The Role of the Children's Lawyer in Judicial Approval of Minor Settlements

• Author: Clare E. Burns, Linda Waxman, and Stephanie Giannandrea
• Pages: 123-146



TheRoleoftheChildrens

LawyerinJudicialApproval

ofMinorSelements

Clare E. Burns,* Linda Waxman, and

Stephanie Giannandrea

A. INTRODUCTION

InOntariocourtapprovalisrequiredofaselementagreeduponbya

litigationguardianonbehalfofaminororanotherpersonunderdisabil-

ityIndeterminingwhethertoapproveaselementajudgemayormay

notseekassistancefromtheOceoftheChildrensLawyerRule

ofthe Rules of Civil Procedure providesthatajudgemaydirectthatthe

ChildrensLawyermakeanoralorwrienreportstatinganyobjections

heorshehastotheproposedselementandmakingrecommendations

withreasonsinconnectionwiththeproposedselement

InpreparingareportunderRuletheChildrensLawyersroleis

toadvisethecourtandtomakerecommendationstoassistthecourtin

theexerciseofitsparens patriae jurisdiction

 PartnerWeirFouldsLLPOutsidethermsheisactivelyengagedintheprofes-

sionandbroadercommunityShehasbeenadirectoroftheAdvocatesSocietyand

vicepresidentoftheNationalAssociationofPublicTrusteesandGuardiansClare

hastaughtestateschildrenslawandtrialadvocacyattheUniversityofToronto

LawSchoolOsgoodeHallLawSchoolandtheUniversityofWesternOntarioLaw

School

 Rules of Civil ProcedureRRORegrRules of Civil Procedure

CEBLWSG

B HISTORY

 TheOceoftheChildrensLawyer

ThegovernmentofOntariorstformallyestablishedtheOceofthe

OcialGuardianintheJudicature ActofItsoriginwasintheparens

patriaejurisdictionexercisedbythelieutenantgovernorandlordchan-

cellorofUpperCanadaovertheestatesofinfantsorotherpersonsun-

abletomanagetheirownaairswhichwasexercisedasearlyas

Thisjurisdictionenabledthelordchancellortoappointmembersofthe

bartobeguardians ad litem ofchildreninvolvedinlitigation

TodaytheOceoftheChildrensLawyeroperatesasanindepen-

dentlawocewithintheMinistryoftheAorneyGeneralTheChil-

drensLawyer acts as a government ocial a Crown law ocer an

ocerofthecourtandalawyerThenameOcialGuardianwas

changedtotheChildrensLawyerininordertobeerreectthe

ocesmandateandtoavoidconfusionwiththepublicguardianand

trusteeCurrentstatutoryrecognitionoftheChildrensLawyerisfound

insectionoftheCourts of Justice ActalthoughtheChildrensLawyer

alsondsherauthorityandjurisdictioninotherstatutestheRules of

Civil ProcedureandatcommonlawBeginningintheroleofthe

ChildrensLawyershiedfromtheprotectionofminorsinterestsines-

tatesandcivillitigationtoincludetheprotectionofthepersonalrights

ofminorsinchildprotectionmaersorinrelationtocustodyandaccess

disputesarisingoutofdivorceorseparationEstatesandcivillitigation

stillaccountforasizeableproportionoftheocesles

AsaCrownlawocertheChildrensLawyerexercisessomeofthe

functionsoftheMinistryoftheAorneyGeneralwithinwhichsheop-

eratesincludingtheparens patriae jurisdiction

 WillsonAMcTavishQCTheOceoftheOcialGuardianAdvo-

catesSocJNoatMcTavish

 Ibid.

 Ibid.

 ClareEBurnse t al.RoleoftheChildrensLawyerinBrianASchnurredEstate

LitigationdedlooseleafTorontoThomsonCarswellReleaseatpara

Schnurr

 Courts of Justice ActRSOcCs

 Schnurrsupranote

 NicholasBalaIstheJusticeSystemHelpingChildrenTheRoleofAdvocacy

PaperpresentedtotheWillsonAMcTavishSymposiumALegacyforChildren

intheJusticeSystemTorontoNovemberunpublishedatBala