Lori Douglas, celeb Jennifer Lawrence both nude photo victims: lawyer

The lawyer for a senior Manitoba judge fighting for her job said Monday what happened to Lori Douglas when nude photos of her were published on the internet is similar to what happened to Hollywood movie star Jennifer Lawrence. 

• Jennifer Lawrence photo hack: Celebrities bash mass privacy violation

Sheila Block was speaking to a preliminary hearing, as she argued that the inquiry into Douglas's conduct should not go forward. 

"Intimate consensual conduct is not wrong and capturing it on film is not wrong," Block told the panel. "The wrongdoing is all about distribution."

Block went on to argue that the federal government's pending bill, C-13, would make it a crime to publish or distribute an intimate image of a person without the subject's consent. 

She said that added to the reasons the inquiry should not take place. 

Douglas, an associate chief justice, did not appear at the preliminary hearing.  

• Lori Douglas set to argue inquiry panel should toss misconduct probe

Block also told the hearing that, "Every girl and woman in Canada is a target for gender abuse," adding Douglas is a victim.

Block urged the panel not to re-victimize Douglas by allowing the inquiry to go forward.

"Stand up for this particular victim and all victims of this particular privacy violation," she said. "Turn the page and right this ship."

Block also defended Douglas's response on her application to become a judge in 2004. When asked if she had engaged in any dishonourable conduct, Douglas said 'no.' 

An inquiry panel struck by the Canadian Judicial Council, the body that considers complaints against the conduct of federally appointed judges, is slated to hear three allegations against Douglas next month:

The panel will examine whether the photos undermine the justice system and whether Douglas failed to disclose their existence before she was appointed a judge in 2005

An initial inquiry collapsed in 2013. 

• Lori Douglas no longer faces allegations of sexual harassment

Jack King, Douglas's husband, posted intimate photos of his wife online and showed them to a client to entice him to have sex with her. King passed away in April.

The hearing also heard Monday that the story linking Lori Douglas and her husband Jack King to King's client, Alex Chapman, was whispered among judges, and that the 'notorious' story was well known in Winnipeg's legal circles. 

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The independent lawyer for the CJC. Suzanne Cote, said the inquiry into Douglas's conduct should go ahead.

Cote argued the case should be heard and decided on its merits.