You Be the Judge

Table of Contents:
About the Author: His Life in Crime Introduction Part I. Your Daily Docket: Punishment or Compassion? 1. Assaulted in Her Sleep 2. The Stepfather 3. The Drunk Woman Who Drove into a Ditch 4. The Last Nazi 5. The Castrated Dog 6. The Artist from Trinidad 7. The Stolen Phone Booth 8. The Indigenous Repeat Offender 9. Assault with a Weapon, to Wit, a Dog Bowl 10. Boxer Breaks Man’s Jaw — Outside the Ring 11. The Gila Monster 12. The Handsome, Charming Rapist Part II. Murder, Manslaughter, or Neither? 13. Crocodile Dundee 14. The Grandmother Murder You Be the Jury 15. Killing Husband in His Sleep 16. Bonnie and Clyde 17. Murder in the House of Killers 18. Sentenced to Hang 19. The Crown Attorney Goes to Prison 20. Police Strangling 21. Murder in the School Girls’ Washroom 22. Texas Rangers Ride to the Rescue 23. Ken Dryden Helps Solve a Murder 24. School Bus Runs over a Child Part III. Controlling the Courtroom Conclusion: Judging Myself Author’s Note: Forgiveness Acknowledgements

About the Author :
Norm Douglas was born in Hawk Junction, Ontario, and grew up in Sault Ste. Marie. He earned his BA and LLB degrees from Queen's University. In 1973, immediately after completing the Bar Admissions, Norm was appointed Assistant Crown Attorney back in his hometown of Sault Ste. Marie, and he became the Crown Attorney in 1980. In 1992, he moved to Toronto to take up the position of Senior Counsel and then Director of Criminal Prosecutions for Ontario, and two years later, after a twenty-one-year career as a Crown Counsel, he was appointed to the Ontario Court of Justice to preside as a criminal court judge in Brampton, Ontario. On his seventy-fifth birthday in November 2021, after twenty-seven-and-a-half years on the bench, Norm retired from his position. Rewarding as his time as a Crown Attorney and judge were, the best job he has ever had is what he does now - being "Grampa Buck" to his eleven grandchildren.

Review :
"Every day, judges in the criminal trial courts are called upon to make decisions with profound consequences, not only for those charged but also for the public at large. In this impressive new book, Norman Douglas draws upon half a century of experience, including close to thirty years as a trial judge, to demonstrate that making those decisions is a deeply human process and that getting to the ‘right’ result requires both wisdom and compassion. In this respect, Douglas has made an important contribution to the public’s understanding of criminal justice in Canada." "You Be the Judge cracks open the door on excessive courtroom secrecy and helps the public to better understand the judicial role in an entertaining and accessible way." "There is no one more qualified to give Canadians a truly accurate picture of the inner workings of our criminal justice system. A must read." "The criminal justice system is, by design, populated by people of all different backgrounds in a wide range of roles. Two of the most important of these are the Crown and the judge. With a wealth of experience, a colourful and candid approach, and a very personal style, Norm Douglas provides a rare insight into what goes through the mind of someone called upon to resolve some very challenging issues, inspiring the reader to come to grips with how these important matters must be addressed in order to provide fair and impartial justice." "Justice Norman Douglas’s book You Be the Judge is a gem and inspiration and illuminating innovation."