Court of Appeal of Alberta explained

Court Name:	Court of Appeal of Alberta
Established:	1921
Jurisdiction:	Alberta, Canada
Location:	Law Courts, Edmonton; Calgary Courts Centre, Calgary
Positions:	14 (in addition to chief justice of Alberta, supernumerary judges, and the judges of the Court of King's Bench of Alberta, who are Latin: ex officio members of the Court of Appeal)
Chiefjudgetitle:	Chief justice
Chiefjudgename:	Ritu Khullar

The Court of Appeal of Alberta (frequently referred to as Alberta Court of Appeal or ABCA) is a Canadian appellate court that serves as the highest appellate court in the jurisdiction of Alberta, subordinate to the Supreme Court of Canada.

Jurisdiction and hierarchy within Canadian courts

The court is the highest in Alberta, Canada. It hears appeals from the Alberta Court of King's Bench, the Provincial Court of Alberta, and administrative boards and tribunals, as well as references from the Lieutenant Governor in Council (essentially the Alberta Cabinet). Some administrative appeals may bypass the Court of King's Bench, commonly orders made by professional discipline boards under the Medical Profession Act,^[1] the Legal Profession Act,^[2] but also under the Energy Resources Conservation Act.^[3]

Appeals from the Court of Appeal lie with the Supreme Court of Canada, Canada's court of last resort. Other than certain criminal matters, appeals to the Supreme Court of Canada are heard only by leave of that court. Since the Supreme Court denies leave in most cases, the Court of Appeal is the final court for most matters originating in Alberta.

Unlike the Court of King's Bench, the Court of Appeal has no inherent jurisdiction and therefore requires a statute to grant it the power to hear a matter before a panel is convened. As a court of a province, it is administered by the provincial government. Hearings are held exclusively in Edmonton's Law Courts and the Calgary Courts Centre. Unlike other provinces (except Newfoundland and Labrador and Ontario), the Alberta Court of Appeal displays a different coat of arms than its lower courts: the coat of arms of Canada.

History

The court originated from the old Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories which was replaced by the Supreme Court of Alberta in 1907 (shortly after Alberta became a province in 1905). The new Supreme Court of Alberta comprised a trial division and an appellate division (essentially, brother justices of the Supreme Court sitting French: en banc with a quorum of three).

The second chief justice of Alberta, Horace Harvey, supported an independent appellate court designed only to hear appeals. The Judicature Act enacted these changes in 1919, and it was proclaimed in 1921.^[4] It was not until 1979 that the court changed its name to the "Court of Appeal of Alberta" through the Court of Appeal Act,^[5] at the same time that the Supreme Court Trial Division and the District Court were amalgamated and renamed the "Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta".

Composition

There are 14 official positions on the bench^[6] including the chief justice of Alberta, who is the highest judicial officer in the province. At any given time there may be several additional judges who also sit as supernumerary justices.^[6] As a Section 96 court, the justices are appointed by the federal government and may hold office until the age of 75. Some of the justices have elected supernumerary (part-time or semi-retired) status. Occasionally, justices of the Court of King's Bench of Alberta sit on appeals. This is done at the request of a justice of the Court of Appeal. When this happens, these justices are sitting Latin: ex officio, but they have the same powers and duties as other justices of the Court of Appeal.

Most cases are heard by a panel of three justices, although the chief justice may convene a larger panel in exceptional circumstances. A single justice presides over matters heard in chambers, usually interlocutory matters or applications for leave to appeal.

Association with the Northwest Territories

Justices of the Court of Appeal for the Northwest Territories are selected from the justices of the Court of Appeal of Alberta, Court of Appeal for Saskatchewan, and the judges and Latin: ex officio judges of the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories. The current acting chief justice of Alberta, Frans Slater, is also the chief justice of the Northwest Territories. Hearings are held in Yellowknife, but may be heard anywhere in the territories or in Alberta.^[7]

Current judges

Judges of the Court of Appeal of Alberta! Name! Sitting in! Appointed! Nominated by! Position prior to appointment

Chief Justice Ritu Khullar	Edmonton	2018 2022 (CJ)	J. Trudeau	Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta
Justice Frans F. Slatter^[8] ^[9] ^[10]	Edmonton	2006	Harper	Court of Queen's Bench of AlbertaMcCuaig Desrochers LLP
Justice Dawn Pentelechuk	Edmonton	2018	J. Trudeau	Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta
Justice Jolaine Antonio	Calgary	2018	J. Trudeau	Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta
Justice Kevin Feehan	Edmonton	2019	J. Trudeau	Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta
Justice Bernette Ho	Calgary	2021	J. Trudeau	Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta
Justice Anne Kirker	Calgary	2021	J. Trudeau	Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta
Justice William deWit	Calgary	2023	J. Trudeau	Court of King's Bench of Alberta
Justice Jane Fagnan	Edmonton	2023	J. Trudeau	Court of King's Bench of Alberta
Justice April Grosse	Calgary	2023	J. Trudeau	Court of King's Bench of Alberta
Justice Alice Woolley	Calgary	2023	J. Trudeau	Court of King's Bench of Alberta
Justice Kevin Feth	Edmonton	2023	J. Trudeau	Court of King's Bench of Alberta
Justice Tamara Friesen	Edmonton	2024	J. Trudeau	Court of King's Bench of Alberta
Justice Joshua Hawkes	Calgary	2024	J. Trudeau	Alberta Court of Justice
Justice Karan Shaner	Edmonton	2024	J. Trudeau	Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories

