List of Chief Justices of the Supreme Court of Canada - Definition

The following is a list of the Chief Justices of Canada, from 1875 to the present. The Chief Justice presides over the Supreme Court of Canada.

• Sir William Buell Richards - 1875-1879 (*1)
• Sir William Johnston Ritchie - 1879-1892
• Sir Samuel Henry Strong - 1892-1902
• Sir Henri Elzéar Taschereau - 1902-1906
• Sir Charles Fitzpatrick - 1906-1918 (*1)
• Sir Louis Henry Davies - 1918-1924
• Francis Alexander Anglin - 1924-1933
• Sir Lyman Poore Duff - 1933-1944 (*2)
• Thibaudeau Rinfret - 1944-1954
• Patrick Kerwin - 1954-1963
• Robert Taschereau - 1963-1967 (*2)
• John Cartwright - 1967-1970
• Gérald Fauteux - 1970-1973
• Bora Laskin - 1973-1984
• Brian Dickson - 1984-1990
• Antonio Lamer - 1990-2000
• Beverly McLachlin - 2000-present

See also:

• List of Puisne Justices of the Supreme Court of Canada

NOTES:

• 1 - Richards and Fitzpatrick never served as puisne justices, but were appointed directly to the position of Chief Justice. All other Chief Justices served as puisne justices before acceding to Chief Justice, usually (but not always) on the basis of seniority.

• 2 - In cases where a Governor General dies in office or leaves the position before a replacement can be named, Canadian tradition is that the Chief Justice assumes the viceregal duties until a new Governor General is appointed. Duff and Taschereau are the two Chief Justices who have served as Acting Governors General under this convention.