James Chalmers McRuer (August 23, 1890 – October 6, 1985) was a Canadian lawyer, judge, commissioner and author in Ontario.

Biography

Born in Ayr, Oxford County, Ontario, he received his law education from the

Osgoode Hall Law School Osgoode Hall Law School, commonly shortened to Osgoode, is the law school of York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is home to the Law Commission of Ontario, the ''Journal of Law and Social Policy'', and the ''Osgoode Hall Law Journal ...

and was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1913. During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, he served in the Canadian Field Artillery as a lieutenant. After the war, from 1921 to 1925 he was an Assistant

Crown Attorney Crown attorneys or crown counsel () or, in Alberta and New Brunswick, crown prosecutors are the prosecutors in the legal system of Canada. Crown attorneys represent the Crown and act as prosecutor in proceedings under the Criminal Code and vario ...

for

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

and County of York. From 1930 to 1935, he was a lecturer at Osgoode Hall Law School. He ran unsuccessfully as the Liberal candidate in

High Park High Park is a municipal park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. High Park is a mixed recreational and natural park, with sporting facilities, cultural facilities, educational facilities, gardens, playgrounds and a zoo. One-third of the park remains ...

in the 1935 federal election losing to Alexander James Anderson. McRuer was active in the

Canadian Bar Association The Canadian Bar Association (CBA), or Association du barreau canadien (ABC) in French, represents over 37,000 lawyers, judges, notaries, law teachers, and law students from across Canada. History The Association's first Annual Meeting was ...

, and served first as President of the

Ontario Bar Association The Ontario Bar Association (OBA) is a bar association representing more than 16,000 lawyers, judges, notaries, law teachers, and law students from across Ontario. It is also a branch of the Canadian Bar Association. Approximately two-thirds of a ...

from 1943 to 1944, and then as national President of the Canadian Bar Association from 1946 to 1947. In 1944, he was appointed to the Court of Appeal for Ontario and in 1945 was appointed Chief Justice of the High Court of Justice for the Province of Ontario. He resigned in 1964. As Chief Justice he served on various Royal Commissions and was Chairman of the Ontario Law Reform Commission from 1964 to 1966 and Vice-Chairman until 1977. He also served as President of the Canadian Bar Association while on the bench. Beginning in 1964, McRuer headed the Royal Commission Inquiry into Civil Rights (known as the McRuer commission). McRuer was the judge in the trial of Arthur Lucas, who became one of the last two men to be executed in Canada. He wrote the books ''The Evolution of the Judicial Process'' (1957) and ''The Trial of Jesus'' (1978). In 1968, he was made an Officer of the

Order of Canada The Order of Canada () is a Canadian state order, national order and the second-highest Award, honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit. To coincide with the Canadian Centennial, ce ...

"for his services in the profession of law and as a member of many Royal Commissions".

Works

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References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:McRuer, James Chalmers 1890 births 1985 deaths Judges in Ontario Lawyers in Ontario Canadian Bar Association Presidents Candidates in the 1935 Canadian federal election Members of the United Church of Canada Officers of the Order of Canada Osgoode Hall Law School alumni Academic staff of the Osgoode Hall Law School People from Oxford County, Ontario Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery personnel Liberal Party of Canada candidates for the Canadian House of Commons Canadian military personnel of World War I Canadian Militia officers Canadian Expeditionary Force officers