Supernumerary judges of the Court of Appeal of Alberta! Name! Stationed in! Appointed! Nominated by! Position prior to appointment

Justice Peter W.L. Martin^[11] ^[12] (Supernumerary)	Calgary	2005	Martin	Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta
Justice Jack Watson^[13] ^[14] (Supernumerary)	Edmonton	2006	Harper	Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta
Justice Patricia A. Rowbotham^[15] ^[16] ^[17] ^[18] (Supernumerary)	Calgary	2007	Harper	Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta
Justice Thomas W. Wakeling (Supernumerary)	Edmonton	2014	Harper	Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta Fraser Milner Casgrain (1983 to 2013)
Justice Michelle Crighton (Supernumerary)	Edmonton	2016	J. Trudeau	Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta
Justice Jo'Anne Strekaf (Supernumerary)	Calgary	2016	J. Trudeau	Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta
Justice Elizabeth A. Hughes (Supernumerary)	Calgary	2018	J. Trudeau	Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta

Former chief justices of Alberta

• Arthur Lewis Sifton (1907–1910)
• Horace Harvey (1910–1921, 1924–1949)
• David Lynch Scott (1921–1924)
• George Bligh O'Connor (1950–1957)^[19]
• Clinton J. Ford (1957–1961)^[20]
• Sidney Bruce Smith (1961–1974)^[21]
• William A. McGillivray (1974–1984)
• James Herbert Laycraft (1984–1991)^{[22] [23] [24]}
• Catherine Fraser (1992–2022)

Previous judges

• Ronald Leon Berger (1996-2018)
• Sheilah L. Martin (2016–2017), elevated to the Supreme Court of Canada
  • William Alexander Stevenson (1980–1990) elevated to the Supreme Court of Canada John Wesley McClung (1980–2004)
• Russell Brown (2014–2015) elevated to the Supreme Court of Canada
• Clifton D O'Brien (2005–2014)^[25]
• David C McDonald (1995 - 1996)^{[26] [27]}
• Jean E.L. Côté (1987–2015)
• John "Jack" Major (1991–1992), elevated to the Supreme Court of Canada
• Anne Russell (1994–2006)
• (Asa) Milton "Milt" Harradence (1979–1997)
• Charles Allan Stuart (1907–1921 en banc appeals)(1921–1926)
• Allen Borislaw Zenoviy Sulatycky (1997–2000)
• William Robinson Howson (1942–1944)
• Charles Richmond Mitchell (1926–1936)
• Alexander Andrew MacGillivray (1931–1940)
• William Legh Walsh (1931–1931)
• Albert Freeman Ewing (1941–1946)
• James Duncan Hyndman ((1914–1921 en banc appeals)((1921–1928)
• Nicholas Dubois Dominic Beck (1907–1921 en banc appeals) (1921–1928)
• Alfred Henry Clarke (1921–1942)
• William Joseph Haddad (1974–1980)
• Neil C. Wittmann (1999–2004)^{[17] [28] [29] [30] [31]}
• Frank C. Ford (1936–1954)^{[32] [33]}
• Harold Hayward Parlee (1945–1954)^{[34] [35]}
• James Mitchell Cairns (1965–1977)^[36]
• Carole M. Conrad (1992–2014)^[37]
• John David Bracco (1987–19??)^[38]
• Roger Philip Kerans (1980–1997)^[39]
• Mary Margaret McCormick Hetherington (1985–2001)^{[40] [41]}
• Willis O'Leary (1994–2006)^[42]
• Samuel Sereth Lieberman (1976–1997)^{[43] [44]}
• Neil Douglas McDermid (1963–1986)^{[45] [46]}
• James Boyd McBride (1957–1959)^[47]
• Hugh John MacDonald (1957–1960)^{[48] [49]}
• René Paul Foisy (1987–1999)
• William George Morrow (1976–1979)^{[50] [51]}
• Adelle Fruman (1998–2007)^{[52] [53]}
• Horace Gilchrist Johnson (1954–1973)^[54]
• William Alexander MacDonald (1944–1957)
• Gordon Hollis Allen (1966–1978)
• Joseph John Walter Stratton (1987–1995)
• Arnold Fraser Moir (1973–1979)
• Carlton Ward Clement (1970–1982)
• Marshall Menzies Porter (1954–1969)
• Howard Lawrence Irving (1985–1999)
• Henry William Lunney (1928–1944)
• William Robert Sinclair (1973–1979)
• David Clifton Prowse (1972–1979)
• Roger Hector Belzil (1981–1996)
• E.W.S Kane (1961–1974)

