His petition started a revolution.
In 1918, William Board (also known as Wasyl Worobetz) petitioned the Supreme Court of Alberta for a divorce, with his lawyer asserting that local courts had jurisdiction. The lawyer for his wife Mary (also known as Mary Board) disagreed. Board v. Board went to Britain’s Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, which ruled in William’s favour. Their case set a precedent for divorce law in both Alberta and Saskatchewan, democratizing the process for all.