One of four new judges being added to provincial courts across B.C. will serve in Nanaimo after a lengthy career as a defence counsel. (Dreamstime)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

new appointment

Former defence counsel named new provincial court judge in Nanaimo

Feb 7, 2024 | 5:30 AM

NANAIMO — Four new provincial court judges will be sworn in over the coming weeks, including a Nanaimo lawyer who will transition away from a criminal defence attorney.

Judge Christopher Churchill will officially begin his position in Nanaimo on March 21 and be assigned to cases in the Vancouver Island region.

Churchill, who grew up in the Comox Valley, is a Dalhousie University graduate from the early 90’s, who embarked on a long career primarily featured a mix of civil, family and criminal law.

In 1997, Churchill opened his own practice and shifted his career to criminal defence where he represented clients at the provincial and Supreme Court levels.

Highly regarded in the local legal community, some of Churchill’s most recent cases involved a high-risk sex offender in December 2023, as well as representing former head of the Nanaimo Aboriginal Centre, Chris Beaton, in 2022.

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Churchill will be joined by three other new judges in March.

Judge Colleen Elden will work in Surrey and be assigned cases in the Fraser region, while but Judge Karen Leung and Judge Sheryl Wagner will deal with court proceedings in Vancouver.

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