Provincial/Territorial Superior Courts

As the highest level of court in a province or territory, the superior courts have wide criminal and civil jurisdiction as accorded by legislation including the power to review actions of the lower courts, as well as matters involving common law. Superior courts are divided into two levels: a trial level and an appeal level. The structure and names of the superior courts vary from province to province, territory to territory. There may be a single court, generally called a Supreme Court, with a trial division and an appeal division; or the superior court may be divided into two separate courts, with the trial courts named the Supreme Court or the Court of Queen's Bench, and the appeal courts called the Court of Appeal. The trial level hears the more serious civil and criminal cases and has the authority to grant divorces. The appeal level hears civil and criminal appeals from the lower level courts. Superior court judges are appointed and paid by the federal government.