■ New judge sworn in, joins ‘Justice League’
Frances Knickle was sworn in as justice of the trial division of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador during a ceremony Monday in St. John’s by Chief Justice Raymond Whalen. Knickle, who will serve on the bench in Happy Valley-goose Bay, was most recently the director of Public Prosecutions after serving as senior Crown prosecutor with the special prosecutions unit in the Department of Justice. Born in Lunenburg, N.S., she was called to the bar in this province in 1992 and was appointed QC in 2013. She has appeared at all levels of court, including the Supreme Court of Canada. Knickle also has an extensive arts background, in music and acting. In an eloquent and poignant speech, Knickle spoke about her childhood, her influences and her experiences, and thanked her family, colleagues and those in the justice system. When Justice Minister Andrew Parsons spoke at the ceremony, he said Knickle was the “Batgirl” in their “Justice League.”