A Saskatchewan provincial court judge has been removed from his
court duties after being charged with two counts of assault.
Judge Donald Bird has not sat in court since Dec. 4, 2008.
That's when Chief Judge of Provincial Court Carol Snell learned
Bird was the subject of a criminal investigation, Snell said in
a news release.  She didn't say who Bird is accused of
assaulting.  Bird has also been charged with two counts of
making threats.  He's been "unassigned," meaning he's not
sitting in court or hearing cases.  The charges are in
connection with incidents that allegedly happened last May in
Meadow Lake, where Bird was presiding.  Bird was appointed to
the bench in May 2006. He is a member of the Montreal Lake Cree
Nation.  He's scheduled to appear in court in North Battleford
on Feb. 5.  In addition to the criminal proceeding, the
Saskatchewan Judicial Council is looking into the matter, Snell
said.