justice of the peace appointment application form

JUSTICE OF THE PEACE APPOINTMENT APPLICATION FORM

SEPTEMBER 2017

FILING INSTRUCTIONS

Please read carefully before completing.

The Justices of the Peace Appointments Advisory Committee (the “Committee”) welcomes the interest of qualified persons seeking appointment as a justice of the peace.

The Committee’s responsibility under the Justices of the Peace Act is to classify candidates for appointment as “Not Qualified”, “Qualified” or “Highly Qualified”. Classifications will be based on a thorough review and evaluation process. The evaluation process may or may not include an interview. Classifications are reported to the Attorney General, who recommends candidates for Order-in-Council appointments to the Ontario Court of Justice.

An application will be considered only if it is typed/word processed.

All applications, whether sent by courier, mail or hand delivery, must have a return address and must be in a sealed envelope or sealed box and sent to:

The Coordinator Justices of the Peace Appointments Advisory Committee c/o Ministry of Government Services Mail Delivery Room M2B-88, Macdonald Block, Queen’s Park 77 Wellesley Street West Toronto ON M7A 1N3

NOTE: The mailroom staff in Room M2B-88, Macdonald Block, (corner of Wellesley and Bay Streets) will not accept unsealed packages as well as packages with no return address.

Candidates shall provide ONLY the supporting material specified in the Application Form and Filing Instructions. NO other material, such as reference letters, resumes, or correspondence with the Committee, shall be considered as a means for advancing your classification.

(See Frequently Asked Questions for further information.)

All applications received become the property of the Justices of the Peace Appointments Advisory Committee and will NOT be returned. SAMPLE

http://www.ontariocourts.ca/ocj/jpaac/frequently-asked-questions/

FILING INSTRUCTIONS (Continued)

Before you submit your application:

Read the Frequently Asked Questions found on the Committee’s website at www.ontariocourts.ca/ocj/jpaac/.

Check spelling and grammar.

Remove the Filing Instructions, Filing Checklist, General Selection Criteria and Endnotes pages in order to submit the application form, beginning on Page 1 with “Candidate Information.”

Click this link to confirm the region(s) of the base court(s) to which you are applying and make the appropriate number of copies.

Completed application forms and copies may be double sided.

o If applying to a vacancy/vacancies in one region, submit your signed original application form plus eight (8) copies of this signed application form, for a total of nine (9) application forms in your complete submission. For example, if you are applying to vacancies in Ottawa and Cornwall, both base courts are located in the East Region and, as such, one (1) original plus eight (8) copies would be submitted.

o If applying to vacancies in more than one region, submit one (1) signed original application form. Then submit eight (8) copies of this signed application form for each of the regions to which you are applying. For example, if you are applying to vacancies in Ottawa, Cornwall and Brampton, two regions are involved and, as such, one (1) original plus 16 copies would be submitted, for a total of 17 application forms in your complete submission. (See Frequently Asked Questions for further information.)

If applicable, attach one photocopy of your degree, diploma or official transcript (with official translation, if necessary) to the back of the signed original application form you are submitting.

Staple each copy of the application form in the top left hand corner.

Submit one original application form and all required copies in one large sealed envelope or box. NOTE: This is especially true if hand delivering your application.

DO NOT:

Include letters of reference, resumes or any other materials or documents other than those specified in the filing instructions or application form.

Embellish your application by using coloured ink or highlights.

USE ALL CAPS.

Submit your application on coloured paper.

Bind or fasten each application form, or use tab corners, or put each application in a folder or place each application in a separate envelope or use cerlox binding.

SAMPLE

http://www.ontariocourts.ca/ocj/jpaac/

http://www.ontariocourts.ca/ocj/jpaac/base-court-description/


FILING CHECKLIST

The following checklist is provided to assist you in ensuring your application is complete. It should not be included in your application package.

I have:

Completed and submitted all information requested on the most recent version

(SEPTEMBER 2017) of the Application Form posted on the JPAAC website.

