THE ADVOCATE 745
VOL. 80 PART 5 SEPTEMBER 2022
NEW JUDGES
By R.C. Tino Bella
The Honourable Justice Jacqueline D. Hughes
One of the first words that comes to mind to describe
Justice Jacqueline Hughes is “quick”. While the
phrase “she’s faster than a speeding bullet” seems
apropos, she would modestly reject the use of that
simile. Regardless, speed seems to be one of Jacqueline’s
superpowers. She somehow manages to do
almost everything at a significant pace. She thinks,
speaks, reads, grasps information, walks and skis (and perhaps even drives
… ) quickly. As colleagues who have appeared beside her in court attest, she
often writes reminders to herself to “slow down” in big bold font. What one
lawyer can do in an hour, Jacqueline can seemingly do in half that time
without sacrificing quality.
If speed is one of the first traits evident upon encountering Jacqueline,
humility is in close succession. She humbly attributes her successes to her
loving and supportive family, her loyal friends and her good fortune to work
with smart, hardworking and dedicated colleagues throughout her career.
However, her extraordinary career is not simply a by-product of good luck;
Jacqueline has a superhero-esque drive and work ethic that served her well
in practice, and will no doubt do the same on the bench.
Jacqueline’s determination, resilience and propensity for early achievement
were evident the moment she was born. She flew into the world a
month earlier than anticipated, yet still thrived. Her parents, Patti and
Michel, remarked on their oldest child’s joie de vivre, strength and fearlessness.
It is clear she inherited some of these qualities directly from them:
Michel is a former BC Lions player who moved to British Columbia from
Quebec in pursuit of his football career while simultaneously attending
Simon Fraser University, and Patti is known to be tireless on the tennis