Thibaudeau Rinfret


Thibaudeau Rinfret, was a Canadian jurist and the ninth Chief Justice of Canada and Administrator of Canada in 1952.

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 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.