Email page
Print page
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 90 other justices. The legislation also provides for supernumerary judges who sit hearing cases part-time. There are also 15 Supreme Court masters 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.
Announcements
February 11, 2020
PD - 57 - COURT-TO-COURT COMMUNICATIONS IN CROSS-BORDER CASES AND PD - 58 - SEALING ORDERS IN CIVIL AND FAMILY PROCEEDINGS
Please be advised that Chief Justice Hinkson has issued two new practice directions, effective February 11, 2020.
Practice Direction 57 adopts the Judicial Insolvency Network’s Guidelines for Communication and Cooperation between Courts in Cross-border Insolvency Matters. It rescinds and replaces Practice Direction 6.
Practice Direction 58, Sealing Orders in Civil and Family Proceedings, clarifies certain aspects of the previous practice direction around sealing of a sealing order. It rescinds and replaces Practice Direction 35.
January 27, 2020
RETIREMENT - MASTER DOUGLAS BAKER
The Supreme Court of British Columbia announces that Master Baker retired from the Supreme Court of British Columbia at Vancouver on December 31, 2019. Master Baker was appointed as Master of the Supreme Court in Prince George on July 29, 1998 and was transferred to Vancouver in 2007.
January 6, 2020
JUDICIAL LAW CLERK PROGRAM RECRUITMENT - 2021 - 2022
Applications are being accepted to the Judicial Law Clerk Program for 2021-2022 until January 19, 2020 at 11:00 PM PST, with interviews to be starting at the beginning of February and concluding in early March, 2020. For more information about the Judicial Law Clerk Program including the required qualifications and application process, please click here.