(NOTE: Applications will be considered only when submitted on the most current application form.)

Completed the application on 20 lb. white bond paper using 11 pt. Arial font.

Signed the Authorization/Attestation (Page 1).

Included the vacancy identifier (appearing on the online JPAAC advertisement

page for the base court location where I wish to be considered to serve as a justice of the peace) in the table under Question #4. If applying to more than one advertised vacancy, all vacancy identifiers are indicated on the same form.

Completed the application package for submission, including:

1. the signed original Application Form;

2. eight (8) copies of the signed original Application Form, for each region to which I am applying; and

3. one copy of my degree, diploma or official transcript (with official translation, if necessary) attached to the signed original Application Form or an explanation as to why it is unavailable for submission with this application (see Frequently Asked Questions).

IMPORTANT—

TABLE ROWS

When completing the various tables within this application form, add a row for each new entry. To add a row, place the cursor in the last cell of the table and hit the Tab key. SAMPLE

http://www.ontariocourts.ca/ocj/jpaac/advertisements/



GENERAL SELECTION CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING CANDIDATES

Throughout the application process, candidates shall provide evidence that they meet all of the Selection Criteria. In addition, the candidate review process will consider the desirability of reflecting the diversity of Ontario’s population in appointments of justices of the peace and an assessment of the skills, abilities, and personal characteristics of candidates against those desired in a justice of the peace.

1. Skills and/or education that are clearly relevant and transferrable to the work of a justice of the peace

2. Work, volunteer or other experience that is clearly relevant and transferrable to the duties and responsibilities of a justice of the peace

3. An understanding of, and the skills, abilities, and personal characteristics applicable to, the base court vacancy, including the pace of court, geographic and community needs

4. Awareness and understanding of the breadth and depth of the role of a justice of the peace

5. Keen interest in people and humanity, including cross-cultural experience and community engagement

6. An ability to apply superior interpersonal skills in the courtroom and maintain decorum in adversarial circumstances

7. A high level of achievement in the area(s) of employment and/or community service

8. Experience providing functional advice, guidance and assistance to/at multiple levels of authority

9. Ability and willingness to learn, substantiated through the candidate’s record of life-long learning

10. Demonstrated good judgement in the face of real or perceived conflict of interest

11. Proven ability and experience in making sound, practical and timely decisions with complex factors

12. Proven reputation for punctuality, reliability, organization skills and preparedness

13. Highly developed intellectual and analytical skills

14. Demonstrated flexibility and adaptability to change

15. Ability to work both co-operatively and independently

16. Ability to manage people, time and resources

17. Ability to present a clear, concise and well-written application that is reflective of the candidate’s interest and ability

18. Ability and willingness to travel as required

19. Bilingual ability (if applicable)

In its review process, the Committee recognizes the importance of reflecting the diversity of Ontario’s population in appointments of justices of the peace as is

required by Section 2.1 (12) 6 of the Justices of the Peace Act.

SAMPLE

http://www.ontariocourts.ca/ocj/jpaac/skills/


http://www.ontariocourts.ca/ocj/jpaac/skills/

CONFIDENTIAL

Justice of the Peace Appointment Application Form – SEPTEMBER 2017 Page 1

JUSTICE OF THE PEACE APPOINTMENT

APPLICATION FORM

SEPTEMBER 2017

1. CANDIDATE INFORMATION

Last Name

First Name

Middle Name(s)

If you wish to be addressed by a name other than your first name, please insert an asterisk (*) beside that name.

Date of Birth (Optional):

2. AUTHORIZATION / ATTESTATION

I, ( INSERT FULL NAME ),

hereby certify that I have performed paid or volunteer work equivalent to at least 10 years of full-time experience.1

hereby authorize the Justices of the Peace Appointments Advisory Committee to make discreet inquiries with respect to my suitability and qualifications for appointment as a justice of the peace at the appropriate stage of the Committee’s deliberations.2

attest that the information provided in this Application is accurate, and that this Application has been authored and submitted by me.

understand that failure to complete the Application according to the instructions could result in the rejection of my Application or a lower classification.

have read and understand the base court description and meet the requirements for the vacancy(ies) to which I am applying.

