The British Columbia Court of Appeal (BCCA) is the highest appellate court

Appellate court

An appellate court, commonly called an appeals court or court of appeals or appeal court , is any court of law that is empowered to hear an appeal of a trial court or other lower tribunal...

 in the province

Provinces and territories of Canada

The provinces and territories of Canada combine to make up the world's second-largest country by area. There are ten provinces and three territories...

 of British Columbia

British Columbia

British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...

, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

. The BCCA hears appeals from the Supreme Court of British Columbia

Supreme Court of British Columbia

The Supreme Court of British Columbia is the superior trial court for the province of British Columbia. The BCSC hears civil and criminal law cases as well as appeals from the Provincial Court of British Columbia. Including supernumerary judges, there are presently 108 judges...

 and a number of boards and tribunals. The BCCA also hears criminal appeals from the Provincial Court of British Columbia

Provincial Court of British Columbia

The Provincial Court of British Columbia is a trial level court in British Columbia that hears cases in criminal, civil and family matters....

 where the proceedings in that court were by indictment. It will hear summary conviction appeals from the Supreme Court on criminal matters that originated in the Provincial Court. Statute

Statute

A statute is a formal written enactment of a legislative authority that governs a state, city, or county. Typically, statutes command or prohibit something, or declare policy. The word is often used to distinguish law made by legislative bodies from case law, decided by courts, and regulations...

 restricts appeals on civil matters from the Provincial Court (Small Claims) to the Supreme Court. However, some Provincial Court civil matters may come before the BCCA on very narrow matters having to do with questions of administrative law or other unusual circumstances.

The BCCA consists of 24 justices (including a Chief Justice), nine of whom are supernumerary. All justices of the BCCA (including the position of Chief Justice) are appointed by the federal government

Government of Canada

The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...

. The central registry for the BCCA is in Vancouver

Vancouver

Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...

, where the BCCA holds most of its sittings. The BCCA also occasionally hears cases in Victoria

Victoria, British Columbia

Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...

, Kelowna

Kelowna, British Columbia

Kelowna is a city on Okanagan Lake in the Okanagan Valley, in the southern interior of British Columbia, Canada. Its name derives from a Okanagan language term for "grizzly bear"...

, and Kamloops

Kamloops, British Columbia

Kamloops is a city in south central British Columbia, at the confluence of the two branches of the Thompson River and near Kamloops Lake. It is the largest community in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District and the location of the regional district's offices. The surrounding region is more commonly...

. The judges for the Court also double as judges for the Yukon Court of Appeal

Court of Appeal of the Yukon Territory

The Court of Appeal of the Yukon Territory is the highest appellate court for the Yukon Territory. It hears appeals of both criminal and civil cases from the Supreme Court of the Yukon Territory and Yukon Territorial Court....

. Cases from Yukon

Yukon

Yukon is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three federal territories. It was named after the Yukon River. The word Yukon means "Great River" in Gwich’in....

 are heard in both Vancouver and in Whitehorse

Whitehorse, Yukon

Whitehorse is Yukon's capital and largest city . It was incorporated in 1950 and is located at kilometre 1476 on the Alaska Highway in southern Yukon. Whitehorse's downtown and Riverdale areas occupy both shores of the Yukon River, which originates in British Columbia and meets the Bering Sea in...

.

A full panel of the court consists of five justices; however, most cases are heard by a panel of three justices. A single justice will preside over matters heard in ”chambers”

Chambers (law)

A judge's chambers, often just called his or her chambers, is the office of a judge.Chambers may also refer to the type of courtroom where motions related to matter of procedure are heard.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :...

, usually Interlocutory

Interlocutory

Interlocutory is a legal term which can refer to an order, sentence, decree, or judgment, given in an intermediate stage between the commencement and termination of a cause of action, used to provide a temporary or provisional decision on an issue...

 matters or applications for leave to appeal.

When the court moved from its previous location (what is now the Vancouver Art Gallery), one of the old courtrooms was reconstructed in the present Arthur Erickson

Arthur Erickson

Arthur Charles Erickson, was a Canadian architect and urban planner. He studied Asian languages at the University of British Columbia, and later earned a degree in architecture from McGill University.-Biography:...

 designed Vancouver Law Courts. When in session, a panel of the court will often preside in this Heritage Courtroom.

