Supreme and Appeal Courts
Supreme and Appeal Courts
Supreme Court of BC
The Supreme Court of BC hears civil and criminal cases. This court hears civil cases such as:
- divorce and child custody
- personal injury claims
- disagreements about contracts
The Supreme Court also hears serious criminal cases such as:
- bank robbery
- murder
- major drug cases
These cases are usually heard by a Supreme Court judge alone or a Supreme Court judge and a jury.
Appeal Court of BC
The Court of Appeal is the highest court in BC. Judges hear appeals of both civil and criminal decisions. These cases were heard first in Provincial Court or Supreme Court.
The judges in the Court of Appeal decide if the trial decision was right. Usually, three judges hear each appeal. Only the lawyers argue before the judges, and there are no witnesses.