Signature

X

Date

3. CONTACT INFORMATION

Residential Address

Street Address

City, Province, Postal Code

Telephone Number

Alternate Telephone Number, e.g., Cell Phone

Business Address

Street Address

City, Province, Postal Code

Telephone Number

E-mail E-mail Address

For Committee Use

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4. APPLICATION FILING INFORMATION

A. Complete the table below listing all advertised vacancies to which you are applying.

Add a new row for each additional vacancy.

Base Court Vacancy (e.g., Kingston)

Vacancy Identifier (e.g., KS16-1)

Region (e.g., East)

Order of Preference by

Vacancy Identifier3

B. Have you previously submitted a Justice of the Peace Appointment Application Form?

Yes No If “Yes,” when?

C. How did you hear about the application process?

Newspaper:

Internet

E-mail notification

Word of mouth

5. LANGUAGES

The official languages of the courts of Ontario are English and French. You may be required to perform a language proficiency test in the language(s) in which you indicate proficiency.

A. Do you have a high degree of proficiency to read, write and speak English? Yes No

B. Do you read, write and speak French at a superior4 level? Yes No

C. Have you previously undergone French language testing as part of the JPAAC application process?

If “Yes,” when?5

Yes No

6. SELF-IDENTITY (Optional)

The Justices of the Peace Appointments Advisory Committee recognizes the desirability of reflecting the diversity of the population of Ontario in the appointment of justices of the peace.

Please select as appropriate:

Indigenous Visible Ethnic/Cultural Disabilities LGBTQ2 Woman Minority Group or other

Please provide information about yourself that you feel would assist in this objective.

(Maximum 50 words)

.

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7. EDUCATION

7A. Secondary/High School Education

Provide an outline of your formal secondary/high school education, including dates attended, location, name of institution, and diploma obtained.

Year(s) Diploma

(YES / NO) Institution City, Province, Country

7B. Post-secondary Education

Provide an outline of your formal post-secondary education in the appropriate section(s) below and attach:

a copy of any post-secondary degree or diploma you have earned (together with a certified translated copy 6, if applicable), or

an official transcript (together with a certified translated copy 6, if applicable), or

an explanation of why neither a copy of a degree/diploma nor an official transcript is available.

(1) Check one or more that apply:

I have a university degree.

Year Degree / Program Institution City, Province, Country

I have a diploma or advanced diploma granted by a college of applied arts and technology following completion of a program that is the equivalent in class hours of a full-time program of at least four academic semesters.

Year Diploma / Program Institution City, Province, Country

I have been granted by a post-secondary institution, other than a college of applied arts and technology or a university, a diploma, certificate or other document evidencing successful completion of a program that can reasonably be considered to be equivalent to a program offered by a college of applied arts and technology and described above.

Year Program Institution City, Province, Country

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I have a degree from an institution, other than a university, that is authorized to grant the degree

under the Post-secondary Education Choice and Excellence Act, 2000, or

under a special Act of the Assembly that establishes or governs the institution, or

under legislation of another province or territory of Canada.


None of the above.

(2) Check the box that applies:

I have successfully completed a program designated as an equivalency under subsection (16) of the Justices of the Peace Act (see below):

Equivalency Program

(16) For the purposes of clause (15)(d), the Attorney General may designate programs that involve training in the justice system, including programs designed to enhance diversity in the justice system, as programs that meet the educational equivalency, and shall make the list of programs so designated public.


Not applicable.

(3) Check the box that applies:

I meet the equivalency requirement set out in subsection (17) of the Justices of the Peace Act (see below):

Exceptional Qualifications

(17) For the purposes of clause (15)(e), a candidate may be considered to have met the equivalency requirement if he or she clearly demonstrates exceptional qualifications, including life experience, but does not have the educational requirements set out in clauses (15)(a) to (d).

