Is the law society being played like a violin by one of its own ?
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post, "The coffee house: "Pssst did you hear that .....?"
Good Morning Mr. Pieuk,
There are a couple of errors in your chain of events, and through my research I have learned the following:
(1) I first heard of the second complaint the way many Manitobans did, reading the newspaper on September 8, 2010.
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/New-complaint-against-judge-102422079.html
After reading the article, I decided to do a little leg work, and found the husband’s name after researching the Law Society of Alberta’s website. He had been suspended in 2007 for sexually harassing staff, (and seems to still be suspended by the Law Society of Alberta), but I now had a name.
(2) I put the husband’s name into the Law Society of Manitoba’s “Lawyer Look Up” function and was surprised to learn he is indeed practicing in Manitoba.
(3) I then turned to the Queen's Bench Registry, found the divorce file (which is indeed very messy with nearly 250 documents filed to date) and learned that Associate Chief Justice Douglas heard the Motion for a Protection Order in August 2008. The wife had filed reports from Dr. Shane and Dr. Degen in support of her request, but as I continued through the file, I found a Forensic Report filed in February of 2009. I was curious about this report.
From what I have learned, this Report has nothing to do with the Motion that was before Douglas, but appears to have been filed right before this matter was settled. My own experience has taught me that these types of reports are usually only filed in criminal matters – and so I’ve been very curious about it.
The fact that the husband is suspended in one province and practices in another is disquieting. I have been curious about the complaint filed by the wife, as it would seem that her complaint against Douglas with the Canadian Judicial Council holds more water than Alex Chapman’s but have been stymied in my efforts to learn more about it. Floating in the back of my head has been this Forensic Report.
When I recently heard that the report was prepared by Dr. Lawrence Ellerby, and not Dr. Shane or Dr. Degen, and was on the husband, my curiosity has grown. I looked into who Dr. Ellerby is, and was surprised to learn he works in the field of rehabilitation of sex offenders, and is not a psychiatrist, but a psychologist.
It makes me wonder – why would a member of the Law Society of Manitoba (supposedly a fine upstanding citizen) require an assessment by a forensic expert in the field of sex offenders?
Yesterday, the Winnipeg Free Press published a story by Mr. Mike McIntyre, echoing my curiosity about the CJC decision delay, but no mention of the second complaint. Does Douglas really believe that if the Council finds her innocent that she will ever be respected in a Manitoba courtroom again?
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/judicial-council-probe-drags-on-112301769.html
With the revamped “Code of Conduct” of the Law Society of Manitoba to be put into effect in January, I find I have to ask, is the Society merely setting the stage to cut lawyer Jack King (Justice Douglas' husband) slack for his disgusting behaviour? Does this new conduct mean that the Society will investigate on its own when rumours start circulating through the profession to avoid another Douglas/King/Chapman scandal? Finally, what standards do they really have, when another lawyer has obvious behavioural issues and not a whiff of an investigation.
I smiled at your comments about Benchers running the LSM, because I’m not surprised. The “old boys club” is alive and well in the Manitoba legal community. God forbid they chastise each other for their indiscretions and immoral conduct. Trust, integrity, ethics and morals are optional behaviours, certainly not things on which to base professional conduct.
The cone of silence has descended, Max and the Chief are unable to communicate and Kaos will rule in the absence of common sense.
Veritas Justitias Honoris
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear VJH:
Good Morning Mr. Pieuk,
There are a couple of errors in your chain of events, and through my research I have learned the following:
(1) I first heard of the second complaint the way many Manitobans did, reading the newspaper on September 8, 2010.
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/New-complaint-against-judge-102422079.html
After reading the article, I decided to do a little leg work, and found the husband’s name after researching the Law Society of Alberta’s website. He had been suspended in 2007 for sexually harassing staff, (and seems to still be suspended by the Law Society of Alberta), but I now had a name.
(2) I put the husband’s name into the Law Society of Manitoba’s “Lawyer Look Up” function and was surprised to learn he is indeed practicing in Manitoba.
(3) I then turned to the Queen's Bench Registry, found the divorce file (which is indeed very messy with nearly 250 documents filed to date) and learned that Associate Chief Justice Douglas heard the Motion for a Protection Order in August 2008. The wife had filed reports from Dr. Shane and Dr. Degen in support of her request, but as I continued through the file, I found a Forensic Report filed in February of 2009. I was curious about this report.
From what I have learned, this Report has nothing to do with the Motion that was before Douglas, but appears to have been filed right before this matter was settled. My own experience has taught me that these types of reports are usually only filed in criminal matters – and so I’ve been very curious about it.
The fact that the husband is suspended in one province and practices in another is disquieting. I have been curious about the complaint filed by the wife, as it would seem that her complaint against Douglas with the Canadian Judicial Council holds more water than Alex Chapman’s but have been stymied in my efforts to learn more about it. Floating in the back of my head has been this Forensic Report.
When I recently heard that the report was prepared by Dr. Lawrence Ellerby, and not Dr. Shane or Dr. Degen, and was on the husband, my curiosity has grown. I looked into who Dr. Ellerby is, and was surprised to learn he works in the field of rehabilitation of sex offenders, and is not a psychiatrist, but a psychologist.
It makes me wonder – why would a member of the Law Society of Manitoba (supposedly a fine upstanding citizen) require an assessment by a forensic expert in the field of sex offenders?
Yesterday, the Winnipeg Free Press published a story by Mr. Mike McIntyre, echoing my curiosity about the CJC decision delay, but no mention of the second complaint. Does Douglas really believe that if the Council finds her innocent that she will ever be respected in a Manitoba courtroom again?
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/judicial-council-probe-drags-on-112301769.html
With the revamped “Code of Conduct” of the Law Society of Manitoba to be put into effect in January, I find I have to ask, is the Society merely setting the stage to cut lawyer Jack King (Justice Douglas' husband) slack for his disgusting behaviour? Does this new conduct mean that the Society will investigate on its own when rumours start circulating through the profession to avoid another Douglas/King/Chapman scandal? Finally, what standards do they really have, when another lawyer has obvious behavioural issues and not a whiff of an investigation.
I smiled at your comments about Benchers running the LSM, because I’m not surprised. The “old boys club” is alive and well in the Manitoba legal community. God forbid they chastise each other for their indiscretions and immoral conduct. Trust, integrity, ethics and morals are optional behaviours, certainly not things on which to base professional conduct.
The cone of silence has descended, Max and the Chief are unable to communicate and Kaos will rule in the absence of common sense.
Veritas Justitias Honoris
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear VJH:
As always on behalf of our readers thank you very much for a very well researched and written article. The quality of your work and conclusions drawn are commendable.
On the subject of in limbo Associate Chief Justice Lori Douglas we couldn't help but wonder if reinstated how Defendants appearing before her would feel as she looked down on them passing judgment?
Early in the New Year we'll have much more to say about the Law Society's prosecution of our beloved Blackie.
"Enemy of those who make him an enemy ..... friend of those who have no friend!"
He's been putting up quite a fight challenging many of the LSM's Star Chamber era precepts - this will not be a slam dunk! It really begs the question, "Is a Winnipeg lawyer aided and abetted by a non-Bencher, whose name you'll instantly recognize, using The Society to exact retribution against one of his learned friends who opposed him in a lawsuit that's still in play? Why isn't this matter being dealt with in the Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench? Law Society you've got the wrong guy!
Please stay tuned there'll be plenty more on this upcoming disciplinary hearing.
Sincerely/Clare L. Pieuk
posted by Clare L. Pieuk at 11:58 AM
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