The Court of Appeal of Alberta (frequently referred to as Alberta Court of Appeal or ABCA) is a Canadian appellate court that serves as the highest appellate court in the jurisdiction of Alberta, subordinate to the Supreme Court of Canada.
| Court of Appeal of Alberta | |
|---|---|
| Established | 1921 |
| Jurisdiction | Alberta, Canada |
| Location | Law Courts, Edmonton; Calgary Courts Centre, Calgary |
| Authorized by |
|
| Number of positions | 14 (in addition to chief justice of Alberta, supernumerary judges, and the judges of the Court of King's Bench of Alberta, who are ex officio members of the Court of Appeal) |
| Website | albertacourts |
| Chief justice | |
| Currently | Ritu Khullar |
Jurisdiction and hierarchy within Canadian courts
editThe court is the highest in Alberta, Canada. It hears appeals from the Alberta Court of King's Bench, the Provincial Court of Alberta, and administrative boards and tribunals, as well as references from the Lieutenant Governor in Council (essentially the Alberta Cabinet). Some administrative appeals may bypass the Court of King's Bench, commonly orders made by professional discipline boards under the Medical Profession Act,[1] the Legal Profession Act,[2] but also under the Energy Resources Conservation Act.[3]
Appeals from the Court of Appeal lie with the Supreme Court of Canada, Canada's court of last resort. Other than certain criminal matters, appeals to the Supreme Court of Canada are heard only by leave of that court. Since the Supreme Court denies leave in most cases, the Court of Appeal is the final court for most matters originating in Alberta.
Unlike the Court of King's Bench, the Court of Appeal has no inherent jurisdiction and therefore requires a statute to grant it the power to hear a matter before a panel is convened. As a court of a province, it is administered by the provincial government. Hearings are held exclusively in Edmonton's Law Courts and the Calgary Courts Centre. Unlike other provinces (except Newfoundland and Labrador and Ontario), the Alberta Court of Appeal displays a different coat of arms than its lower courts: the coat of arms of Canada.
History
editThe court originated from the old Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories which was replaced by the Supreme Court of Alberta in 1907 (shortly after Alberta became a province in 1905). The new Supreme Court of Alberta comprised a trial division and an appellate division (essentially, brother justices of the Supreme Court sitting en banc with a quorum of three).
The second chief justice of Alberta, Horace Harvey, supported an independent appellate court designed only to hear appeals. The Judicature Act enacted these changes in 1919, and it was proclaimed in 1921.[4] It was not until 1979 that the court changed its name to the "Court of Appeal of Alberta" through the Court of Appeal Act,[5] at the same time that the Supreme Court Trial Division and the District Court were amalgamated and renamed the "Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta".
Composition
editThere are 14 official positions on the bench[6] including the chief justice of Alberta, who is the highest judicial officer in the province. At any given time there may be several additional judges who also sit as supernumerary justices.[6] As a Section 96 court, the justices are appointed by the federal government and may hold office until the age of 75. Some of the justices have elected supernumerary (part-time or semi-retired) status. Occasionally, justices of the Court of King's Bench of Alberta sit on appeals. This is done at the request of a justice of the Court of Appeal. When this happens, these justices are sitting ex officio, but they have the same powers and duties as other justices of the Court of Appeal.
Most cases are heard by a panel of three justices, although the chief justice may convene a larger panel in exceptional circumstances. A single justice presides over matters heard in chambers, usually interlocutory matters or applications for leave to appeal.
