Canada’s Legal System

In this section, you will learn the role courts and tribunals play in applying Canada's laws.

Two kinds of law: Criminal law and civil law

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Broadly speaking, laws in Canada fall into two categories: criminal law or civil law.

Criminal law deals with crimes, like assault or theft. The Criminal Code is the main law setting out what amounts to a crime and how it should be dealt with. This law is the same all across Canada. The purpose of criminal law is to make sure people stay safe and secure. If someone is charged and found guilty of a crime, they face legal consequences ranging from a discharge, to a fine, to time in jail.

Civil law deals with all other legal issues, like having a contract with someone or buying property. Family law is another kind of civil law. The purpose of civil law is to make sure that we are fair in our dealings with each other.

Courts apply the laws

Courts exist to provide a way to apply the laws in a fair and rational manner. Courts have a variety of functions. For example, they enforce criminal law and they resolve civil law disagreements among people.

Two very important principles are fundamental to the Canadian court system:

• the courts are separate from government
• judges are independent

The courts are separate from government

In Canada, the courts are separate from the government. This arrangement is often called "a separation of powers."

The courts decide how the laws that are made by the government apply to individuals in everyday situations. A key purpose of the courts is to protect the rights and freedoms of everyone in Canada.

When judges make a decision in court, they apply the law made by our elected representatives. They are also guided by what other judges have decided in previous similar cases.

Judges are independent

In Canada, judges are free to make decisions without interference or influence from any source, including government.

It is our constitutional right to have our legal issues decided by a fair, independent decision-maker. Judges have a responsibility to listen to both sides of a case and then to make fair decisions based on the law, the facts, and the evidence before them.

If a judge felt pressure from the government — or anyone else — to decide a case in a particular way, the result would be unfair. The rights of individual citizens would not be protected.

Courts in British Columbia

In BC there are three levels of court:

• Provincial Court
• Supreme Court
• Court of Appeal

Provincial Court of British Columbia

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The Provincial Court is the first level of court. It deals with:

• most cases about criminal law matters
• most types of family cases, including those involving child protection
• civil cases dealing with between $5,000 and $35,000 (smaller claims of up to $5,000 are brought to an online tribunal, which is like a court but less formal)
• cases that involve traffic offences

BC Supreme Court

The BC Supreme Court has jurisdiction over most legal cases. It hears:

• serious criminal cases (like murder)
• civil cases involving amounts over $35,000
• family cases of all types, including those dealing with divorce or dividing property owned by the family
• appeals of cases from the Provincial Court

Court of Appeal for British Columbia

The Court of Appeal is the highest level of court in BC. If someone does not agree with the decision they got in the BC Supreme Court, they may be able to appeal their case to the Court of Appeal. Usually, three judges from the Court of Appeal will hear the appeal.

Federal Courts

The federal court system is separate from the provincial court system. The Federal Court of Canada deals with some types of cases that involve the rights of all Canadians, like immigration, citizenship, and income taxes.

An appeal from the Federal Court goes to the Federal Court of Appeal, then to the Supreme Court of Canada.

Supreme Court of Canada

The Supreme Court of Canada in Ottawa is the highest court in Canada. It hears appeals from all other courts in Canada. Usually, someone has to ask the Supreme Court of Canada for permission to appeal — it’s not automatic. The court will decide if it will hear an appeal.

There is no appeal from a decision made by the Supreme Court of Canada.

Tribunals

Tribunals hear disputes about government rules or regulations. Tribunals are like courts but are not part of the court system. Tribunals are less formal than courts.

At the tribunal, each side has a chance to present its case and the decision-maker makes the decision. The decision-maker, also called an adjudicator, is someone with specialized knowledge. The decision-maker may be a judge or may be someone who is an expert in a specialized area of law.

Here are some examples of the issues where you can use a tribunal to resolve your dispute:

• disability benefits,
• employment insurance,
• human rights claims,
• landlord tenant matters, and
• refugee claims.

This information applies to British Columbia, Canada. Last reviewed for legal accuracy by People's Law School, 2013.

Learning about the Law Wikibook © People's Law School is, except for the images, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International Licence.

