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Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of British Columbia is the province's superior trial court. The Supreme Court is a court of general and inherent jurisdiction which means that it can hear any type of case, civil or criminal. It hears most appeals from the Provincial Court in civil and criminal cases and appeals from arbitrations. A party may appeal a decision of the Supreme Court to the Court of Appeal.
The Supreme Court Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 443, provides for a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, an Associate Chief Justice, and 95 other judges. The legislation also provides for supernumerary judges who sit hearing cases part-time. There are also 13 Supreme Court associate judges who hear and dispose of a wide variety of applications in chambers. The Supreme Court also has a Registrar who hears assessments relating to bills of costs, reviews lawyers' accounts, settles orders, references of various types and deals with bankruptcy discharge applications.
CURRENT CONSULTATIONS The Supreme Court periodically seeks feedback from the public and court users on various processes and initiatives.
More information can be found in the July 11th and May 30th announcements below. |
ANNOUNCEMENTS
July 11, 2025
FEEDBACK INVITED: CIVIL AND FAMILY CHAMBERS PRACTICE REVIEW
The Court has struck a Civil and Family Chambers Practice Working Group to review the current practices and procedures for both regular (short) and long chambers, and to consider potential changes with a view to providing a more timely and efficient chambers process. The Court invites interested members of the bar, litigants, organizations, and the public to comment on the issues they see arising in chambers practice and provide suggestions for improvement. The full notice is available here.
Comments can be provided by email to ChambersFeedback@bccourts.ca until September 5, 2025.
July 10, 2025
JUDICIAL TRANSFER - JUSTICE MARTHA M. DEVLIN
The Supreme Court of British Columbia announces the judicial transfer of Justice Devlin to Vancouver from New Westminster as of June 19, 2025.
July 7, 2025
COURT OPERATIONS - 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP
Chief Justice Skolrood has announced some scheduling adjustments for the Supreme Court during the 2026 FIFA World Cup at some court locations. The full notice is available here.
July 2, 2025
JUDICIAL RETIREMENT - ASSOCIATE JUDGE CAROLYN P. BOUCK
The Supreme Court of British Columbia announces that Associate Judge Carolyn P. Bouck retired from the Supreme Court of British Columbia at Victoria on June 30, 2025. Associate Judge Bouck was appointed to the Supreme Court on December 11, 2009.
June 27, 2025
NEW PRACTICE DIRECTION - FRENCH LANGUAGE AND BILINGUAL DIVORCE ACT PROCEEDINGS
Section 23.2 of the Divorce Act regarding official
languages (English and French) came into force in British Columbia on December 1, 2024, at which time the Supreme Court
Family Rules were also amended to add new Rule 20-7 (Divorce Act Proceedings) pursuant to OIC 432/2024.
Chief Justice Skolrood has issued new Family Practice Direction 20 - French Language and Bilingual Divorce Act Proceedings, which provides guidance
and timelines for matters addressed in new Supreme Court Family Rule 20-7 for the purpose of
facilitating scheduling of Divorce Act proceedings conducted in whole or in part in the French language.
Chief Justice Skolrood has also amended the Litigants' Guide to Judicial Case Conferences and the Judicial
Case Conference Case Management Form, which are both referenced in Family Practice Direction 12 - Judicial Case Conferences.
June 27, 2025
FRENCH LANGUAGE MATERIALS - CRIMINAL AND DIVORCE ACT PROCEEDINGS
A new tab titled Instances en français (French Proceedings) has been created as a repository for French
language materials. The French Proceedings tab contains two subtabs, one for criminal law proceedings and one for Divorce Act proceedings, with relevant French language materials.
The French Proceedings page contains the French language documents previously available on the
English language Criminal Practice Directions page. The Divorce Act proceedings page contains
the Court's working copies of unofficial French language translations of official English language
legislation and court issued documents, including the Family Law Act (except Part 6), the Supreme
Court Family Rules, and many of the Court's practice directions and administrative notices. These
translations are subject to change by the Court, and users are advised to ensure they are referring
to the most recent versions, as published on this webpage.
June 23, 2025
CPD-4 - PROCEDURE FOR DETENTION REVIEWS UNDER s. 525 OF THE CRIMINAL CODE
Associate Chief Justice Holmes has issued a revised version of CPD-4. The main change is to extend the timeframe during which counsel may use the Adjournment Form to adjourn a scheduling hearing. CPD-4 and the related forms can be found by clicking here.
June 6, 2025
PRACTICE DIRECTION 24 - WITNESS OATHS AND AFFIRMATIONS
Chief Justice Skolrood has updated Practice Direction 24 - Witness Oaths and Affirmations, which describes some administrative aspects of oaths and affirmations in court proceedings including the use of religious or cultural items other than the Bible.
June 5, 2025
PORT COQUITLAM LAW COURTS - SUPREME COURT REGISTRY OPENING
- On Monday, June 9, 2025, a new Supreme Court registry will open at the Port Coquitlam Law Courts and full registry services will be available. The address for the Port Coquitlam Law Courts is:
2620 Mary Hill Road
Port Coquitlam BC V3C 3B2 - Parties who file a notice of civil claim or a notice of family claim may indicate Port Coquitlam as the place of trial.
- Any Supreme Court proceeding except a criminal trial or a civil jury trial can be scheduled in Port Coquitlam, including summary conviction appeals, bail hearings/reviews, detention review hearings, judicial case conferences, trial management conferences, case planning conferences, civil or family trials and civil or family summary trials.
- All hearings in Port Coquitlam will be scheduled according to the assize system.
- A regular chambers day for Judges and Associate Judges will be determined at a later date.
- Parties who have a civil or family trial scheduled in Abbotsford, Chilliwack, New Westminster or Vancouver are invited to consider applying to move their trial to Port Coquitlam. Please contact Supreme Court Scheduling for more information at sc.scheduling_pc@bccourts.ca or 604.927.2255.
- Parties who wish to move their civil or family trial to Port Coquitlam must follow the processes in the Supreme Court Civil Rules or the Supreme Court Family Rules for applying to change the place of trial. Where the parties consent to changing the place of trial, parties may apply by way of desk order. The Court cannot guarantee that parties who choose to move their trial to Port Coquitlam will be able to secure the same trial dates.
- Renovations to some of the Supreme Court courtrooms in Port Coquitlam is required in order to accommodate criminal trials and jury trials. It is anticipated these renovations will be completed in the fall of 2026. Further directions for the scheduling of criminal trials and jury proceedings will be provided once the renovations are completed.
May 30, 2025
FEEDBACK INVITED: SUPREME COURT'S ROLE IN ADVANCING RECONCILIATION
As announced in the BC Supreme Court’s 2024 Annual Report, the Court has struck a Reconciliation Working Group (RWG). The RWG is informed by the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and the Calls to Action, and has been established to examine the Court’s role in advancing reconciliation. The Court invites those who are interested - including Indigenous Peoples or organizations, members of the bar or the public, or those with matters before the Court - to suggest ways that this might be done.
Comments can be provided by email to ReconciliationFeedback@bccourts.ca until September 30, 2025.