Civil vs. Criminal Law
In a civil court case, this term refers to financial compensation paid by a wrongdoer to a victim.
Answer: What are damages?
Passed in 1867, this act established Canada's division of powers between federal and provincial governments.
What is the Constitution Act, 1867 (or British North America Act)?
This division of provincial court handles low-value civil financial disputes using simplified procedures.
What is Small Claims Court?
The Supreme Court of Canada is located in this city.
What is Ottawa, Ontario?
Rather than focusing on punishment like the adversarial system, Indigenous legal traditions emphasize this approach aimed at community healing and balance.
What is Restorative Justice?
Unlike criminal courts, a civil court generally does NOT have the power to impose this penalty on a party
What is imprisonment (or jail time)?
This section of the Constitution Act outlines powers granted exclusively to the federal government.
What is Section 91?
Major criminal trials with juries and high-value civil lawsuits are heard in this level of court within a province.
What is Superior Court (e.g., Supreme Court of BC / Court of King's Bench)?
This total number of justices sit on the Supreme Court of Canada.
What is nine?
Named after a landmark legal case, these rights under Section 718.2(e) of the Criminal Code require judges to consider systemic backgrounds during Indigenous sentencing.
What are Gladue Rights?
This type of court resolves private disputes between individuals, businesses, or organizations
Answer: What is Civil Court?
Hospitals, local municipal institutions, and property rights fall under Section 92, which grants authority to this level of government.
What is the Provincial government?
Provincial Courts of Appeal do not retry cases with witnesses; instead, judges review decisions to check for errors of ______.
What are errors of law?
By law, at least three Supreme Court justices must be appointed from this province to ensure Civil Law expertise.
What is Quebec?
These detailed reports are prepared for courts to outline an Indigenous offender's community heritage, systemic background, and personal trauma.
What are Gladue Reports?
This type of court handles offenses committed against society or the state, determining guilt and penalties.
What is Criminal Court?
Unlike the rest of Canada, which uses Common Law, this province uses a Civil Law system for private law matters.
What is Quebec?
This is the highest judicial authority located strictly within an individual Canadian province.
What is the Provincial Court of Appeal?
To have an appeal heard by the Supreme Court of Canada, litigants must first apply for and be granted this permission.
What is leave to appeal?
This community restorative legal mechanism brings together the offender, victim, elders, and legal representatives to negotiate a holistic outcome.
What is a Sentencing Circle (or Healing Circle)?
In criminal court, the accused cannot be forced to testify due to protection against self-incrimination, whereas civil court permits calling this person to testify
Who is the defendant / either party involved in the lawsuit?
National defense, banking, postal services, and criminal law are all federal responsibilities governed under this specific section of the Constitution.
What is Section 91?
Aside from provincial statutes and local bylaws, provincial trial courts handle serious criminal offenses under this federal statute.
What is the Criminal Code of Canada?
This specialized court level handles federal administrative law, intellectual property, immigration, and claims involving the federal government.
What is the Federal Court (or Federal Court of Appeal)?
Section 718.2(e) explicitly directs Canadian sentencing judges to seek these types of alternatives to incarceration for Indigenous offenders whenever reasonable.
What are non-custodial (non-prison) options?