THE COURT STRUCTURE OF QUEBEC AND LOWER CANADA, 1764 TO 1860
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COURT STRUCTURE TABLE: 1841-1844
(links lead to the relevant court profile)
 
CIVIL FIRST INSTANCE CRIMINAL FIRST INSTANCE APPELLATE
COURTS OF KING'S BENCH 
(1 for each district) 
Civil matters >£St10, or >£St20 in the District of Gaspé; appeal to the Provincial Court of Appeals in cases >£St20 

DISTRICT COURTS 
(1 for each inferior district) 
Civil matters £6-5sh to £St20; appeal to the Courts of King's Bench in cases >£St15 

COMMISSIONERS' COURT 
(1 for the Magdalen Islands) 
Civil matters £25 involving purely personal suits; appeal to the Court of King's Bench of Quebec in cases >£St10 

DIVISION COURTS 
(1 for each inferior district) 
Civil matters £6-5sh involving debts or contracts 

COURT OF WEEKLY SESSIONS OF THE PEACE 
(1 in Montreal) 
Civil matters involving suits of the city of Montreal 

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE 
(numerous in each district) 
Justices in the country parishes: certain minor civil matters £4-3sh-4d

COURTS OF KING'S BENCH 
(1 for each district) 
All criminal matters; appeal to the Queen and Council from fines >£St100 

COURTS OF OYER AND TERMINER AND GENERAL GAOL DELIVERY 
(in each district as needed) 
All criminal matters; appeal to the Queen and Council from fines >£St100 

COURTS OF QUARTER SESSIONS OF THE PEACE 
(1 for each district) 
Criminal matters not involving loss of life or limb 

COURTS OF WEEKLY SESSIONS OF THE PEACE / COURTS OF SPECIAL SESSIONS OF THE PEACE 
(1 in Quebec City and Montreal) 
Minor criminal matters; appeal to the Courts of Quarter Sessions of the Peace in certain cases 

POLICE COURTS 
(to 1842, several in the province; from 1842, 1 in Quebec City and Montreal) 
Minor criminal matters; appeal to the Courts of Quarter Sessions of the Peace in certain cases 

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE 
(numerous in each district) 
Minor criminal matters; appeal to the Courts of Quarter Sessions of the Peace in certain cases

QUEEN AND COUNCIL 
Appeals from the Provincial Court of Appeals in civil cases >£St500, and from all courts in criminal cases involving fines £St100 

PROVINCIAL COURT OF APPEALS 
(1 for the entire province) 
Appeals from the lower courts in civil cases >£St10; appeal to the Queen and Council in cases >£St500 

COURTS OF KING'S BENCH 
(1 for each district) 
Appeals from the District Courts in civil cases >£St15 

COURTS OF QUARTER SESSIONS OF THE PEACE 
(1 for each district) 
Appeals from the lower courts in certain criminal cases



Donald Fyson, with the assistance of Evelyn Kolish and Virginia Schweitzer, The Court Structure of Quebec and Lower Canada, 1764-1860 (Montreal: Montreal History Group, 1994/1997/2023). http://www.profs.hst.ulaval.ca/Dfyson/Courtstr/

Page content last updated 2008-05-30