Association with the Northwest Territories
editJustices of the Court of Appeal for the Northwest Territories are selected from the justices of the Court of Appeal of Alberta, Court of Appeal for Saskatchewan, and the judges and ex officio judges of the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories. The current acting chief justice of Alberta, Frans Slater, is also the chief justice of the Northwest Territories. Hearings are held in Yellowknife, but may be heard anywhere in the territories or in Alberta.[7]
Current judges
edit| Name | Sitting in | Appointed | Nominated by | Position prior to appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Justice Ritu Khullar | Edmonton | 2018 2022 (CJ) |
J. Trudeau | Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta |
| Justice Frans F. Slatter[8][9][10] | Edmonton | 2006 | Harper | Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta
McCuaig Desrochers LLP |
| Justice Dawn Pentelechuk | Edmonton | 2018 | J. Trudeau | Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta |
| Justice Jolaine Antonio | Calgary | 2018 | J. Trudeau | Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta |
| Justice Kevin Feehan | Edmonton | 2019 | J. Trudeau | Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta |
| Justice Bernette Ho | Calgary | 2021 | J. Trudeau | Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta |
| Justice Anne Kirker | Calgary | 2021 | J. Trudeau | Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta |
| Justice William deWit | Calgary | 2023 | J. Trudeau | Court of King's Bench of Alberta |
| Justice Jane Fagnan | Edmonton | 2023 | J. Trudeau | Court of King's Bench of Alberta |
| Justice April Grosse | Calgary | 2023 | J. Trudeau | Court of King's Bench of Alberta |
| Justice Alice Woolley | Calgary | 2023 | J. Trudeau | Court of King's Bench of Alberta |
| Justice Kevin Feth | Edmonton | 2023 | J. Trudeau | Court of King's Bench of Alberta |
| Justice Tamara Friesen | Edmonton | 2024 | J. Trudeau | Court of King's Bench of Alberta |
| Justice Joshua Hawkes | Calgary | 2024 | J. Trudeau | Alberta Court of Justice |
| Justice Karan Shaner | Edmonton | 2024 | J. Trudeau | Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories |
| Name | Stationed in | Appointed | Nominated by | Position prior to appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justice Peter W.L. Martin[11][12] (Supernumerary) |
Calgary | 2005 | Martin | Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta |
| Justice Jack Watson[13][14] (Supernumerary) |
Edmonton | 2006 | Harper | Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta |
| Justice Patricia A. Rowbotham[15][16][17][18] (Supernumerary) |
Calgary | 2007 | Harper | Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta |
| Justice Thomas W. Wakeling (Supernumerary) | Edmonton | 2014 | Harper | Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta Fraser Milner Casgrain (1983 to 2013) |
| Justice Michelle Crighton (Supernumerary) | Edmonton | 2016 | J. Trudeau | Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta |
| Justice Jo'Anne Strekaf (Supernumerary) | Calgary | 2016 | J. Trudeau | Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta |
| Justice Elizabeth A. Hughes (Supernumerary) | Calgary | 2018 | J. Trudeau | Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta |
Former chief justices of Alberta
edit- Arthur Lewis Sifton (1907–1910)
- Horace Harvey (1910–1921, 1924–1949)
- David Lynch Scott (1921–1924)
- George Bligh O'Connor (1950–1957)[19]
- Clinton J. Ford (1957–1961)[20]
- Sidney Bruce Smith (1961–1974)[21]
- William A. McGillivray (1974–1984)
- James Herbert Laycraft (1984–1991)[22][23][24]
- Catherine Fraser (1992–2022)
Previous judges
edit- Ronald Leon Berger (1996-2018)
- Sheilah L. Martin (2016–2017), elevated to the Supreme Court of Canada
- William Alexander Stevenson (1980–1990) elevated to the Supreme Court of Canada
- John Wesley McClung (1980–2004)
- Russell Brown (2014–2015) elevated to the Supreme Court of Canada
- Clifton D O'Brien (2005–2014)[25]
- David C McDonald (1995 - 1996)[26][27]
- Jean E.L. Côté (1987–2015)
- John "Jack" Major (1991–1992), elevated to the Supreme Court of Canada
- Anne Russell (1994–2006)
- (Asa) Milton "Milt" Harradence (1979–1997)
- Charles Allan Stuart (1907–1921 en banc appeals)(1921–1926)
- Allen Borislaw Zenoviy Sulatycky (1997–2000)
- William Robinson Howson (1942–1944)
- Charles Richmond Mitchell (1926–1936)
- Alexander Andrew MacGillivray (1931–1940)
- William Legh Walsh (1931–1931)
