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The Court of Appeal is the highest court in the province. It hears appeals from the Supreme Court, from the Provincial Court on some criminal matters, and reviews and appeals from some administrative boards and tribunals.
The Court of Appeal is constituted by the Court of Appeal Act, S.B.C. 2021, c. 6. The Court of Appeal Act provides for a Chief Justice and 14 other justices, as well as for supernumerary justices. Thus, the Court of Appeal actually has more than 15 judges. The Chief Justice of British Columbia heads the Court of Appeal.
The Court of Appeal has a registrar who, in addition to other administrative duties, hears matters related to the settling of orders and bills of costs.
Quick Reference Guide
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
September 8, 2026
JUDICIAL RETIREMENT - MR. JUSTICE G. BRUCE BUTLER
The Honourable Mr. Justice G. Bruce Butler retired from the Court of Appeal for British Columbia and the Court of Appeal of Yukon on September 8, 2026, after more than 19 years on the bench and over 45 years in the legal profession. Justice Butler was a deeply respected mentor, known for taking the time to cultivate the talents of those around him. The Court will miss his thoughtful leadership, kindness, and dedication to others, and wishes him and his family much joy and fulfillment in retirement.
August 24, 2026
PRACTICE DIRECTIVE - CITATION OF AUTHORITIES
In an effort to advance access to justice, the Court of Appeal has adopted the Canadian Open Access Legal Citation Guide (“COAL”) as its preferred method for legal citation.
Parties preparing factums, written arguments, memoranda of law, or any written submissions to the Court of Appeal are requested to comply with the guidance in COAL for all forms of legal citation. The guide is open access and available for free online (2024 CanLIIDocs 830). Please see the Practice Directive for more information:
August 4, 2026
UPDATED PRACTICE DIRECTIVE - CHAMBERS APPLICATIONS
The Court of Appeal has updated its practice directive on Chambers Applications.
The Practice Directive clarifies that parties will have 30 minutes total (not 30 minutes each) for the hearing of a chambers application, unless otherwise directed by a Deputy Registrar. If parties require more than 30 minutes, they should address this at the start of the hearing.