Norm Douglas was born in Hawk Junction, Ontario, and grew up in Sault Ste. Marie. He earned his BA and LLB degrees from Queen’s University. In 1973, immediately after completing the Bar Admissions, Norm was appointed Assistant Crown Attorney back in his hometown of Sault Ste. Marie, and he became the Crown Attorney in 1980. In 1992, he moved to Toronto to take up the position of Senior Counsel and then Director of Criminal Prosecutions for Ontario, and two years later, after a twenty-one-year career as a Crown Counsel, he was appointed to the Ontario Court of Justice to preside as a criminal court judge in Brampton, Ontario.

On his seventy-fifth birthday in November 2021, after twenty-seven-and-a-half years on the bench, Norm retired from his position. Rewarding as his time as a Crown Attorney and judge were, the best job he has ever had is what he does now – being “Grampa Buck” to his eleven grandchildren. Have you ever wanted to be a judge?

Here’s your chance. Sit on the dais beside criminal court judge and author Norm Douglas as he wrestles with difficult decisions that he had to make. This book presents twelve homicide cases and another twelve riveting true-crime cases where you, the reader, are either the judge or the prosecutor.

You Be the Judge provides an interactive legal exercise where the readers engage with the daily dilemmas and considerations faced inside the courtroom and gain behind-the-scenes access to the Canadian justice system. Based on Norm Douglas’s lifetime contributions to bringing the law into Canadian classrooms, the book is a testament to his career and the complexity of arriving at true justice. Experience a collaborative journey into ethics, morality, and legality as you adjudicate, deliberate, and judge. Perfect for legal enthusiasts, classroom teachers, and aspiring judges.