All courts in the Province of British Columbia display the Arms of Her Majesty in Right of the United Kingdom

Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom

The Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom is the official coat of arms of the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. These arms are used by the Queen in her official capacity as monarch of the United Kingdom, and are officially known as her Arms of Dominion...

, as a symbol of its judiciary.

Current Justices

Name	Appointed	Nominate By	Prior Position
Chief Justice Lance S.G. Finch	June 6, 2001 (As Chief Justice) May 28, 1993 (As puisne justice Puisne Justice A Puisne Justice or Puisne Judge is the title for a regular member of a Court. This is distinguished from the head of the Court who is known as the Chief Justice or Chief Judge. The term is used almost exclusively in common law jurisdictions such as England, Australia, Kenya, Canada, Sri Lanka,...  of BCCA)	Chretien Mulroney	British Columbia Court of Appeal Supreme Court of British Columbia Supreme Court of British Columbia The Supreme Court of British Columbia is the superior trial court for the province of British Columbia. The BCSC hears civil and criminal law cases as well as appeals from the Provincial Court of British Columbia. Including supernumerary judges, there are presently 108 judges...
Madam Justice M. Anne Rowles	October 11, 1991	Mulroney	Supreme Court of British Columbia Supreme Court of British Columbia The Supreme Court of British Columbia is the superior trial court for the province of British Columbia. The BCSC hears civil and criminal law cases as well as appeals from the Provincial Court of British Columbia. Including supernumerary judges, there are presently 108 judges...
Madam Justice Jo-Ann E. Prowse	June 24, 1992	Mulroney	Supreme Court of British Columbia Supreme Court of British Columbia The Supreme Court of British Columbia is the superior trial court for the province of British Columbia. The BCSC hears civil and criminal law cases as well as appeals from the Provincial Court of British Columbia. Including supernumerary judges, there are presently 108 judges...
Madam Justice Catherine Anne Ryan	January 28, 1994	Chretien	Supreme Court of British Columbia Supreme Court of British Columbia The Supreme Court of British Columbia is the superior trial court for the province of British Columbia. The BCSC hears civil and criminal law cases as well as appeals from the Provincial Court of British Columbia. Including supernumerary judges, there are presently 108 judges...
Mr. Justice Ian T. Donald	January 28, 1994	Chretien	Supreme Court of British Columbia Supreme Court of British Columbia The Supreme Court of British Columbia is the superior trial court for the province of British Columbia. The BCSC hears civil and criminal law cases as well as appeals from the Provincial Court of British Columbia. Including supernumerary judges, there are presently 108 judges...
Madam Justice Mary V. Newbury	September 26, 1995	Chretien	Supreme Court of British Columbia Supreme Court of British Columbia The Supreme Court of British Columbia is the superior trial court for the province of British Columbia. The BCSC hears civil and criminal law cases as well as appeals from the Provincial Court of British Columbia. Including supernumerary judges, there are presently 108 judges...
Madam Justice Carol Mahood Huddart	March 19, 1996	Chretien	Supreme Court of British Columbia Supreme Court of British Columbia The Supreme Court of British Columbia is the superior trial court for the province of British Columbia. The BCSC hears civil and criminal law cases as well as appeals from the Provincial Court of British Columbia. Including supernumerary judges, there are presently 108 judges...
Mr. Justice John E. Hall	December 18, 1996	Chretien	Supreme Court of British Columbia Supreme Court of British Columbia The Supreme Court of British Columbia is the superior trial court for the province of British Columbia. The BCSC hears civil and criminal law cases as well as appeals from the Provincial Court of British Columbia. Including supernumerary judges, there are presently 108 judges...
Mr. Justice Kenneth C. Mackenzie	June 25, 1998	Chretien	Supreme Court of British Columbia Supreme Court of British Columbia The Supreme Court of British Columbia is the superior trial court for the province of British Columbia. The BCSC hears civil and criminal law cases as well as appeals from the Provincial Court of British Columbia. Including supernumerary judges, there are presently 108 judges...
Madam Justice Mary E. Saunders	July 2, 1999	Chretien	Supreme Court of British Columbia Supreme Court of British Columbia The Supreme Court of British Columbia is the superior trial court for the province of British Columbia. The BCSC hears civil and criminal law cases as well as appeals from the Provincial Court of British Columbia. Including supernumerary judges, there are presently 108 judges...
Mr. Justice Richard T. A. Low	July 28, 2000	Chretien	Supreme Court of British Columbia Supreme Court of British Columbia The Supreme Court of British Columbia is the superior trial court for the province of British Columbia. The BCSC hears civil and criminal law cases as well as appeals from the Provincial Court of British Columbia. Including supernumerary judges, there are presently 108 judges...