- Albert Freeman Ewing (1941–1946)
- James Duncan Hyndman ((1914–1921 en banc appeals)((1921–1928)
- Nicholas Dubois Dominic Beck (1907–1921 en banc appeals) (1921–1928)
- Alfred Henry Clarke (1921–1942)
- William Joseph Haddad (1974–1980)
- Neil C. Wittmann (1999–2004)[17][28][29][30][31]
- Frank C. Ford (1936–1954)[32][33]
- Harold Hayward Parlee (1945–1954)[34][35]
- James Mitchell Cairns (1965–1977)[36]
- Carole M. Conrad (1992–2014)[37]
- John David Bracco (1987–19??)[38]
- Roger Philip Kerans (1980–1997)[39]
- Mary Margaret McCormick Hetherington (1985–2001)[40][41]
- Willis O'Leary (1994–2006)[42]
- Samuel Sereth Lieberman (1976–1997)[43][44]
- Neil Douglas McDermid (1963–1986)[45][46]
- James Boyd McBride (1957–1959)[47]
- Hugh John MacDonald (1957–1960)[48][49]
- René Paul Foisy (1987–1999)
- William George Morrow (1976–1979)[50][51]
- Adelle Fruman (1998–2007)[52][53]
- Horace Gilchrist Johnson (1954–1973)[54]
- William Alexander MacDonald (1944–1957)
- Gordon Hollis Allen (1966–1978)
- Joseph John Walter Stratton (1987–1995)
- Arnold Fraser Moir (1973–1979)
- Carlton Ward Clement (1970–1982)
- Marshall Menzies Porter (1954–1969)
- Howard Lawrence Irving (1985–1999)
- Henry William Lunney (1928–1944)
- William Robert Sinclair (1973–1979)
- David Clifton Prowse (1972–1979)
- Roger Hector Belzil (1981–1996)
- E.W.S Kane (1961–1974)
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Medical Profession Act, RSA 2000, c. M-11, Part 4
- ^ Legal Profession Act, RSA 2000, c. L-8
- ^ Energy Resources Conservation Act, RSA 2000, c. E-10
- ^ "History of the Court of Appeal". Albertacourts.ca. Alberta Court of Appeal. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
- ^ Court of Appeal Act, RSA 2000, c. C-30
- ^ a b Canada, Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs (March 31, 2007). "Federal Judicial Appointments - Number of Federally Appointed Judges in Canada". www.fja.gc.ca.
- ^ "Northwest Territories Courts". www.nwtcourts.ca. Archived from the original on June 27, 2007. Retrieved September 23, 2009.
- ^ "NUTV Talent Development Series - Weekend After Effects Workshop Aug. 20-21 - Events - University of Calgary". www.ucalgary.ca. Archived from the original on May 23, 2009. Retrieved August 26, 2017.
- ^ "Alberta Judicial Appointments Announced". www.justice.gc.ca. Department of Justice. October 27, 2006. Archived from the original on June 14, 2011. Retrieved September 27, 2009.
- ^ https://archive.today/20071205195257/http://canada.justice.gc.ca/en/news/ja/2001/doc_26020.html. Archived from the original on December 5, 2007.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ "We couldn't find that Web page (Error 404) - Department of Justice / Nous ne pouvons trouver cette page Web (Erreur 404) - Ministère de la Justice". www.justice.gc.ca. Archived from the original on June 14, 2011. Retrieved September 28, 2009.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 27, 2011. Retrieved September 28, 2009.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "We couldn't find that Web page (Error 404) - Department of Justice / Nous ne pouvons trouver cette page Web (Erreur 404) - Ministère de la Justice". www.justice.gc.ca. Archived from the original on June 14, 2011. Retrieved September 27, 2009.
- ^ https://archive.today/20071205205232/http://canada.justice.gc.ca/en/news/ja/2000/doc_25464.html. Archived from the original on December 5, 2007.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ "We couldn't find that Web page (Error 404) - Department of Justice / Nous ne pouvons trouver cette page Web (Erreur 404) - Ministère de la Justice". www.justice.gc.ca. Archived from the original on June 14, 2011. Retrieved September 27, 2009.
- ^ "Top 40: Part 1 | Stories". Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved August 26, 2017.
- ^ a b "Prime Minister of Canada: PM announces Alberta Judicial Appointments". Archived from the original on January 13, 2010. Retrieved November 4, 2009.
- ^ "Justices of the Court of Appeal". Archived from the original on October 28, 2016. Retrieved October 28, 2016.
- ^ Blue, John (August 5, 2018). "Alberta, past and present : historical and biographical". Chicago, Ill. : Pioneer Historical – via Internet Archive.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 17, 2009. Retrieved September 24, 2009.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "S. Bruce Smith- S. Bruce Smith School". sbs.epsb.ca.
- ^ "LASA Judicial Busts". Archived from the original on June 19, 2009. Retrieved September 24, 2009.
