommendation to a Regional Senior Judge that RSJ Currie be suspended with pay pending the final disposition of the complaint. The interim recommendation was accepted, and RSJ Currie is suspended with pay pending the final disposition of the complaint.

The complaint was ordered to a hearing by a review panel of the Council, consisting of two judges, a lawyer member and a community member.

The hearing panel is composed of Justice Paul Rouleau, a judge of the Court of Appeal for Ontario, who is the chair of the Panel; Justice Christine Pirraglia, a judge of the Ontario Court of Justice; Ena Chadha, a lawyer member of the Council; and Jovica Palashevski, a community member of the Council.

Presenting counsel are Gerald Chan and Alexandra Heine of Stockwoods LLP.

Counsel for RSJ Currie are Brennan Smart and Hal Mattson.

After concluding its hearing of the matter, pursuant to s. 51.6(11) of the Courts of Justice Act, the hearing panel may dismiss the complaint, with or without a finding that it is unfounded, or, if it finds there has been misconduct, it may decide upon any one of the following sanctions singly or in combination:

• warn the judge;
• reprimand the judge;
• order the judge to apologize to the complainant or to any other person;
• order the judge to take specified measures such as receiving education or treatment, as a condition of continuing to sit as a judge;
• suspend the judge with pay, for any period; or,
• suspend the judge without pay, but with benefits, for a period up to thirty days.

The hearing panel may also make a recommendation to the Attorney General that the judge be removed from office. This sanction cannot be combined with any other sanction. Under s. 51.8 of the Courts of Justice Act, a judge may be removed from office only by order of the Lieutenant Governor in Council.

Procedural History

On February 24, 2025, the hearing panel convened for a set-date and argument on two motions filed by RSJ Currie and one motion filed by Presenting Counsel.
By way of background, counsel for RSJ Currie had filed two motions seeking: (1) an order that Appendix "A" to the Notice of Hearing (containing the particulars of the allegations against RSJ Currie) "be excluded or excised from the public filing"; and (2) an order staying the OJC proceedings pursuant to Rule 4.7 of the OJC's Procedures Document. In addition, presenting counsel filed a motion for directions regarding the procedure for admitting certain evidence at the hearing. Presenting counsel also requested a publication ban over the name of a witness and any information which could tend to identify the witness.

In a ruling dated March 17, 2025, the hearing panel exercised its discretion to grant a publication ban over the name of the primary witness and over information that would identify this witness.  The panel dismissed RSJ Currie’s motion to excise Appendix “A” to the Notice of Hearing. The panel also dismissed RSJ Currie’s motion to stay the Council hearing. On presenting counsel’s motion, the panel provided directions regarding the vetting of any proposed evidence of other sexual activity or private records that RSJ Currie may wish to call or tender at the hearing.

The hearing panel's decision is available on the Public Hearings Decisions page.