Metivier named new chief judge for Saskatchewan Provincial Court

By: Brian Zinchuk, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

REGINA - Judge Shannon Metivier has been chosen as the new Chief Judge of the Provincial Court of Saskatchewan, effective March 1, 2021. She will replace Chief Judge James Plemel, who was appointed to that position Jan. 1, 2015.

“Saskatchewan has a history of appointing excellent legal minds to our courts, and Judge Metivier is no exception,” Justice Minister and Attorney General Gordon Wyant said in a release. “Her time as a trial lawyer, her extensive practice in civil litigation, and her experience as a sitting judge make her an excellent choice to lead the Provincial Court.”

Judge Metivier was first appointed to the Provincial Court of Saskatchewan in 2013. As a judge, she is actively involved on many committees and has travelled extensively on the Saskatoon circuit and to other court locations around the province. She has served as vice-chairperson of the Saskatchewan Review Board since January 2018.

During her time on the bench she has remained involved in the broader legal community through participation and speaking engagements at local high schools, Canadian Bar Association section meetings, Law Day mock trial competitions and various classes and functions associated with the University of Saskatchewan College of Law.

She graduated from the College of Law at the University of Saskatchewan in 1992 and was called to the Bar in 1993. Before becoming a judge, she served as a partner at McKercher LLP law firm in Saskatoon.

“I want to thank Chief Judge Plemel for his service to the Province of Saskatchewan,” Wyant said. “Chief Judge Plemel has been a fixture in Saskatchewan’s legal community for many years now, and we wish him the best in his well-deserved retirement.”