Vernon dentist Dr. Andrew Hokhold

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Hockhold Inc.

A Vernon dentist, barred by the courts from suing anyone without permission, has been fined $5,000 because of his behaviour in court.

According to Feb. 13 BC Supreme Court decision, Dr. Andrew Hokhold tried to get Justice Alison Beames recused in his latest move in a 15-year-long custody battle.

In the decision, Dr. Hokhold said that Justice Beames is "unfit" to do her job and wants to have her disciplined and removed from the case.

"He alleges that the reason I am biased against him is not because I am being paid bribes or personally know the respondent, but rather because I am attempting to protect my fellow judges," Justice Beames said in the decision. "A theme that has run through this case since at least 2014, and has been the foundation for many of the claimant’s other actions and his complaints to the Canadian Judicial Council."

In an effort to try have the judge removed Hokhold sent a 680-page submission to the Attorney General and RCMP along with various other judges and the Canadian Judicial Councel.

Unsurprisingly, it didn't work.

The decision said Dr. Hokhold filed eight applications to the court within 24 hours and then told the Justice doing so was a "test" which she had "failed."

The dentist has a very lengthy history in the court and has been declared a vexatious litigant. The label means he needs permission before taking anyone to court.

The custody battle over his children – who are now in the prairies and left a decade ago – began 15 years ago and is said to be the longest-running custody battle in the history of the province.

Over the years he's called for the "immediate arrest" of his ex-wife, and once so unnerved a judge with his behaviour that it was reported to the RCMP. He's also spent 10 days in jail for contempt of court and in 2015 owed $500,000 in unpaid child support.

His latest attempt to recuse the judge is a tactic he's tried before.

"(Hokhold) has applied, or threatened to apply, for the recusal of each of my predecessors," Justice Beames said in the decision.

His latest issue appears to date back to 2022 when he wanted parenting time and a judge ordered a "Views of the Children" report be prepared by a psychologist at his expense.

He still hasn't had it done, and said he can't afford it.

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Instead, he said his sister would pay for a more expensive and different report and a judge gave him the OK.

However, he then appealed the decision.

Justice Beames noted it makes no sense to say you can't afford one report but then say you'll borrow money for a more expensive report.

"The only available inference is that he is being deliberately non-compliant," the decision read.

The decision noted a seemingly endless amount of paperwork as multiple applications and appeals are filed regularly in court.

According to the justice, some of his affidavits contained "inadmissible hearsay." And one that was supposed to focus on why she should be recused didn't even mention her.

Once in court, Dr. Hokhold didn't appear to do much better.

The decision said the dentist presented a chart which showed how many unsuccessful applications he'd made to the court.

Then after the lunch break on day one, he told Justice Beames he'd lost his "complete and utter confidence" in her, packed up his stuff and left.

In the decision, Justice Beames highlights some of what Hokhold has asked her for and requests she "reopen" all of her previous court rulings.

"He asserts that I do not know the law," Justice Beames said.

The dentist also accused the Justice of having a "zero-tolerance policy."

The decision showed that since 2010, there have been almost 80 court rulings concerning Hokhold, who has filed more than 250 affidavits.

Ultimately, Justice Beames ordered Hokhold to pay $4,250 in court fees and then, in an unusual move, issued a fine.

"(Hokhold’s) conduct in repeatedly threatening to seek or seeking recusal of each case management judge who has been assigned to this case, his filing of improper affidavits despite admonitions in the past and a reminder from me prior to his material being filed; his decision to take his leave from the courtroom mid-submissions while still leaving the respondent the task of responding to his application; and what I have concluded is a continuation of his past obstructionist behaviour as commented upon by other judges in this and other cases, amount to a misuse or frustration of the court process," the Justice said.

With that, she issued a $5,000 fine payable to his ex-wife.

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