Ontario Superior Court of Justice

Superior Court of Justice
Cour supérieure de justice (French)
JurisdictionOntario
Composition methodappointed by the federal government
Authorised byinherent jurisdiction at common law[1]
Appeals toCourt of Appeal for Ontario
Judge term lengthmandatory retirement by age of 75
Number of positionsover 300[2]
Websiteontariocourts.ca/scj
Chief Justice
CurrentlyGeoffrey B. Morawetz
Since2019[3]
Associate Chief Justice
CurrentlyFaye McWatt
Since2020[4]

The Superior Court of Justice (French: Cour supérieure de justice) is a superior court in Ontario. The Court sits in 52 locations across the province, including 17 Family Court locations, and consists of over 300 federally appointed judges.[1]

In 1999, the Superior Court of Justice was renamed from the Ontario Court (General Division). The Superior Court is one of two divisions of the Court of Ontario. The other division is the lower court, the Ontario Court of Justice.[1] The Superior Court has three specialized branches: Divisional Court, Small Claims Court, and Family Court.

The Superior Court has inherent jurisdiction over civil, criminal, and family law matters at common law.[1][5] Although the Court has inherent jurisdiction, the authority of the Court has been entrenched in the Canadian Constitution.[6]

  1. ^ a b c d "History of the Court". Ontario Courts. Judges Library. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
  2. ^ "About the Superior Court". Ontario Superior Court of Justice. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  3. ^ "Prime Minister announces two appointments to superior courts of Ontario and Quebec". Prime Minister of Canada. 27 June 2019. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
  4. ^ "Prime Minister announces appointment of new Associate Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario".
  5. ^ "Jurisdiction of the Courts". Ontario Courts. Judges Library. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
  6. ^ Constitution Act, 1867, 30 & 31 Vict., c. 3 (U.K.), pt. 7, ss. 96–100.