DEMONSTRATE HOW YOU MEET THE “EQUIVALENCY REQUIREMENT” DESCRIBED ABOVE.

(Maximum 400 words)

Not applicable. I have a degree, diploma, certificate or other document evidencing successful completion of a post-secondary program and/or have successfully completed a program designated as an equivalency under subsection (16) of the Justices of the Peace Act.

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7C. Academic Recognition / Scholastic Awards

List significant recognition or awards related to scholastic pursuits.

Year Achievement / Certificate Institution

7D. Continuing Education

List up to five significant additional educational achievements and/or certificates attained within the last 10 years. Include dates, institution and location.

Year Achievement / Certificate

(if applicable) Institution City, Province, Country

7E. Employment-related Training

List up to five substantial professional training programs completed within the last 10 years. Include dates, a description of the training, your title/position and employer.

Year Training Title / Position Employer

8. EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

Starting with the most recent employment, complete the table below by providing a detailed account of your work experience.7

Add a new row for each employment.

(a) From – To (MMM/YY) (b) Title / Position (c) Employer (d) Location (City, Prov., Country)

Key Responsibilities (Use bullet points)

9. COMMUNITY SERVICE

Starting with the most recent, complete the table below by providing a detailed account of your community, civic and volunteer experience (paid or volunteer), including the nature and dates of your involvement with each organization.

Add a new row for each role/organization.

(a) From – To (MMM/YY) (b) Role (c) Organization (d) Location (City, Prov., Country)

Nature of Involvement (Use bullet points)

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10. UNDERSTANDING AND PREPARATION

For the purpose of this application process, you are advised to observe different types of courts where justices of the peace preside.8 In the chart below, from these observational visits, describe what you specifically learned about the role of a justice of the peace.

Add a new row for each court visit.

DATE DD/MMM/YY

COURT ADDRESS TYPE OF COURT

YOUR KEY LEARNING (Maximum 75 words for each court visit)

11. TRANSFERABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Considering the roles, responsibilities and qualities of a justice of the peace as you understand them, how will your education, skills, experience and character make you an excellent justice of the peace?

(Maximum 400 words)

12. COMMUNITY AWARENESS

A. Describe your experiences with, or substantive knowledge of, the challenges and social issues that people face in the communities to which you are applying.

B. Describe the challenges that may arise in the courts where you would be presiding.

(Maximum 400 words total)

13. RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

Justices of the peace must have proven ability and experience in making practical and timely decisions that involve complex factors, including conflicting information and interests.

A. From your professional or community experience, describe your best example of a situation that required you to make a complex decision.

B. Briefly describe the process you used to reach your decision, the decision itself, and the impact this decision had on yourself and others.

(Maximum 400 words total)

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14. PERSONAL AND OTHER MATTERS

A. Please answer each of the following questions:

(1) Have you ever been found guilty of a criminal offence? Yes No

(2) Are you currently involved, or expect to be involved, in any litigation in the near future?

Yes No

(3) Are you in default of a family support obligation? Yes No

(4) Have you ever declared bankruptcy that has not been discharged? Yes No

(5) Are you in arrears with Canada Revenue Agency or a similar provincial agency?

Yes No

(6) Are you the subject of any current court order? Yes No

(7) Have you ever been the subject of a claim, complaint, review, suspension, sanction or any disciplinary action by an organization? Yes No

B. If you answered “Yes” to any of these questions, please provide a detailed explanation.

C. Is there anything in your past or present that could reflect negatively on you or the Ontario Court of Justice and which should be disclosed?

Yes No If “Yes,” then please so advise.

15. TRAVEL AND JUDICIAL DUTIES

Assignments for justices of the peace are at the direction of the regional senior judge or regional senior justice of the peace. Justices of the peace may be required to sit in varying locations across a region or, occasionally, elsewhere in the province. This may involve holding hearings in premises with varying degrees of accessibility. While most duties fall within a regular business day, a justice of the peace is on duty 24 hours a day and may be required to work at any hour of the day and on weekends or holidays.9

Do you have any limitations on when and where you are prepared or able to work?

Yes No If “Yes,” then please so advise.

16. COMPUTER SKILLS

On appointment, each justice of the peace is equipped with a computer. You are expected to have basic computer skills. Please indicate your level of skill:

None Basic Advanced Expert

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17. MEMBERSHIP AND/OR PARTICIPATION IN PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

Provide information on your membership in any professional associations. Briefly describe your involvement and the length of time of such involvement.

From MMM/YY

To MMM/YY

Role Association

18. RECOGNITION / AWARDS

Provide information on any employment or community-related recognition or awards.

Year Recognition / Award Organization

19. PUBLICATIONS

List any materials you have authored and published. The publications you list here need not be confined to writings on legal topics.

Year Title Publication

20. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

If you have additional, relevant information NOT included elsewhere on the application, please indicate in the space below.

(Maximum 300 words)

21. REFEREES

Provide the names of four referees—two persons who have had direct experience with your professional work and two persons who have an understanding of your participation in community activities.10

You must provide current and complete contact information for all referees.

DO NOT SUBMIT REFERENCE LETTERS.

PROFESSIONAL WORK – REFEREE #1

Name

Title and Company

Address

Business Phone Number

Residential Phone Number

E-mail Address

Nature of Relationship to Applicant

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PROFESSIONAL WORK – REFEREE #2

Name

Title and Company

Address



E-mail Address


COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES – REFEREE #1

Name

Title and Company

Address



E-mail Address


COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES – REFEREE #2

Name

Title and Company

Address



E-mail Address


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ENDNOTES

1 In accordance with the Justices of the Peace Act, section 2.1(15).

2 Candidates for appointment as a justice of the peace who are or have been members of a

professional organization are required to permit disclosure by the organization to the Committee or to the Attorney General of any complaints, charges, insurance or compensation claims made against them to that organization. Please note that candidates will also be required to provide permission for the Committee to conduct various security and disclosure checks. The Committee may also wish to obtain information from other sources. In making these inquiries, every effort will be made to maintain confidentiality.

3 If applying to more than one vacancy, please indicate your order of preference, with one (1) being your most preferred location.

4 The Ministry of Government Services (MGS) ascertains that if a vacancy indicates a level of French language proficiency, your ability to communicate and/or write in French may be assessed and rated against a superior standard. French proficiency tests are valid for five years (as per the French Language Services Office of the Ministry of the Attorney General). If you have been tested as part of the JPAAC application process and wish to be re-tested within the five-year period, you may do so independently. Contact the JPAAC Coordinator at [email protected] for information on how to arrange for Ontario government-approved French language testing. Details regarding your testing outcomes may be provided in the Supplementary Information section of this application form. You may also be asked to submit a copy of the evaluator’s report.

5 If you wish to provide further information regarding French language skills and/or testing, you may do so in Question #20, under “Supplementary Information.”

6 Candidates who hold a university degree and/or college diploma from outside Canada are required

to supply the Committee with a translated certified copy of the degree/diploma/transcript when submitted in a language other than English or French.

7 If you wish to provide information regarding gaps in work experience, you may do so in Question #20, under “Supplementary Information.”

8 In addition to previous professional and/or personal court experiences.

9 The JPAAC’s policies and processes for review and evaluation of candidates are in compliance with accessibility provisions under the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001.

10 All information will be kept in confidence by the Committee. The Committee may wish to obtain information from other sources. In making these inquiries, every effort will be made to maintain confidentiality. The Committee may or may not contact your referees.

DO NOT INCLUDE THIS PAGE IN YOUR APPLICATION PACKAGE

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mailto:[email protected]

justice of the peace appointment application form

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