The BC Court of Appeal and BC Supreme Court have decided to eliminate the practice of addressing justices as “my lady”, “my lord”, “your ladyship” or “your lordship”.
The Court made this known in the revised Court of Appeal Practice Directive and the new Supreme Court Practice Direction, Form of Address obtained by BarristerNG
The new directive states that Counsel who are pregnant or have a disability or other reason affecting the ability to fully gown may appear in alternate gowning attire as appropriate to their circumstances.
Also Justices of the Court of Appeal are to be referred to as “Chief Justice”, “Justice”, “Madam Justice”, “Mr. Justice” or, collectively, as “Justices”, according to the context. Counsel and parties are urged to avoid addressing justices as “my lady”, “my lord”, “your ladyship” or “your lordship”. In a Registrar’s hearing, the Registrar is to be addressed as “your honour”.
A justice is to be addressed as “Chief Justice”, “Associate Chief Justice”, “Justice”, “Madam Justice”, or “Mr. Justice” as the context requires.