Madam Justice Risa E. Levine	February 6, 2001	Chretien	Supreme Court of British Columbia Supreme Court of British Columbia The Supreme Court of British Columbia is the superior trial court for the province of British Columbia. The BCSC hears civil and criminal law cases as well as appeals from the Provincial Court of British Columbia. Including supernumerary judges, there are presently 108 judges...
Mr. Justice Kenneth J. Smith	October 1, 2001	Chretien	Supreme Court of British Columbia Supreme Court of British Columbia The Supreme Court of British Columbia is the superior trial court for the province of British Columbia. The BCSC hears civil and criminal law cases as well as appeals from the Provincial Court of British Columbia. Including supernumerary judges, there are presently 108 judges...
Mr. Justice P.D. Lowry	June 30, 2003	Chretien	Supreme Court of British Columbia Supreme Court of British Columbia The Supreme Court of British Columbia is the superior trial court for the province of British Columbia. The BCSC hears civil and criminal law cases as well as appeals from the Provincial Court of British Columbia. Including supernumerary judges, there are presently 108 judges...
Madam Justice Pamela Kirkpatrick	June 3, 2005	Martin	Supreme Court of British Columbia Supreme Court of British Columbia The Supreme Court of British Columbia is the superior trial court for the province of British Columbia. The BCSC hears civil and criminal law cases as well as appeals from the Provincial Court of British Columbia. Including supernumerary judges, there are presently 108 judges...
Mr. Justice Edward C. Chiasson	September 14, 2006	Harper	Lawyer at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP Borden Ladner Gervais Borden Ladner Gervais LLP is the largest full-service Canadian law firm. The Firm has over 750 lawyers, intellectual property agents and other professionals in offices in Calgary, Montréal, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver and Waterloo Region...
Mr. Justice S. David Frankel	May 10, 2007	Harper	Supreme Court of British Columbia Supreme Court of British Columbia The Supreme Court of British Columbia is the superior trial court for the province of British Columbia. The BCSC hears civil and criminal law cases as well as appeals from the Provincial Court of British Columbia. Including supernumerary judges, there are presently 108 judges...
Mr. Justice David Franklin Tysoe	June 22, 2007	Harper	Supreme Court of British Columbia Supreme Court of British Columbia The Supreme Court of British Columbia is the superior trial court for the province of British Columbia. The BCSC hears civil and criminal law cases as well as appeals from the Provincial Court of British Columbia. Including supernumerary judges, there are presently 108 judges...
Madam Justice Daphne M. Smith	May 9, 2008	Harper	Supreme Court of British Columbia Supreme Court of British Columbia The Supreme Court of British Columbia is the superior trial court for the province of British Columbia. The BCSC hears civil and criminal law cases as well as appeals from the Provincial Court of British Columbia. Including supernumerary judges, there are presently 108 judges...
Madam Justice Kathryn E. Neilson	May 9, 2008	Harper	Supreme Court of British Columbia Supreme Court of British Columbia The Supreme Court of British Columbia is the superior trial court for the province of British Columbia. The BCSC hears civil and criminal law cases as well as appeals from the Provincial Court of British Columbia. Including supernumerary judges, there are presently 108 judges...
Mr. Justice Harvey M. Groberman	May 9, 2008	Harper	Supreme Court of British Columbia Supreme Court of British Columbia The Supreme Court of British Columbia is the superior trial court for the province of British Columbia. The BCSC hears civil and criminal law cases as well as appeals from the Provincial Court of British Columbia. Including supernumerary judges, there are presently 108 judges...
Madam Justice Elizabeth A. Bennett	May 14, 2009	Harper	Supreme Court of British Columbia Supreme Court of British Columbia The Supreme Court of British Columbia is the superior trial court for the province of British Columbia. The BCSC hears civil and criminal law cases as well as appeals from the Provincial Court of British Columbia. Including supernumerary judges, there are presently 108 judges...
Madam Justice Nicole J. Garson	May 14, 2009	Harper	Supreme Court of British Columbia Supreme Court of British Columbia The Supreme Court of British Columbia is the superior trial court for the province of British Columbia. The BCSC hears civil and criminal law cases as well as appeals from the Provincial Court of British Columbia. Including supernumerary judges, there are presently 108 judges...
Mr. Justice Christopher E. Hinkson	March 19, 2010	Harper	Supreme Court of British Columbia Supreme Court of British Columbia The Supreme Court of British Columbia is the superior trial court for the province of British Columbia. The BCSC hears civil and criminal law cases as well as appeals from the Provincial Court of British Columbia. Including supernumerary judges, there are presently 108 judges...

