Judicial System of Canada

Supreme court: Supreme Court of Canada

Ministry: Department of Justice

Justice is administered both at a federal and provincial level, in a four-tiered structure. The Supreme Court presides over the judicial system and is the final court of appeal in civil and criminal cases, for both federal and provincial appeal courts, and also deals with constitutional issues. In the next tier are the appeals courts.

The third tier comprises the Federal Court, the Tax Court of Canada, and the provincial and territorial superior courts of general jurisdiction. The fourth tier is of provincial courts, including the Traffic Division, the Small Claims Division, the Family Division and the Criminal Division. Judges in the federal courts and the superior provincial courts are appointed by the federal government.