Manitoba judge in nude photos case faces review of expenses

WINNIPEG – A Manitoba judge already under review after nude photos of her ended up on the Internet is now facing questions about her expenses.

The Canadian Judicial Council says it will look into a complaint by Queen’s Bench Chief Justice Glenn Joyal regarding the expenses of family court Justice Lori Douglas.

The council will only say the review deals with a — quote — “representational allowance” — money judges are allowed toclaim when they travel to represent the court.

Douglas’s lawyer says the complaint regards $6,400 claimed for prescribed therapy to deal with stress from the nude photo hearings and for four plane tickets to Toronto to meet with counsel.

The lawyer says all of Douglas’s expenses were approved by the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs.

A disciplinary hearing into the nude photos has stalled while another judge determines whether the council panel hearing the case is biased against Douglas.