Judges

The Honourable Chief Justice M.D. Popescul was appointed a judge of the Court of King’s Bench in 2006 and was appointed Chief Justice of that Court in 2012.

Prior to his judicial appointment, Chief Justice Popescul was a partner at the Prince Albert law firm Sanderson, Balicki and Popescul for more than 20 years. In private practice, his experience was diverse, with an emphasis on litigation. Chief Justice Popescul attended the University of Regina and obtained a B.A. in 1976, before obtaining his LL.B from the  University of Saskatchewan in 1979. He was called to the Saskatchewan Bar in 1980.

Chief Justice Popescul was appointed Queen’s Counsel (Canada) in 1992 and Queen’s Counsel (Saskatchewan) in 2000. He served as a Bencher of the Law Society of Saskatchewan from 1998 to 2003 and was President in 2001.  While a bencher, he chaired several committees, including the Law Society’s Ethics Committee.

As a judge, Chief Justice Popescul has been very active with the Canadian Judicial Council [CJC].  He served on the Executive Committee from 2012 until 2015 and was re-appointed to that committee again in 2023, where he continues to serve. He is currently the Chair of the CJC’s Education Committee. He is also the Co-Chair of the CJC’s National Committee on Jury Instructions, a position he has held for the past 10 years. He was co-chair of the CJC’s Judicial Independence Committee and guided that committee through the process of overhauling the Ethical Principles for Judges publication, which was released in 2021.

Chief Justice Popescul has frequently presented at legal and judicial education seminars and workshops. He has also provided lectures and assistance to judges across Canada, Ukraine, Moldova, Ecuador, and Korea. He has received multiple awards for his contributions to the legal and judicial community, including the Saskatchewan Legal Education Society Inc.’s (SKLESI) Outstanding Volunteer Award (North) in 2005, SKLESI’s Award of Excellence for Legal Education Development in 2008, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012, the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal in 2022 and the King Charles III Coronation Medal in 2024.