Top Courts Journalists in Canada (2025)

Andrew Russell is an award-winning investigative journalist with Global News, specializing in accountability reporting at the intersection of law, environment, and Indigenous rights. Based in Toronto, his work has driven policy reforms in federal infrastructure programs and environmental regulation.

Key Coverage Areas

• Government Accountability: Exposes systemic failures in public contracting and regulatory oversight
• Environmental Law: Investigates industrial pollution impacts on marginalized communities
• Indigenous Rights: Documents treaty implementation gaps and self-determination efforts

Pitching Preferences

• Preferred Sources: Whistleblowers with documentation, Indigenous community leaders, policy analysts with cross-jurisdictional expertise
• Story Triggers: Data showing health/policy disparities, evidence of regulatory capture, community-led solutions to systemic issues

"Real change happens when we follow the paper trail to its logical conclusion – no matter where it leads." - Andrew Russell

Achievements

• 2024 Canadian Association of Journalists Investigative Award
• 2023 Michener Award for Public Service Journalism
• 4 National Newspaper Award nominations

With 25+ years covering Manitoba’s court system, Dean Pritchard specializes in translating complex legal proceedings into public-interest stories. His work balances procedural accuracy with compassionate storytelling about how justice intersects with community safety and individual rights.

Pitching Insights

• Do:
  • Highlight local impacts of judicial decisions – e.g., how a precedent affects Winnipeg homelessness initiatives
  • Provide access to legal professionals for trend analysis – his 2024 bail reform series quoted 11 defense attorneys
• Avoid:
  • True crime sensationalism – focuses on systemic issues over individual perpetrator narratives
  • Federal policy debates without provincial enforcement examples

Recent Milestones:

• 2023 – Exposed backlogs causing 18% of cases to exceed statutory timelines
• 2024 – Only journalist to attend all 42 days of Manitoba’s longest murder trial

Doug Schmidt serves as courts reporter and senior copy editor for Canada’s Windsor Star, where he specializes in criminal proceedings and national security cases. His recent exclusives include groundbreaking coverage of constitutional challenges in terrorism prosecutions, particularly the use of controversial "Mr. Big" police operations.

Pitching Insights

• Legal Nuance: Prioritize sources who can explain how local cases intersect with provincial/federal jurisprudence
• Investigative Depth: Schmidt favors stories revealing systemic patterns in law enforcement tactics

With dual expertise in editing and reporting, Schmidt’s work exemplifies Postmedia’s commitment to authoritative legal journalism that serves both specialist and general audiences.

Gary Dimmock, a senior writer at the Ottawa Citizen, specializes in dissecting Canada’s most complex legal battles and institutional failures. With a career spanning over two decades, his work has become synonymous with rigorous crime reporting and judicial transparency.

Pitching Insights

• Seek Institutional Angles: Dimmock prioritizes stories that reveal systemic inequities, such as police misconduct or procedural loopholes. His coverage of Const. Charlene Abella’s bail hearing exemplifies this focus.
• Highlight Human Impact: Successful pitches emphasize personal narratives, particularly from victims of underreported crimes like cyber exploitation or sexual violence.

Achievements

“Dimmock’s reporting doesn’t just inform—it provokes institutional change.” — Canadian Civil Liberties Association

Based in London, Ontario, Sims primarily writes for the London Free Press with occasional contributions to Postmedia Network outlets. Her author profile showcases 127 articles since 2023, focusing on:

• Criminal Justice System: 63% of output (sentencing reforms, trial procedures)
• Violent Crime Trends: 28% (firearm offenses, domestic violence)
• Legal Policy: 9% (comparative analysis of provincial/federal laws)

Pitching Opportunities

• Seeking: Case studies illustrating judicial process improvements
• Avoiding: Corporate crime or regulatory enforcement actions

"The best stories live where personal experience meets institutional accountability." - Sims' response when asked about her ideal story angle

Achievement Highlights

• 2024 National Newspaper Award winner for feature writing
• 19 National Newspaper Award nominations since 2005
• Cited in 3 Canadian Supreme Court amicus briefs since 2020

SHORTBIO:

Jane Sims is the senior justice reporter for the London Free Press, where she's covered Canadian criminal courts for over two decades. Her work focuses on violent crime trials, sentencing reforms, and systemic justice issues, particularly those affecting women and marginalized communities.

Key Coverage Areas

• Courtroom Proceedings: 63% of her articles analyze trial strategies and sentencing outcomes
• Firearm Violence: Recent investigations into cross-border gun trafficking patterns
• Victim Advocacy: Regular inclusion of impact statements in sentencing reports

Pitching Recommendations

• Focus on Human Impact: 82% of her 2024 articles led with victim perspectives
• Provide Legal Documents: Successful pitches often include access to court filings or sentencing memos

"Every verdict tells two stories - what the law requires, and what the community needs."

With CBC News since 2015, Jason Proctor has become Canada’s foremost explainer of complex legal processes. His reporting makes courtroom dramas accessible while maintaining analytical rigor—a balance that’s earned him recognition from both media watchdogs and legal associations.

Core Coverage Areas

• Criminal Justice Reform Tracks systemic issues like case backlogs, sentencing disparities, and police accountability through active trials and policy changes.
• Civil Litigation Trends Explores how class actions and Charter challenges shape Canadian society, particularly in healthcare and Indigenous rights.

Pitching Preferences

• Prefers emailed pitches under 300 words with “LEGAL ANGLE” in subject line
• Responds best to stories with filed court documents or scheduled hearings
• Avoids celebrity trials unless they establish legal precedents

“The best legal stories aren’t about verdicts—they’re about how the justice system evolves.”

Keith Fraser is the Vancouver Sun's senior courts reporter, specializing in criminal sentencing analysis and legal ethics investigations. With 200+ annual bylines from British Columbia courtrooms, his work informs both public understanding and policy debates around judicial processes.

Key Coverage Areas

• Criminal Sentencing Trends: Analyzes judicial reasoning in violent crime cases, particularly those involving firearms or repeat offenders
• Attorney Discipline: Investigates Law Society tribunal decisions and their implications for legal practice standards
• Court Reform Impacts: Tracks implementation of digital proceedings and backlog reduction initiatives

Pitching Preferences

• Access to unpublished sentencing documents or judicial memos
• Data-driven analysis of case resolution timelines
• Whistleblower accounts from court staff or legal professionals

Notable Achievements: - Broke 2023 story leading to BC Law Society procedural reforms - 2022 Canadian Bar Association Media Excellence recipient - 14K Twitter followers engaging on court transparency issues

Kevin Martin is the Calgary Herald's senior legal affairs reporter specializing in constitutional challenges, sentencing reforms, and evidentiary procedure. Based in Alberta, Canada, his work focuses on three key areas:

• Constitutional Law: Particularly healthcare access challenges under Charter Sections 7 and 15
• Criminal Sentencing: Analysis of mandatory minimums and judicial discretion
• Evidence Authentication: Digital forensics standards in Canadian courts

Pitching Insights

Effective story proposals should:

• Reference specific Canadian legal statutes or precedent cases
• Include access to both prosecution and defense perspectives
• Highlight measurable impacts on judicial efficiency or rights protection

Notable Achievements:

• 2024 Canadian Bar Association Media Excellence Citation
• 2023 National Newspaper Award Finalist (Investigative Reporting)
• 17 consecutive years of Alberta court reporting

cybercrime, international law

Louise Dickson has shaped British Columbia’s legal journalism landscape through the Times Colonist since 1997. Her work sits at the intersection of courtroom drama and systemic reform, making her essential reading for policymakers and advocacy groups.

