LLOYDMINSTER – The province has appointed a judge to the Lloydminster Provincial Court as it reopens as a fully operational registry office.
Stephen Kritzer has been appointed as a judge.
“I am proud to announce this appointment and have no doubt that Judge Kritzer will serve Lloydminster and the province honourably and well,” said Justice Minister and Attorney General Bronwyn Eyre in a prepared statement Friday.
“His extensive experience, strong reputation, and deep commitment to community will enable him to fulfill his judicial mandate with distinction.”
Judge Kritzer completed a Bachelor of Political Studies with honours before receiving his law degree from the University of Saskatchewan in 1991. With a special interest in criminal law, he became an articling student for Manitoba Legal Aid in Winnipeg before moving to Swift Current in 1992 to join MacBean Tessem.
In 1994, Judge Kritzer began his career in the public sector as a Crown Prosecutor with the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General in Swift Current. In 2016, he became a Regional Crown Prosecutor. Since 2021, he has been a lecturer at the Saskatchewan Police College, where he teaches law to new police recruits and experienced constables.
Throughout his career, Judge Kritzer has maintained a community focus and passion for sport. He has served as a board member for the Swift Current Broncos, president of the Southwest Crisis Services Board and as a member of both Big Brothers & Big Sisters Swift Current and KidSport Swift Current.
Judge Kritzer has canvassed door-to-door for the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Cancer Society, and has also fundraised for United Way and Maverick School in Swift Current. During the Christmas season, he regularly volunteers with the Salvation Army to pack gift hampers. He also takes part in a weekly floor hockey program for underprivileged youth, in addition to coaching soccer.
In addition to Judge Kritzer’s appointment to Lloydminster, Judge Murray Pelletier will move from the North Battleford Provincial Court to the La Ronge Provincial Court. Judge Pelletier was originally appointed in 2019.
The Lloydminster court will be open full-time Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. People can once again pay fines, as well as file small claims and other court documentation in Lloydminster.
A total of five provincial court staff and five deputy sheriffs will be hired on a full-time basis to operate the facility. The provincial government currently leases the Lloydminster Courthouse building and will renew the lease for another five years.
In 2021, Lloydminster Provincial Court became a circuit point location served by the North Battleford Provincial Court, after 35 years as a permanent Provincial Court location. The Battlefords Bar Association had criticized the move saying it was a step backward, decreased access to justice, and would have a negative impact on residents in Onion Lake, Lashburn, Marshall, Maidstone, and surrounding areas who already travelled to Lloydminster.
Since Lloydminster borders the provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta, there are two provincial courthouses in the city. The RCMP station is on the Alberta side of Lloydminster but has jurisdiction over both Lloydminster, Sask., and Lloydminster, Alta.
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