Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador

Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador
Coat of Arms of the Supreme Court [1]
Established	1729
Jurisdiction	Newfoundland and Labrador
Location	St. John's
Authorized by	Judicature Act
Website	www.court.nl.ca/supreme
Chief Justice
Currently	David B. Orsborn
Since	28 April, 2009

The Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador is the superior court for the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador (Court of Appeal) has jurisdiction to hear appeals in both criminal and civil matters from the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador (Trial Division), Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador (Family Court), Provincial Court (indictable offenses) and designated boards and administrative tribunals.

Under the court of appeal, but administratively within the Supreme Court, are two separate divisions:

• Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador (Trial Division)
• Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador (Family Court)

Duckworth street facade of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador, entrance to the Trial Division.

Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador, north facade and clocktower.

Courthouse Building

The Supreme Court's current home opened in 1904 and was formerly the site of the court since 1730 (with a brief absence from 1892 to 1904).

The first court house built in 1730 and burned down in 1846. Rebuilt in 1847 with a market house and again burned down in 1892.

The court relocated to the Colonial Building from 1892 to 1894. From 1894 to 1904 the court resided at the Star of the Sea Hall on Henry Street. The current home, a Romanesque Revival building was opened in 1904.

Source: ^[2]

References

1. ^ The court still uses the Royal Arms of the United Kingdom to identify itself. Historically, as a colony of the U.K., the Supreme Court of Newfoundland was authorized to use the Royal Arms of England to represent the Queen of England as the fount of British justice, but with the Statute of Westminster, 1931, these arms ceased being Royal Arms for general purposes in the British Empire. Since Newfoundland joined Canada, the Royal Coat of Arms for Canada replaced these arms to represent the 'Queen of Canada' for general purposes throughout the dominion, just as provincial coats of arms represent her sovereignty for the specific purposes of administering governance in a province.
2. ^ http://www.court.nl.ca/supreme/trial/histories/sjhistory.htm

External links

• Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador website