Canadian legal court system

Canada is a federal country that implements "separation of powers" and implements dual political systems, namely the federal government and provincial governments. Accordingly, Canadian courts are divided into two major systems: federal courts and provincial courts.

1. Federal Court System

The federal court system implements a three-level system, namely the Federal Supreme Court, the Federal Court of Appeals and the Federal Trial Court. There are also specialized courts such as the Tax Court.

The Federal Supreme Court is the highest judicial body in Canada and hears appeals from decisions of provincial and territorial courts of appeal, as well as appeals from decisions of the federal Court of Appeal. Its decision is final. There are currently 9 supreme judges in the Federal Court. The judges who are qualified to become the Supreme Court of Canada are judges of provincial courts or people who have held a lawyer's license for more than 10 years.

Federal courts also review decisions made by federally appointed administrative officials, such as the Board of Immigration Appeals and the National Parole Board.

2. Provincial and district court system

Most provincial or district courts are divided into three levels, namely: Provincial Higher Court of Appeal, Provincial Higher Trial Court and Provincial Court.

The Provincial Higher Court of Appeal accepts appeals from civil cases and criminal cases heard by the Higher Trial Court.

Provincial courts hear civil cases with smaller disputes and criminal cases with lighter penalties. If you are not satisfied with the decision made by the provincial court, you can appeal to the provincial high court of appeal.

Extended information:

Canadian legal tradition

Canadian law mainly comes from different legal traditions: common law and civil law. In other words, Canada belongs to a mixed legal system (Mixed legal system) in the classification of legal systems. Canada's legal system exhibits the English and French legal traditions brought by the colonists in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. This feature is highlighted by the importance of the English common law tradition and the Civil Code of Quebec.

England's common law system has developed over the past few centuries and forms the basis of the laws of ten Canadian provinces and three territories today. The rules of this system are based on precedents, judicial decisions and customary practices that have evolved over the years and changed with the situation.

Baidu Encyclopedia-Canadian Law