THE COURT STRUCTURE OF QUEBEC AND LOWER CANADA, 1764 TO 1860
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COURT STRUCTURE TABLE: 1775-1777
(links lead to the relevant court profile)
 
CIVIL FIRST INSTANCE CRIMINAL FIRST INSTANCE APPELLATE
COURTS OF CIVIL JURISDICTION (COURTS OF COMMON PLEAS) (from 1776)  
(1 for each district) 
All civil matters; appeal to the Court of Appeals in cases >£St10		 COURTS OF OYER AND TERMINER AND GENERAL GAOL DELIVERY 
(in each district as needed) 
All criminal matters; appeal to the King and Council from fines £St100 

COURTS OF QUARTER SESSIONS OF THE PEACE (from 1776)  
(1 for each district) 
Criminal matters not involving loss of life or limb 

COURTS OF WEEKLY SESSIONS OF THE PEACE (from 1776) 
(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 (from 1776)  
(several in each district) 
Minor criminal matters; appeal to the Courts of Quarter Sessions of the Peace in certain cases

 KING AND COUNCIL 
Appeals from the Court of Appeals in civil cases >£St500, and from the Courts of Oyer and Terminer and General Gaol Delivery in criminal cases involving fines £St100 

COURT OF APPEALS (from 1776) 
(1 for the entire province) 
Appeals from the Courts of Civil Jurisdiction in civil cases >£St10; appeal to the King and Council in cases >£St500 

COURTS OF QUARTER SESSIONS OF THE PEACE (from 1776)  
(1 for each district) 
Appeals from the Courts of Weekly Sessions of the Peace and the petty sessions of the Justices of the Peace in specific 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 2004-02-18