Fred Kaufman CM FRSC KC (May 7, 1924 – December 27, 2023) was a Canadian justice, lawyer, and arbitrator.

Fred Kaufman
CM FRSC KC
Born
Fred Kaufman

(1924-05-07)May 7, 1924
Vienna, Austria
DiedDecember 27, 2023(2023-12-27) (aged 99)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
NationalityCanadian
EducationBishop's University (B.Sc.) McGill University (LL.B.)
Occupation(s)Lawyer, Justice, Arbitrator
Known forQuebec Court of Appeal Justice (1973–1991) Morin and Truscott inquiries
Notable workSearching for Justice: An Autobiography
AwardsQueen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (2002), Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012), Honorary Doctor of Laws, University of New Brunswick (2012)
HonorsCM (1992), FRSC (2002), KC (1971)

Life and career

edit

Fred Kaufman was born on May 7, 1924 in Vienna.[1][2] He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Bishop's University and then spent six years as a reporter for the Montreal Star.[3] He graduated from the McGill University Faculty of Law in 1954, where he was the second ever editor-in-chief of the McGill Law Journal.[4]

Following law school, Kaufman founded the law firm Kaufman, Yarosky & Fish.[3] He was appointed to the Québec Court of Appeal in 1973, and became acting Chief Justice of Quebec from 1990 to 1991 when he retired.[4][5] In 2005 he published the memoir Searching for Justice: An Autobiography.[6]

After retirement as a judge, he was appointed by the Ontario government to preside over an inquiry into the wrongful murder conviction of Guy Paul Morin in 1997-98. Later in 2002-04, he presided for the Government of Canada over an inquiry into the murder trial of Steven Truscott, which led to Truscott's conviction being overturned by the Ontario Court of Appeal.[2]

Kaufman died on December 27, 2023, at the age of 99 in Toronto.[7][2]

Honours

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "Searching for Justice: An Autobiography". JSTOR. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Freeman, Alan (January 12, 2024). "Esteemed jurist Fred Kaufman led two high-profile wrongful conviction inquiries". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d Mason, Gordon (May 17, 2012). "Fred Kaufman to be Doctor of Laws". University of New Brunswick. Archived from the original on August 27, 2016. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  4. ^ a b "The Honourable Fred Kaufman, C.M., Q.C." ADR Chambers International. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  5. ^ "Former judges". Quebec Court of Appeal. Archived from the original on December 30, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  6. ^ Kaufman, Fred (2005). Searching for Justice: An Autobiography. Toronto, Ontario: University of Toronto Press. ISBN 9780802090515.
  7. ^ "Fred Kaufman". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved December 30, 2023 – via Legacy.com.
  8. ^ "Fred Kaufman". The Osgoode Society for Canadian Legal History. Archived from the original on December 30, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  9. ^ "The Honourable Fred Kaufman". Office of the Governor General. Archived from the original on December 30, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  10. ^ "The Honourable Fred Kaufman". Office of the Governor General. Archived from the original on December 30, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  11. ^ "The Honourable Fred Kaufman". Office of the Governor General. Archived from the original on December 30, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2023.