Justice Minister offers condolences over passing of retired Chief Provincial Court Judge O�Neill Justice Minister and Attorney General Kelvin Parsons said he was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of retired Chief Provincial Court Judge Hugh O�Neill on Thursday, May 25, 2000. Judge O�Neill was called to the Newfoundland Bar on January 26, 1933. He was appointed Clerk of Peace and Stipendiary Magistrate of Central District Court, St. John�s on July 1, 1935. In 1949, Judge O�Neill became Senior Magistrate in St. John�s. On August 1, 1974, he was appointed the first Chief Magistrate for Newfoundland under the New Provincial Court Act. On November 30, 1977, he retired from the Bench, was appointed Queen�s Counsel on December 1, 1977, and then returned to private practice. In 1978, Judge O�Neill was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws by Memorial University of Newfoundland. He was a long-time member of the Benevolent Irish Society and the St. John�s Regatta Committee. He was also an accomplished violinist and a member of the St. Bon�s Orchestra and the St. John�s Symphony Orchestra. "Judge O�Neill served the people of this province with great dedication, compassion and dignity for over 40 years. To him, the law as a vocation, not a job, and he never lost sight of dedication to the ideals of justice," said Parsons. Media contact: Kathy Dicks-Peyton, Communications, (709) 729-6564. 2000 05 26 3:45 p.m. |
||
|