An agreement between two or more people, giving them obligations towards each other that can be enforced in court. A valid contract must be offered by one person and accepted by the other, and some form of payment or other thing of value must generally be exchanged between the parties to the contract.

Something which can be owned. See "chattels" and "real property."

In family law, the decision of one or both parties to terminate a married or unmarried relationship; the act of one person leaving the family home to live somewhere else with the intention of terminating the relationship. There is no such thing as a "legal separation." In general, one separates by simply moving out, however, it is possible to be separated but still live under the same roof. See "divorce, grounds of."

In law, (1) a judge's conclusions after hearing argument and considering the evidence presented at a trial or an application, (2) a judgment, or (3) the judge's reasons. A judge's written or oral decision will include the judge's conclusions about the relief or remedies claimed as well as their findings of fact and conclusions of law. A written decision is called the judge’s "reasons for judgment." See "common law," "conclusions of law" and "findings of fact."

(1) In law, a court proceeding; a lawsuit; an action; a cause of action; a claim. (2) A historic decision of the court; case law. See "action," "case law, " "court proceeding," and "precedent."

Facts, or proof tending to support the existence of facts, presented to a judge at a hearing or trial. Evidence can be given through the oral testimony of witnesses, in writing as business records and other documents, or in the form of physical objects. Evidence must be admissible according to the rules of court and the rules of evidence. See "circumstantial evidence," "hearsay" and "testimony."

A person appointed by the federal or provincial government to manage and decide court proceedings in an impartial manner, independent of influence by the parties, the government, or agents of the government. The decisions of a judge are binding upon the parties to the proceeding, subject to appeal.

A court established and staffed by the provincial government, which includes Small Claims Court, Youth Court, and Family Court. The Provincial Court is the lowest level of court in British Columbia and is restricted in the sorts of matters it can deal with. It is, however, the most accessible of the two trial courts and no fees are charged to begin or defend a family law proceeding. The Family Court of the Provincial Court cannot deal with the division of family property or any claims under the Divorce Act. See "Divorce Act," "judge" and "jurisdiction."

Normally referred to as the "Supreme Court of British Columbia," this court hears most of the trials in this province. The Supreme Court is a court of inherent jurisdiction and has no limits on the sorts of claims it can hear or on the sorts of orders it can make. Decisions of the Provincial Court are appealed to the Supreme Court; decisions of the Supreme Court are appealed to the Court of Appeal. See "Court of Appeal," "jurisdiction," "Provincial Court" and "Supreme Court of Canada."

The highest level of court in the province, having the jurisdiction to review decisions of the Supreme Court, all provincial lower courts, and certain tribunals. See "appeal."

A person who is younger than the legal age of majority, 19 in British Columbia. See "age of majority."

With respect to courts, (1) the authority of the court to hear an action and make orders, (2) the limits of the authority of a particular judicial official, (3) the geographic location of a court, or (4) the territorial limits of a court's authority. With respect to governments, (5) the authority of a government to make legislation as determined by the constitution, or (6) the limits of authority of a particular government agency. See “constitution."

The legal termination of a valid marriage by an order of a judge; the ending of a marital relationship and the conjugal obligations of each spouse to the other. See "conjugal rights," "marriage" and "marriage, validity of."

An application to a higher court for a review of the correctness of a decision of a lower court. A decision of a judge of the Provincial Court of British Columbia can be appealed to the Supreme Court of British Columbia. A decision of a judge of the Supreme Court can be appealed to the Court of Appeal for British Columbia. See "appellant" and "respondent."

The highest level of court in Canada. This court hears appeals from the decisions of the Federal Court of Appeal and the provincial courts of appeal, including the Court of Appeal for British Columbia. There is no court to appeal to beyond this court. See "Court of Appeal" and "Supreme Court."

A kind of legislation that provides supplemental rules for a particular act. Regulations are created and amended by the government, not by the legislature, and as a result the legislature has no say in how or what regulations are imposed by government. See "act."

In law, a legal incapacity to do certain things, like enter into a contract or start a court proceeding. Legal disabilities include insanity and being under the age of majority. See "age of majority."