James Cooper Morton

Early life

James Morton was born in Painesville, Ohio, and raised near Hamilton, Ontario. He received a B.Sc. from the University of Western Ontario, an LL.B. from Osgoode Hall Law School and an LL.M. from University of Leicester.

Career

James Morton is the Principal at Morton Barristers^[1]. Prior to that he was a founding partner at Morton Karrass LLP (now dissolved) he previously was a founding partner and head of the litigation group of the Canadian law firm Steinberg, Morton, Hope and Israel LLP, (currently Steinberg, Title, Hope and Israel LLP). He served as President of the Ontario Bar Association (2006-2007). His practice focuses on commercial, criminal and constitutional litigation in all levels of court, from Tribunals through to the Supreme Court of Canada. He is a certified specialist of the Law Society of Upper Canada in the area of Civil Litigation and the Treasurer's Medalist for 1988. Much of his work is in Nunavut where he is one of a very few lawyers with an ongoing practice.^[2]. Mr. Morton writes a weekly column in Nunatsiaq News and serves on the access to justice committee of the Law Society of Nunavut.^[3]

Some cases of note in which James has acted include:

• R. v. Ookowt, 2017 NUCJ 22 a decision on mandatory minimum sentencing

• R v Kayaitok, 2017 NUCA 1 Court of Appeal decision on sentencing^[4]
• R. v. Bishop, 2013 NUCA 03 Court of Appeal decision on bad character evidence in multiple murder^[5]
• Biggs v. Lambert (2006) Superior Court decision on legal fees and entitlements
• R. v. Sazant (2003): Ontario Court of Appeal on criteria for proceeding with charges at preliminary inquiry and reviews of such criteria.
• Minott v. O'Shanter (1999): Ontario Court of Appeal on finality of tribunal determinations and issue estoppel.
• Leroux v. TransCanada (1997): Federal Court of Appeal on aboriginal issues and rights of appeal.
• R. v. Black (1992): Ontario Court of Appeal on criminal elements of bankruptcy fraud.
• Labelle v. Labelle (1990): Ontario Court of Appeal on unequal division of family property on divorce.

James takes an active role in the field of legal education, lecturing in the area of evidence and advanced evidence at Osgoode Hall Law School of York University and Thomas M. Cooley Law School at Lansing, Michigan. James also teaches Estate Administration at the Law Clerks Institute, and has taught in the areas of Civil Litigation, Professional Responsibility, Bankruptcy and Business Law of the Bar Admission Course.

James graduated from Osgoode as Silver Medallist, clerked with the Chief Justice of Ontario, stood first in the Bar Admission Course, and practiced with Tory Tory DesLauriers & Binnington prior to joining the firm.

James has published 18 legal textbooks commencing with Presumption of Innocence (1988) to most recently Litigators Guide to Evidence 5th ed (2010). Morton is past President of the Ontario Bar Association and is a regular media commentator. He has been adjunct faculty at Osgoode Hall Law School since 1993.

In the Summer of 2018, James was the subject of controversy related to his apparent attempts to commit bigamy, which led to him being charged with several fraud and forgery-related offences. As of August 2018, the charges are still before the court. ^[6]

Politics

James Morton is a member of the Liberal Party of Canada and has served in many positions at the riding and party levels.

In 2011, James ran for office as the Federal Liberal candidate in 2011 in the Ontario riding of Oshawa.

James is the former President of the Thornhill Federal Liberal Riding Association (TFLRA) and resigned the position of Executive Vice President of the riding on November 26, 2013 in order to contest the federal Liberal Party nomination.^[7]