Saskatchewan Appoints 5 New Provincial Court Judges

Province’s new judges also include Suzanne Lalonde and Jason Peszko The Saskatchewan government has announced the appointments of five judges to the Provincial Court of Saskatchewan: Darin Chow in Moose Jaw, Roger DeCorby in Yorkton, Alexandra Findlay in Saskatoon, Suzanne Lalonde in Regina, and Jason Peszko in Prince Albert. “These new judges have demonstrated a deep commitment to the law, to public service, and to the communities they serve,” said Tim McLeod, Saskatchewan’s justice minister and attorney general, in a news release. “Their appointments will enhance the strength and capacity of Saskatchewan's Provincial Court and support fair, accessible, and effective justice for people across the province.” The Saskatchewan government’s news release provided more information regarding the judicial appointees. Chow was most recently a judge of the Saskatchewan Court of King’s Bench’s General Division and the resident justice in Moose Jaw. Before that, he served in that court’s Family Division as a resident judge in Regina. He joined the Saskatchewan Provincial Court in May 2012 and acted as a resident judge in Yorkton until November 2013, when he joined the Court of King’s Bench. Before becoming a judge, Chow worked as a partner at Chow McLeod (formerly Chow & Company) from 1997–2012. There, he practised criminal, family, administrative, and real estate law, plus arbitration and civil litigation. From 2009–12, he chaired both the Moose Jaw Mental Health Review Panel and the Five Hills Health Region Review Panel, as well as belonged to Saskatchewan's roster of labour arbitrators. In 2011, he was vice chair of the Saskatchewan Police Commission. Chow received a designation as King's Counsel in 2008, admission to the Saskatchewan bar in 1995, and his LLB from the University of Saskatchewan College of Law in 1994. DeCorby has worked at Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Justice and Attorney General since joining it in 1998. His experience has encompassed prosecuting serious Criminal Code offences, spearheading specialized units, and mentoring junior lawyers. He has served as director of the province’s High Risk Offender Program. Since 2017, he has chaired the National Flagging System, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative centred on managing high-risk violent offenders throughout the country. DeCorby practised in rural Saskatchewan after articling with Gauley and Company in Regina. He received a KC designation in 2022, admission to the provincial bar in 1992, and his LLB from the University of Saskatchewan College of Law in 1991. In 2014, Findlay joined Public Prosecutions at Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Justice and Attorney General. Her practice has covered criminal law, complex litigation, and prosecutorial decision-making. She has collaborated closely with vulnerable and marginalized populations across the province. Findlay articled with the Smith Valeriote Law Firm in Guelph, Ontario. She received her LLM from the University of New South Wales in 2011, admission to the Ontario bar in 2010, and her LLB from the University of Western Ontario in 2009. Since 2008, Lalonde has worked as a staff lawyer at Legal Aid Saskatchewan. She has focused on criminal defence and the representation of individuals dealing with complex challenges. At the Law Society of Saskatchewan, she has been a bencher since 2018, as well as served as president and vice president. She has volunteered for Pro Bono Law Saskatchewan and the John Howard Society, among other organizations. Lalonde received a KC designation in 2023, admission to the Saskatchewan bar in 2001, and her LLB from the University of Saskatchewan College of Law in 2000. Peszko’s trial and appellate litigation practice has spanned criminal defence, real estate, wills and estates, tax enforcement, municipal law, and corporate and commercial law. He has garnered decades of experience appearing be