A question that comes up when students are retrieving older Ontario decisions is -- what "level" of court is this? The following table is an effort to clarify the "level" of some of the "historic courts" in Ontario.
1996 - today Ontario Superior Court
- a "court of general jurisdiction" (e.g. "all the jurisdiction, power and authority historically exercised by courts of common law and equity in England and Ontario")
- one federally-appointed judge
- a trial court (serious civil & criminal)
The following preceded this court:
1990 - 1996 Ontario Court of Justice (General Division)
1931 - 1990 Ontario Supreme Court (High Court of Justice)
1913 - 1931 Ontario Supreme Court (High Court Division)
1881 - 1913 Supreme Court of Judicature (High Court of Justice),
with divisions: Queen's Bench Division, Common Pleas
Division, Chancery Division; Exchequer Division
1794 - 1881 Court of Common Pleas (1849 - 1881)
& Court of Queen's Bench (1794 - 1881)
& Court of Chancery (1837 - 1881)
Court of Appeal:
1931 - today Court of Appeal for Ontario
1913 - 1931 Supreme Court of Ontario (Appellate Division)