Small Claims Appeals (20:XVI): Difference between revisions

Any party to a proceeding may appeal  to the Supreme Court an order to allow or dismiss a claim if the judge made the order after a trial281. An appeal must be started within 40 days, beginning on the day after the order of the  Provincial  Court is  made282.  A  review  of  the  order under  appeal  may  be  on questions  of  fact  or  law283. A mistake of fact could involve a misunderstanding by the Judge of evidence given by a witness. For example, if a witness reported that a particular event happened and in the decision the Judge bases his/her decision on the fact  that  event  didn’t  happen,  there  could  be a  basis  for  an  appeal.  A  mistake of law  occurs  where  the  Judge makes an error in deciding which law should apply. Not every error made by a Small Claims Court judge will be the  basis  for  a  successful  appeal.  The  test  which  the  Supreme  Court  Judge  must  apply  is  called  the “clearly wrong  test”.  If  the  Small  Claims  Court  judge’s  decision  about  the  facts  or  the  law  is  not  clearly  wrong,  the appeal  will  fail.  An  appeal  is  usually  not  a  new  trial;  it  will  be  based  on  the  transcripts  of  the  trial  in  SmallClaims Court. The Supreme Court may, however, exercise its discretion to hear the appeal as a new trial284. No new evidence may be adduced at the appeal without leave of the court285.