Retired provincial court judge the Honourable George E. Carter received an honourary degree from Queen’s on Monday.

Judge Carter is the first Canada-born black judge and graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1948. He was appointed a judge in 1979 after 31 years of practicing real estate, criminal and family law, and was appointed to the Order of Ontario earlier this year. Judge Carter, who is 93, still practices law from a home office.

Judge Carter was instrumental in developing Legal Aid Ontario, which allows low-income people to access legal services.

He was originally supposed to receive his honourary degree at Spring 2014 convocation, but was unable to attend the ceremony.