She was first appointed to the court in 2015, presiding in Barrie
The Ontario government has announced the appointment of Cecile Applegate as the new regional senior justice for the Central East Region of the Ontario Court of Justice, effective June 1.
Justice Applegate, who has served on the Ontario Court of Justice since 2015, will now take on a senior role, overseeing the administration of justice in the Central East Region. During her tenure in Barrie, she was a local administrative judge for the Simcoe-Muskoka area, where she played a key role in addressing and reducing case backlogs. Her efforts included implementing specialized courts such as the Drug Treatment Court, Mental Health Court, Intensive Case Management Courts, and the Trial Scheduling Court.
Justice Applegate was called to the bar in 1998. She is fully bilingual and has an extensive legal background. Before her judicial appointment, she was a per diem assistant Crown attorney in Simcoe County and a partner at Wasaga Law, Barristers and Solicitors. Additionally, she acted as a standing agent for the Attorney General of Canada and practiced criminal law as a sole practitioner for over 13 years.
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Justice Applegate has also been actively involved in the legal community. She is a member of the Simcoe-Muskoka Mock Trial Organizing Committee and, before her judicial appointment, served on the board of the annual Leap of Faith Multiple Sclerosis Volleyball Tournament. Her community involvement includes volunteering with Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Bowl for Kids, and the YMCA.
As a regional senior judge, Justice Applegate will exercise the powers and perform the duties of the chief justice in her region under the authority of the chief justice. This role involves scheduling court hearings and assigning cases to individual judges, ensuring the efficient administration of justice.
Justice Applegate’s leadership is expected to contribute significantly to the effective management of the Central East Region’s judicial needs.
