New judges appointed to Edmonton Provincial Court
By Kim MacDonald

Judge Shelagh Creagh

When Shelagh Creagh was a teenager, she dreamed of being an archeologist. She pursued this dream through her first two years in university, before she realized that a career in archeology would be too hot with too many snakes. "And I don't camp," she says.

That realization led her to law school and a 25-year career with Justice Canada. "I recognized that my talents lay in verbal communication," she says about her decision to pursue law as a career. "I found the law to be more fulfilling. It's very people intense, and I like dealing with people."

Now the former aspiring archeologist is digging for truth from the bench, rather than artifacts in the earth.

"In some ways, it's more intense (than prosecuting)," says Judge Creagh about her judicial work. "You have to listen so carefully to what's going on. It gets physically draining."

But Judge Creagh is no stranger to intense work. She was involved in the extradition of Charles Ng to the United States; and as a member of Justice Canada's Northern Flying Squad, she prosecuted cases that the northern offices of Justice Canada couldn't handle due to workloads or conflicts of interest. This work took her to Inuvik, Rankin Inlet, Tuktoyaktuk, and Baker Lake in the Northwest Territories, among other places.

She also spent time with Alberta Justice, joining the appeals branch as part of a one-year exchange that led then-prosecutor Paul Bourque, former Deputy Minister of Alberta Justice, to take over her position with Justice Canada.

With Alberta Justice, Creagh handled several murder cases, as well as gun cases that went before the Court of Appeal. She was also given the controversial lap-dancing file, replying to letters from people upset about laws that permitted it. "I was the only woman there and I got that file," she laughs.

Six years later, her career path has led her back to Alberta Justice - this time on the other side of the bench. "It's been a real learning experience," she says of her new position. "And Criminal Code cases aren't as second nature as they used to be." However, she says she hasn't seen anything that has surprised her yet. "The first lesson you learn is you've never seen it all," she says with a smile.

Judge Brad Kerby

When Brad Kerby chose law as his life's work, it was because he saw it as an honourable profession. In following this honourable profession, Kerby became "His Honour," one of the two newest judges appointed to Edmonton Provincial Court.

Judge Kerby didn't always plan to be a lawyer. He initially majored in Physical Education and planned to teach Phys. Ed and Math before a car accident forced a career change. But he always held the law in high regard.

"I always had in mind it would be a worthwhile profession to follow," he says. And after 24 years in practice, the judiciary seemed to be a natural progression.

While Judge Kerby spent the majority of his legal career involved with corporate and commercial law, his appointment to Edmonton's Criminal Division marks a return to his early days as defence counsel. "When I started articling, my introduction to the courts was through the criminal courts," he says.

In the four years he practised criminal law, his caseload included not only general criminal offences, but also cases dealing with First Nations wildlife, hunting and fishing rights. He was also the first law student in the University of Alberta's Student Legal Services program to successfully argue for a conditional discharge for a simple drug possession conviction.

"One of the big challenges for me is to reacquaint myself with the criminal area of the law," says Judge Kerby of his new position. "One of the bonuses is the makeup of the Criminal Division. All of the members are very helpful."

When he is not hearing cases, Judge Kerby spends his spare time exercising and doing volunteer work for organizations like the Canadian Paraplegic Association of Alberta and the Neurotrauma Committee for Alberta. In 1998-99, the Neurotrama Committee raised $1 million to fund studies in neurotrauma prevention, rehabilitation and research, as well as sponsor the first Canadian Neurotrauma Symposium.