Courts and Tribunals
Courts of BC
There are three levels of court in British Columbia. The lower two courts - the Provincial Court of BC and the Supreme Court of BC - are trial courts. The highest court is The Court of Appeal of British Columbia. Watch the video below (produced by the Justice Education Society of BC) to see what each court does and learn the difference between Criminal Law and Civil Law.
This video provides an overview of the different courts in British Columbia. The three levels of courts are: Provincial Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. More information on each of the courts can be found at courtsofbc.ca.
Watch Introduction to Courts of BC
Individual Courts
Provincial Court
About 99% of all criminal cases in BC begin and end in the Provincial Court. There are no jury trials in the Provincial Court; rather all cases are heard by judges alone. The best place to find information (including forms) on going to Small Claims Court is Small Claims BC website.
Supreme Court
As with the Provincial Court of BC, the Supreme court of BC hears both civil and criminal trials. The best place to find information (including forms) on going to the BC Supreme Court is the Supreme Court BC website.
Court of Appeal
The Court of Appeal is the highest court in BC, hearing appeals and reviews from the two trial courts as well as appeals and reviews from administrative boards and tribunals.
The best place to find information (including forms) on going to the Court of Appeal BC is the Court of Appeal BC website.
Courts of British Columbia Wall Chart
