Remembering Ritu Khullar: Alberta’s Chief Justice Leaves a Lasting Mark on Canada’s Courts

 Ritu Khullar, Alberta’s Chief Justice and Chief Justice of the Courts of Appeal of Alberta, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, died on September 3, 2026, at age 62, surrounded by family. Her passing has prompted mourning across Alberta’s legal community and among colleagues who worked with her during a distinguished career spanning private practice and the judiciary. She was remembered for public service, thoughtful leadership and a deep commitment to the administration of justice.

Khullar spent more than two decades in private legal practice before beginning her judicial career. Her work included public law matters involving labour and employment, privacy, administrative law, human rights and constitutional issues. That experience shaped the foundation for a judicial career that would place her in increasingly senior positions within Alberta’s courts. The Alberta Courts have described her professional work as marked by dedication, compassion and careful attention to the people affected by legal decisions.

In March 2017, Khullar was appointed to the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta. A year later, she joined the Courts of Appeal of Alberta, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. Those appointments brought her into appellate work, where courts examine decisions from lower courts and consider questions of law and legal process. Her progression through the judiciary reflected years of legal experience and placed her among the senior members of Alberta’s judicial system and legal community.

On November 28, 2022, Khullar became Chief Justice of Alberta and Chief Justice of the Courts of Appeal of Alberta, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. The positions placed her at the center of appellate court leadership in Alberta and the North. During her tenure, she emphasized public trust and confidence in the justice system and encouraged judges, court staff and members of the legal profession to uphold those responsibilities. Her leadership continued until her death in September.

Khullar’s influence extended beyond formal judicial duties. The Alberta Courts have emphasized that she remained attentive to the effect decisions could have on the lives of the people appearing before the courts. That perspective reflected the human consequences that can accompany legal proceedings, where rulings may affect families, workplaces, rights and other significant parts of people's lives. Colleagues have remembered her as a dedicated leader, colleague and friend whose approach to public service was grounded in principle and diligence.

Her death has left family, friends, judges, court staff, lawyers and others across the legal profession grieving. The circumstances of her death have not been publicly detailed beyond the confirmation that she was surrounded by family when she died. No additional medical information should be assumed. The public tributes instead have focused on her professional contributions, her commitment to justice and the relationships she developed throughout a career that connected private legal practice with judicial service.

Khullar’s legacy will now be carried through the courts she served, the legal professionals she influenced and the public institutions to which she devoted much of her working life. Her appointment as Chief Justice in 2022 marked the culmination of a judicial career that began only years earlier, following decades in practice. For Alberta’s legal community, her passing represents the end of a significant period of leadership. For her family and those closest to her, it is the loss of a loved one whose professional life was closely tied to public service.