Preceded by Lyman Poore Duff Role Jurist Preceded by Arthur Malouin Died July 25, 1962 | Nationality Canadian Succeeded by Patrick Kerwin Name Thibaudeau Rinfret | |
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Nominated by William Lyon Mackenzie King Nominated by William Lyon Mackenzie King Born June 22, 1879
Montreal, Quebec ( 1879-06-22 ) Relations Fernand Rinfret, brother
Charles Rinfret, brother Education McGill University, Laval University, Universite de Montreal | ||
Thibaudeau Rinfret, PC (June 22, 1879 – July 25, 1962) was a Canadian jurist and the ninth Chief Justice of Canada and Administrator of Canada in 1952.
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Early life
Rinfret was born in Montreal in 1879, the son of François-Olivier Rinfret and Albina Pominville. He was the brother of Fernand Rinfret, Liberal politician who became Mayor of Montreal, and brother of Charles Rinfret, a prominent Montreal businessman.
Professional career
Rinfret studied law at the Université Laval à Montréal, Faculté de droit and McGill University and was called to the Bar of Quebec in 1901. He was appointed to the Quebec Superior Court in 1922 and to the Supreme Court of Canada in 1924.
Rinfret became Chief Justice on January 8, 1944, and served until his retirement on June 22, 1954. During his term as Chief Justice, Canada ended appeals to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council making the Supreme Court of Canada the final court of appeal in Canadian jurisprudence.
Rinfret was acting Governor General (or Administrator of the Government) in 1952 after the departure of Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis and until Vincent Massey could officially take his vice-regal post; during this time he proclaimed Elizabeth II as Queen of Canada, following the death of King George VI.
Personal life
His son was the Quebec politician and judge Édouard Rinfret.