Past Justices

• Robert J. Bauman (2008-2009)
• Ronald I. Cheffins (1985-1987)
• Allan D. Thackray (2001-2007)
• M.F. Southin (1988-2006)
• Thomas R. Braidwood (1996-2005)
• William A. Esson (1983-1989) (1996-2005) (Chief Justice, B.C. Supreme Court
  Supreme Court of British Columbia
  The Supreme Court of British Columbia is the superior trial court for the province of British Columbia. The BCSC hears civil and criminal law cases as well as appeals from the Provincial Court of British Columbia. Including supernumerary judges, there are presently 108 judges...
  
   1989-1996)
• Wallace T. Oppal
  Wally Oppal
  Wallace Oppal, Q.C. is a Canadian lawyer, former judge and provincial politician, who is currently serving as the Chancellor of the Thompson Rivers University...
  
   (2003-2005)
• John Douglas Lambert (1978-2005)
• H.A. Hollinrake (1990-2004)
• Patricia M. Proudfoot (1989-2002)
• G.S. Cumming (1989-2001)
• Allan McEachern
  Allan McEachern
  Allan McEachern, BA, LL.B, LL.D was a Canadian lawyer, a judge, and a Chancellor of the University of British Columbia.-Career:...
  
   (Chief Justice) (1988-2001)
• D.B. Hinds (1990-1999)
• D.M.M. ("Michael") Goldie (1991-1999)
• A. B. Macfarlane (1982-1999)
• R. J. Gibbs (1989-1999)
• A.B.B. Carrothers (1973-1998)
• H.P. Legg (1989-1997)
• E.E. Hinkson (1977-1996)
• H.E. Hutcheon (1980-1996)
• Josiah Wood (1989-1996)
• Samuel Toy (1988-1993)
• Beverley McLachlin
  Beverley McLachlin
  Beverley McLachlin, PC is the Chief Justice of Canada, the first woman to hold this position. She also serves as a Deputy of the Governor General of Canada.-Early life:...
  
   (1985-1988) (Appointed puisne justice
  Puisne Justice
  A Puisne Justice or Puisne Judge is the title for a regular member of a Court. This is distinguished from the head of the Court who is known as the Chief Justice or Chief Judge. The term is used almost exclusively in common law jurisdictions such as England, Australia, Kenya, Canada, Sri Lanka,...
  
   of the Supreme Court of Canada
  Supreme Court of Canada
  The Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeals in the Canadian justice system. The court grants permission to between 40 and 75 litigants each year to appeal decisions rendered by provincial, territorial and federal appellate courts, and its decisions...
  
   1989-2000; appointed Chief Justice of Canada
  Chief Justice of Canada
  The Chief Justice of Canada, like the eight puisne Justices of the Supreme Court of Canada, is appointed by the Governor-in-Council . All nine are chosen from either sitting judges or barristers who have at least ten years' standing at the bar of a province or territory...
  
  (2000-present))

External links

• BCCA website