The municipality of Halifax includes four former municipalities which were consolidated, including:
- Halifax;
- Dartmouth;
- Bedford; and
- Halifax County.
Halifax is one of the major economic centers in Atlantic Canada. There is a large concentration of government services and private sector companies.
Major industries which are found in Halifax include:
- Agriculture;
- Mining;
- Forestry; and
- Natural gas.
There are a number of art galleries, theaters, and museums in Halifax. Halifax also houses the majority of the region’s national-quality sports and entertainment facilities.
Halifax has many cultural attractions as well, including:
- Halifax Pop Explosion;
- Symphony Nova Scotia;
- The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia; and
- The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic.
The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic is located in downtown Halifax. The museum has over 30,000 artifacts which include 70 small craft and the steamship, the CSS Acadia, which was a steam-powered hydrographic survey ship which was launched in 1913.
Halifax Legal Landmarks
The court system in Halifax as well as Nova Scotia has three levels of courts, which include:
- The Provincial Court;
- The Supreme Court; and
- The Court of Appeal.
The Provincial Court tries almost all types of offenses individuals can be charged with under the Canadian Criminal Code. The Provincial Court has jurisdiction over summary offense charges under federal and provincial statutes and regulations.
The Provincial Court might hold preliminary inquiries if an individual elects to do so or if they are subject to a trial in The Supreme Court, which is the highest court in Nova Scotia.
The Supreme Court has jurisdiction to try a wide range of civil matters and criminal matters. The Supreme Court also has exclusive authority to grant a divorce as well as to divide matrimonial property, and to hold a jury trial.
The Supreme Court of Nova Scotia hears cases including:
- Appeals from the Provincial Court;
- Appeals from the Small Claims Court; and
- Judicial reviews from Tribunal decisions and statutory appeals.
In Nova Scotia, there is also a Family Division of the Supreme Court. This court is in the municipalities of Cape Breton and Halifax.
The Family Division handles family law matters which arise in the Halifax Regional Municipality and on Cape Breton Island. Before the year 2020, family law issues were handled in two separate courts.
Divorce and the division of property were heard in The Supreme Court. Most other family issues were heard in Family Court. These courts are in transition to a Unified Family Court.
The highest court in Halifax and Nova Scotia is The Court of Appeal. This court is the court of last resort for individuals seeking to have a lower court or tribunal decision appealed, except in those rare cases which reach the Supreme Court of Canada.
The Court of Appeal does not retry cases. Instead, this court reviews the record of the trial or the hearing to ensure that the lower court or tribunal did not make an error of law.
Halifax, as well as other Canadian provinces, has some quirky laws, which include:
- Halifax taxi drivers are technically not permitted to wear t-shirts;
- In Nova Scotia, it is illegal to sell or advertise artificially colored baby chickens; and
- In Halifax, the grass between the front of an individual’s house and the sidewalk cannot be longer than 6 inches.
Additional Halifax Law Information
For individuals who are seeking legal assistance in Halifax, it may be helpful to understand the differences in the terminology and the processes between Canada and the United States. In Canada, lawyers may be referred to as barristers and solicitors.
Although in the United States, the words lawyer and attorney are used interchangeably, the word attorney has a distinct meaning in Canada. In Canada, an attorney is appointed under a power of attorney.
The terms solicitor or barrister are used instead of the term lawyer in countries including:
- Canada;
- Australia; and
- The United Kingdom.
It is important for individuals who are seeking legal assistance and are using LegalMatch or another United States based search service, that the terms lawyer and attorney can and will be used. This is because content found on LegalMatch is authored by individuals in the United States with American vocabularies.
In the United States, the terms lawyer and attorney both refer to individuals who work in the legal profession. There is no distinction made between individuals who try cases in court and those that do not.
In Canada, lawyer refers to someone who has been called to the bar. No restrictions are in place regarding what types of law lawyers can practice in Canada.
A Canadian lawyer can appear in court and represent their clients in court. There are also some notable differences in the legal process between the two countries.
A plaintiff in the U.S. can file their personal injury lawsuit in either federal court or state court. If their lawsuit is filed in federal court, that federal court will apply the law of the state where the federal court is located.
In some cases, plaintiffs can file a lawsuit in state court but a defendant may be able to move the case to a federal court if they can meet the requirements. This allows the sides to engage in a type of legal gamesmanship in personal injury cases which is not available in Canadian courts.
Another notable difference is the amount of damages awards which may be received by a plaintiff. The Supreme Court of Canada has limited this amount, which is currently around $400,000.
In the United States, however, there are only caps on certain types of cases. The U.S. is well known for its large damages awards.
Another difference in the legal processes between the two countries is how attorney’s fees are handled. In Canada, the English Rule is followed, which means that the costs of the case are paid by the losing party.
In the United States, on the other hand, the American Rule is used. This means that each party bears their own cost for legal fees.
Locate Lawyers in Halifax, Canada and Halifax, Canada Attorneys Quickly
Before an individual selects a lawyer, barrister, or solicitor in Canada, it is essential to ensure that the potential candidate has completed all of the required educational training and has the proper certifications to practice law.
Lawyers in Canada are permitted to define their practice with the title that they choose. A barrister is a lawyer who appears in court or in mediations.
A solicitor is a lawyer who does not appear in court and has a practice that involves legal issues such as contracts and wills. If an individual is looking for a Halifax lawyer or Halifax law firm, they can use a service such as LegalMatch.
LegalMatch can help an individual find the best lawyers in Halifax to assist them with their legal issue. LegalMatch provides contact information for pre-screened Halifax lawyers, including:
- Their background information;
- Their experience and educational information;
- Fee information;
- Malpractice coverage; and
- Reviews from former clients.
If an individual is interested in additional information about Halifax lawyers, legal procedures, and the laws in Halifax, Canada, they can visit the following websites: