There are three governmental sections in charge of Canada’s judicial system: the federal, provincial, and territorial governments. Having knowledge of how British Columbia’s court systems work can make understanding the legal processes easier when dealing with an accident or injury.
What are the Court Levels in B.C.?
British Columbia’s court system consists of the Provincial Court, the Supreme Court, and the Court of Appeal. Each deals with unique claims and cases, but case overlap does happen from time to time.
The Provincial Court
The Provincial Court takes on cases like:
- Criminal charges
- Family scenarios
- Traffic cases
- Financial situations
The Supreme Court
The Supreme Court deals with:
- Public and private law
- Divorce and custody cases
- Serious criminal charges
- Provincial Court appeals
Court of Appeal
The Court of Appeal–or Appellate Court–takes on:
- Supreme court reviews
- Inspection of lower court decisions
- Civil and criminal cases
- Foreclosure and bankruptcy cases
New Court of Appeal Rules
The changes the Court of Appeal will undergo are based on public recommendations. So many changes have occurred over the last few years and the courts must adjust and move forward with modern day developments. Some changes the Court of Appeal, or Appellate Court, plan to make will occur inJuly of 2022. These slight changes will clarify language and spell out current procedures in ways the public can better understand.
One of the rules being clarified involves the application process for leave to appeal. Other changes the Court of Appeal is making have to do with administrative duties. Some of these are requirement updates for filings as well as clarifying case management processes.
Financial adjustments will also be happening amidst these changes. The tariff of costs will be adjusted and the two scales of ordinary costs will be simplified.