New Judges Appointed to the Ontario Court of Justice

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The Ontario government is pleased to announce the appointment of three new judges to the Ontario Court of Justice, effective May 9, 2024.

Justice Joanna Harris was called to the Ontario bar in 2006. She was an articling student at Adair Morse and then went on to become a law clerk at the Superior Court of Justice. Between 2007 and 2019, Justice Harris practised family law at various firms, including Thomson Rogers, Wilson Christen and then Miller Thomson. From 2019 onwards, she was an in-house counsel with York Region Children's Aid Society, litigating child protection cases before the Child and Family Services Review Board. Most recently, Justice Harris was seconded to Dnaagdawenmag Binnoojiiyag Child & Family Services, an Indigenous child well-being agency.

Justice Harris has served on a number of boards and committees and volunteered at organizations supporting communities and youth. Starting in 2022, she tutored candidates for the barrister examination and donated the earnings from this position to the Lawyers Feed the Hungry Program, a charity she previously volunteered with as an articling student. From 2015 to 2021, Justice Harris was part of Pro Bono Law Ontario, providing legal guidance on a variety of family law and child protection matters through the medical legal partnership with Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Centre. Since 2021, she also volunteered at Luke's Place Virtual Legal Clinic, providing summary legal advice and presenting legal information to women who have experienced interpersonal violence. Justice Harris has written many publications on family law and child protection law and is currently completing her Doctor of Juridical Science in child protection law.

Chief Justice Sharon Nicklas has assigned Justice Harris to Toronto.

Justice Jason Miller was called to the Manitoba bar in 1999 and the Ontario bar in 2007. From 1999 to 2007, Justice Miller was an associate with Brodsky and Company where he practiced criminal law, focusing on homicide cases and appeals. In 2007, he joined the Ministry of the Attorney General as an assistant Crown attorney with the Guns and Gangs initiative. In 2017, Justice Miller moved to the West Region where he subsequently worked in several different specialty roles, including high-risk offender prosecutions.

Justice Miller has also been active in giving back to the community. From 2019 to 2022, he volunteered at Hope's Eating Disorders, a not-for-profit organization providing support to individuals with disordered eating. In 2020, he helped create the Crown Mentorship Committee which pairs new Crown attorneys with established Crowns for guidance and support.

Chief Justice Sharon Nicklas has assigned Justice Miller to London.

Justice Sara Mintz was called to the Ontario bar in 2004. In 2023, she received the designation of King's Counsel from the Attorney General of Ontario for her service to the Crown. Justice Mintz began her family law career in 2003 as an articling student and then associate at Harper Jaskot LLP. She held several progressive roles, including associate at Niman Zemans Gelgoot LLP, senior associate at Torkin Manes LLP and lawyer at Boulby Weinberg LLP. Justice Mintz was the alternate executive chair of Tribunals Ontario and the associate chair of the Licence Appeal Tribunal, the Child and Family Services Review Board, the Custody Review Board and the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board. In these roles she championed adjudicative and service excellence.

Justice Mintz has longstanding involvement with several community organizations, most recently with the University Health Network, working to improve patient outcomes in health care. In the past, she volunteered with Autism Speaks Canada, Brain Injury Society of Toronto and United Way.

Chief Justice Sharon Nicklas has assigned Justice Mintz to Toronto.

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