Key Coverage Areas

• Court transparency: Pioneering FOI-based reporting that changed document access policies
• Criminal rehabilitation: Tracking how housing and healthcare gaps drive recidivism
• Legal loopholes: Exposing procedural flaws in name changes and sentencing

Pitching Insights

• What works:
  • Data-rich proposals showing policy impacts (e.g., “67% of tenants in X housing complex have open court cases”)
  • Sources with firsthand experience of court processes (public defenders, parole officers)
  • Follow-ups to her previous investigations (tracking outcomes of named policies)
• What misses:
  • True crime narratives without systemic analysis
  • Federal-level legal stories without BC connections
  • Corporate law developments unrelated to public safety

Career Highlights

• 23+ years as Times Colonist’s senior courts reporter
• 2010 “Triple Crown” (Justicia Award, Jack Webster Award, NNA nomination)
• Six published children’s books bridging law and youth education

With 30+ years covering Newfoundland's courts, NTV's Rosie Mullaley brings unparalleled depth to crime and community stories. Her work balances procedural rigor with emotional intelligence, particularly when covering cases involving youth or cultural heritage.

Pitching Priorities

• Humanizing Legal Precedents: Successful pitches demonstrate how rulings impact daily life in outport communities
• Cultural Context: Stories bridging Indigenous traditions and modern law
• Rehabilitation Pathways: Innovative programs reducing recidivism in rural areas

"The best stories live where the law meets the kitchen table." - Mullaley on her reporting philosophy

Awards Snapshot

• 2020 Marine Atlantic Journalism Scholarship
• 3-time Atlantic Journalism Awards finalist
• 2016 Court Reporting Excellence Award (Newfoundland Bar Association)

Currently writing for the Toronto Sun, Sam Pazzano has shaped Canadian legal journalism through groundbreaking court reporting and true crime documentaries. His work spans:

• Key Beats:
  • Criminal Trials: High-profile cases involving child abuse, gang violence, and wrongful convictions
  • Legal Reforms: Analysis of sentencing guidelines and digital evidence admissibility
  • True Crime Narratives: Documentaries exploring systemic failures in abuse cases
• Avoids:
  • Corporate litigation
  • International extradition cases

Pitching Insights

Effective pitches to Pazzano should:

• Highlight institutional accountability angles in crime stories
• Include expert commentary from forensic psychologists or family law attorneys
• Reference recent Ontario Court of Appeal rulings impacting criminal procedure

Notable Achievements:

• 26-year tenure as Toronto Sun courts reporter
• 20 true crime documentaries for BBC, CBC, and Investigation Discovery
• Mentor to Toronto Metropolitan University’s Master of Journalism candidates

Susan Clairmont is a legal affairs reporter for The Hamilton Spectator, specializing in courtroom proceedings and justice system reforms. Her investigative work has directly influenced judicial policy changes in Ontario, particularly regarding juror compensation and trial conditions.

Pitching Insights

• Focus Area: Systemic inequities in provincial legal systems She prioritizes stories exposing gaps in victim support services or disproportionate impacts on marginalized communities.
• Avoid: Federal-level policy debates Her reporting concentrates on actionable local reforms rather than theoretical national discussions.

Clairmont’s reporting combines rigorous policy analysis with compassionate storytelling, making her an essential voice for understanding Canada’s evolving justice landscape.

As a senior legal affairs reporter for the Vancouver Sun, Susan Lazaruk specializes in high-impact courtroom stories with measurable community consequences. Her work primarily focuses on:

• Constitutional Challenges: Particularly cases involving freedom of expression and professional conduct standards
• Financial Litigation: Complex disputes with documented economic impacts
• Regulatory Enforcement: Analysis of provincial policies affecting individuals and businesses

Pitching Priorities

• Provide court documents or verified financial records with submissions
• Highlight British Columbia-specific legal precedents
• Connect stories to tangible community outcomes

Notable Achievements:

"Her reporting on the Amy Hamm disciplinary case set new standards for covering free speech issues in regulated professions." - Media Law Journal

Trevor Wilhelm is an award-winning investigative journalist at the Windsor Star specializing in courts, crime, and community impact stories. With over 20 years’ experience, his work has influenced policy changes in Ontario’s social services and brought national attention to border-region economic issues.

Pitching Insights

• Localized Economic Angles: Prioritize stories connecting trade policies to grassroots impacts, mirroring his auto industry tariff coverage

Wilhelm’s recent recognition from the Ontario Newspaper Awards underscores his unique ability to transform complex institutional issues into compelling public narratives.