Get quick responses from top rated attorneys.
Fast, Free and Confidential
of helping people find the
right lawyer.
people and businesses have
posted cases on LegalMatch.
Europeans first arrived on the British Columbian coast around the mid-18th century as fur traders entered the area to hunt sea otters. Voyages by James Cook in 1778 and George Vancouver in 1993 established a British presence over the northwest coastal area of British Columbia. Other fur traders settled the area between the Canadian prairie and the Pacific Ocean. Early outposts between Hudson Bay and Fort Vancouver grew into settlements, communities, and cities.
Today, half of all British Columbians live in the Vancouver metro area. British Columbia is the most diverse province in all of Canada. British Columbia has the highest proportion of minorities in the country.
British Columbia is a popular destination for hiking, camping, rock climbing, hunting, and fishing. The area has varied mountainous terrains with coasts, rivers, lakes, and forests. Whitewater rafting and kayaking are popular on rivers. During the winter, high-quality cross-country and downhill skiing resorts have opened in the southern areas of the Coast Mountain range and in the Rockies. The 2010 Winter Olympics downhill events were held in British Columbia. The indoor events were held in Vancouver.
British Columbia has an 87-member elected Legislative Assembly. British Columbia’s political and legal history is full of scandal. Abuses of power have plagued British Columbia dating back to 1858.
Since then, various scandals included Premier Gordon Campbell’s arrest for drunk driving in Maui and the resignation of cabinet members due to conflict-of-interest allegations. In 2003, a raid on the Parliament building resulted in charges for ministerial aides and resignations from key cabinet members.
The court system in British Columbia consists of three levels of courts:
The Provincial Court of British Columbia is the trial-level court in British Columbia. It hears cases in criminal, civil, and family matters.
The Provincial Court caseload typically falls into:
The Provincial Court also deals with bail applications on most criminal charges except murder. The Provincial Court is designated as the Youth Justice Court under Canada’s Youth Criminal Justice Act.
In civil cases, the Small Claims division of the Provincial Court limits claims for debts or damages up to $35,000. The Provincial Court also has limited family law jurisdiction, except for divorce proceedings and the division of marital property.
In court, judges of the Provincial Court are referred to as “Your Honor.”
The British Columbia Court of Appeal is the highest appellate court in British Columbia. The court was established in 1910 after the 1907 Court of Appeal Act.
The British Columbia Court of Appeals hears appeals from the Supreme Court of British Columbia. The court also hears appeals from several boards and tribunals. The British Columbia Court of Appeals hears criminal appeals from the Provincial Court of British Columbia. Some administrative law questions or other unusual circumstances may come before the British Columbia Court of Appeals.
The court consists of 15 justices, including a Chief Justice. 9 members of the court work part-time. The federal government appoints all justices. The British Columbia Court of Appeals holds most of its sittings in Vancouver, but it also hears cases in Victoria. Judges for the Court also double as judges for the Yukon Court of Appeals. Cases from the Yukon court are also heard in Vancouver.
Cases are typically heard by a division of three judges. Counsel appearing in the Court must wear a white wing collar with bands, along with a black jacket and black gown. Male lawyers typically wear black or striped trousers. Female lawyers generally wear trousers or a skirt.
The Supreme Court of British Columbia is the highest trial court in British Columbia. The Court hears civil and criminal cases and appeals from the Provincial Court. There are 90 judges on the Supreme Court of British Columbia and 18 part-time judges.
The court was established in 1869 as the Supreme Court of the Mainland of British Columbia. The court merged with the Supreme Court of Vancouver Island in 1870 to create the Supreme Court of British Columbia.
The Supreme Court of British Columbia has jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases arising in British Columbia. The Court even has jurisdiction over civil claims where the dollar amount involved is within the jurisdiction of the Small Claims division of the Provincial Court. The Court also has jurisdiction over all serious crimes within British Columbia.
The Supreme Court of British Columbia is responsible for oath ceremonies for admitting lawyers and notaries. A justice administers the oaths.
The federal cabinet appoints all justices on the Supreme Court of British Columbia on recommendation by the Minister of Justice.
In court, it is the protocol to refer to justices as “my Lord” or “my Lady.” This differs from the Provincial Court, where the term “judge” is used, and the mode of address is “your Honor.”
The Law Society of British Columbia is the regulatory body for lawyers in British Columbia. The society regulates the practice of law and intends to support British Columbia lawyers and students in fulfilling their duties in the practice of law.
The Law Society of British Columbia dates back to England in 1858 when Queen Victoria dispatched an experienced English lawyer named Matthew Begbie to protect the laws of the newly-wealthy British Columbia during the gold rush. He was to become the first British Columbia lawyer.
Begbie crossed the Atlantic Ocean with official documents establishing British Columbia as an English colony. He was sworn into office as high court judge of British Columbia on November 18, 1858.
Begbie believed that the legal profession needed to be regulated. Because his lengthy absences while administering justice in British Columbia’s frontier made it difficult to judge cases promptly, he assembled 13 members of the legal profession in the colony and established the Law Society of British Columbia. The society’s objectives were to create a law library, publish legal decisions, regulate calls to the bar, and protect the interests of the legal profession.
Today, the Law Society ensures new British Columbia lawyers are qualified to practice by managing admissions.
The Professional Legal Training Course (PLTC) is British Columbia’s ten-week bar admission course. British Columbia lawyers must complete the course to become a lawyer in British Columbia. The PLTC emphasizes practical skills training, ethics, practice management, and procedures to help new lawyers transition from law school to practice.
The Credentials Committee is responsible for the enrollment, education, and examination of BC lawyers. When the character or fitness of a potential British Columbia lawyer is addressed, the committee considers the application directly or orders a formal hearing with the potential BC lawyer.
Use LegalMatch to find an experienced BC lawyer today. LegalMatch is a completely confidential service, and there is no fee to schedule a consultation with a British Columbia lawyer near you.