- ^ Services, Government of Canada, Office of the Secretary to the Governor General, Information and Media. "Order of Canada". archive.gg.ca.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on January 1, 2011. Retrieved October 14, 2009.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Alberta Judicial Appointments Announced". Archived from the original on October 17, 2009. Retrieved September 28, 2009.
- ^ "Alberta Judicial Appointment Announced". Archived from the original on November 11, 2003. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
- ^ "David Cargill McDonald | The Canadian Encyclopedia". www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
- ^ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-insurance-cap-on-soft-tissue-injuries-struck-down-1.712242.
{{cite news}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 27, 2011. Retrieved November 4, 2009.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "(no title)". Edmonton Sun.
{{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help) - ^ "Alberta Law Reform Institute". Archived from the original on April 24, 2013. Retrieved November 4, 2009.
- ^ "University of Alberta: Frank Ford (1942–1946)". www.ualbertacentennial.ca.
- ^ "Albertasource.ca Alberta's Online Encyclopedia". www.albertasource.ca.
- ^ "University of Alberta: Board of Governors". www.ualbertacentennial.ca.
- ^ "Law Society of Alberta - 2006 Annual Report". Archived from the original on April 2, 2008.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 11, 2011. Retrieved October 9, 2009.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Lumley, Elizabeth (April 2005). Canadian Who's Who 2005. University of Toronto Press. ISBN 9780802089076.
- ^ "John D. Bracco History". Archived from the original on July 6, 2011. Retrieved September 27, 2009.
- ^ "ADR Chambers International - Panel Member". Archived from the original on September 5, 2008. Retrieved September 28, 2009.
- ^ "ADR Chambers International - Panel Member". Archived from the original on September 5, 2008. Retrieved September 28, 2009.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 6, 2011. Retrieved November 4, 2009.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "ADR Chambers International - Panel Member". Archived from the original on September 5, 2008. Retrieved September 28, 2009.
- ^ "ADR Chambers International - Panel Member". Archived from the original on December 4, 2008. Retrieved September 28, 2009.
- ^ "LG - 404 Error". www.lieutenantgovernor.ab.ca.
- ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20070927221722/http://www.calgary.ca/DocGallery/BU/cityclerks/caldermen.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 27, 2007.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 25, 2011. Retrieved October 9, 2009.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Albertasource.ca Alberta's Online Encyclopedia". www.albertasource.ca.
- ^ McDonell, James K.; Campbell, Robert Bennett (1997). Lords of the North. GeneralStore PublishingHouse. ISBN 9781896182711.
- ^ Johns, Walter Hugh (1981). A History of the University of Alberta, 1908–1969. University of Alberta. p. 363. ISBN 9780888640253.
Hugh John MacDonald Justice Alberta.
- ^ "Archives and Special Collections - University of Calgary -". specialcollections.ucalgary.ca.
- ^ History, Osgoode Society for Canadian Legal; Alberta, Legal Archives Society of; results, search (December 1, 1995). Northern Justice: The Memoirs of Mr Justice William G. Morrow. Univ of Toronto Pr. ISBN 0802007880.
- ^ "Fourth International Conference on Law via the Internet - Bibliographical Notes". Archived from the original on August 11, 2008. Retrieved November 4, 2009.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on February 15, 2010. Retrieved November 4, 2009.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "List of Law Nomination Scholarships - Office of the Registrar - University of Alberta". www.registrar.ualberta.ca.
Sources
edit- Knafla, Louis A.; Klumpenhouwer, Richard (1997). Lords of the Western Bench: A Biographical History of the Supreme and District Courts of Alberta, 1876-1990. Calgary: Legal Archives Society of Alberta. ISBN 978-0-9681939-0-7.
- Mittelstadt, David (2014). People Principles Progress: The Alberta Court of Appeal's First Century 1914 to 2014 (PDF). Calgary: The Legal Archives Society of Alberta. ISBN 978-0-9681939-5-2.
- Swainger, Jonathan Scott, ed. (2007). The Alberta Supreme Court at 100: History & Authority. Edmonton: University of Alberta Press. ISBN 978-0-88864-493-0.
External links
edit- Official website
- Government of Alberta Justice and Attorney General Courts
- History of the Alberta Court of Appeal, by the late J.W. (Buzz) McClung, Justice of Appeal, n. d.
- Overview: People, principles, progress. The Alberta Court of Appeal's first century 1914 to 2014, Centennial Book, by David Mittelstadt, n. d.