Supreme Court Act

Supreme Court of Canada
The Court
Supreme Court Act History Process List of cases
Current members
Chief Justice of Canada Richard Wagner Puisne justices Andromache Karakatsanis Suzanne Côté Malcolm Rowe Sheilah Martin Nicholas Kasirer Mahmud Jamal Michelle O'Bonsawin Mary Moreau
All members
List of chief justices List of all justices by court by seat
Related
Court system of Canada Judicial appointments in Canada
v t e

The Supreme Court Act (French: Loi sur la Cour suprême) is an Act passed by the Parliament of Canada which established the Supreme Court of Canada. It was originally passed in 1875 as the Supreme and Exchequer Courts Act. However, at the time, the Supreme Court was not the supreme authority on Canadian law, as Supreme Court cases could still be appealed to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.^{[note 1]}

The Supreme Court Act is not a part of the Constitution of Canada but rather was merely within Parliament's ability to pass by virtue of section 101 of the Constitution Act, 1867. The Act also was not named as part of the Constitution during patriation in 1982, although the Court itself is mentioned in the amending formula. As the Court is defined in a regular statute, it may be argued the Court could be abolished by an act of Parliament. However, in their decision in the Reference re Supreme Court Act, ss. 5 and 6, the Court ruled that certain sections of the Act, like its composition, may only be amended using the formula for constitutional amendments, pursuant to s. 41(d) of the Constitution Act, 1982.

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