Courts of Canada
A national top court above provincial and federal courts. The provinces run most courts, and the federal government runs some specialised ones.
Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
Supreme Court of CanadaFinal court for all of Canada
Provincial and territorial courts
Court of AppealOne in each province
Superior CourtSerious and large cases; includes the main trial courts
Provincial courtMost criminal and small-claims cases
Federal courts
Federal Court of Appeal
Federal CourtFederal government, immigration, intellectual property
Tax Court of Canada
Worth knowing
- The provinces appoint the judges of the provincial courts. The federal government appoints the judges of the superior courts and the federal courts.
- Quebec's private law is civil law, but its court structure follows the same pattern.
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Read the Canada profile in the Legal Families Atlas →
Sources
Other systems
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TheLawToKnow Tools’s court-structure diagrams are simplified on purpose and are not legal advice. Report a mistake.
