Judges seal oath with a kiss
History made as husband swears in wife as Newfoundland and Labrador provincial court judge
CBC News
Posted: Feb 22, 2012 2:33 PM NT
Last Updated: Feb 23, 2012 4:19 PM NT
Chief judge Mark Pike shares a moment with newly-minted provincial court judge Pamela Goulding at her swearing-in ceremony on Wednesday morning. Pike and Goulding are spouses. (Glenn Payette/CBC)
They sat on the bench together Wednesday morning, just as they have at the dinner table countless times before.
Chief Judge Mark Pike read the words that made Pamela Goulding a Newfoundland and Labrador provincial court judge, and she repeated the oath.
It’s believed to be a Canadian first — one spouse swearing in the other, chief judge and judge.
Goulding spent 25 years as a Crown attorney with the provincial Department of Justice before taking the oath to ascend to the bench.
For five of those years, Goulding was senior Crown attorney with the special prosecutions office. For another five, she was director of public prosecutions.
Pike played no role in selecting Goulding for a position on the bench.
After administering the oath, Pike congratulated Goulding and gave her a kiss. The large number of spectators in courtroom 7 broke into applause.
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