See also

• Judiciary
• Court System of Canada

References

Sources

• Book: Knafla . Louis A. . Klumpenhouwer . Richard . Lords of the Western Bench: A Biographical History of the Supreme and District Courts of Alberta, 1876-1990 . 1997 . Legal Archives Society of Alberta . Calgary . 978-0-9681939-0-7 . registration.
• Book: Mittelstadt . David . People Principles Progress: The Alberta Court of Appeal's First Century 1914 to 2014 . 2014 . The Legal Archives Society of Alberta . Calgary . 978-0-9681939-5-2 .
• Book: Swainger . Jonathan Scott . The Alberta Supreme Court at 100: History & Authority . 2007 . University of Alberta Press . Edmonton . 978-0-88864-493-0 . registration.

External links

• • Government of Alberta Justice and Attorney General Courts
• History of the Alberta Court of Appeal, by the late J.W. (Buzz) McClung, Justice of Appeal, n. d.
• Overview: People, principles, progress. The Alberta Court of Appeal's first century 1914 to 2014, Centennial Book, by David Mittelstadt, n. d.

Notes and References

1. http://canlii.ca/t/jhfd . Medical Profession Act . RSA . 2000 . 4 . M-11.
2. http://canlii.ca/t/53jjp . Legal Profession Act . RSA . 2000 . L-8.
3. http://canlii.ca/t/kzbn . Energy Resources Conservation Act . RSA . 2000 . E-10.
4. Web site: History of the Court of Appeal . Alberta Court of Appeal . Albertacourts.ca . August 5, 2018.
5. http://canlii.ca/t/543wx . Court of Appeal Act . RSA . 2000 . C-30.
6. Web site: Federal Judicial Appointments - Number of Federally Appointed Judges in Canada. Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs. Canada. www.fja.gc.ca. March 31, 2007 .
7. Web site: Northwest Territories Courts. www.nwtcourts.ca. September 23, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20070627112741/http://www.nwtcourts.ca/Courts/ca.htm. June 27, 2007. dead.
8. Web site: NUTV Talent Development Series - Weekend After Effects Workshop Aug. 20-21 - Events - University of Calgary. www.ucalgary.ca. August 26, 2017. May 23, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090523142650/http://www.ucalgary.ca/events/node/2205. dead.
9. Web site: Alberta Judicial Appointments Announced . www.justice.gc.ca . October 27, 2006 . Department of Justice . September 27, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20110614043407/http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/news-nouv/ja-nj/2006/doc_31916.html. June 14, 2011. dead.
10. Web site: http://canada.justice.gc.ca/en/news/ja/2001/doc_26020.html. https://archive.today/20071205195257/http://canada.justice.gc.ca/en/news/ja/2001/doc_26020.html. dead. December 5, 2007.
11. Web site: We couldn't find that Web page (Error 404) - Department of Justice / Nous ne pouvons trouver cette page Web (Erreur 404) - Ministère de la Justice. www.justice.gc.ca. September 28, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20110614043453/http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/news-nouv/ja-nj/2005/doc_31742.html. June 14, 2011. dead.
12. Web site: Archived copy. September 28, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20110727161928/http://www.cba.org/Alberta/PDF/Newsletter-Apr2006.pdf. July 27, 2011. dead.
13. Web site: We couldn't find that Web page (Error 404) - Department of Justice / Nous ne pouvons trouver cette page Web (Erreur 404) - Ministère de la Justice. www.justice.gc.ca. September 27, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20110614043422/http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/news-nouv/ja-nj/2006/doc_31886.html. June 14, 2011. dead.
14. Web site: http://canada.justice.gc.ca/en/news/ja/2000/doc_25464.html. https://archive.today/20071205205232/http://canada.justice.gc.ca/en/news/ja/2000/doc_25464.html. dead. December 5, 2007.
15. Web site: We couldn't find that Web page (Error 404) - Department of Justice / Nous ne pouvons trouver cette page Web (Erreur 404) - Ministère de la Justice. www.justice.gc.ca. September 27, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20110614043430/http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/news-nouv/ja-nj/2007/doc_32032.html. June 14, 2011. dead.
16. Web site: Top 40: Part 1 | Stories. August 26, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20160917062200/http://www.ucalgary.ca/alumni/awards/top40#patricia_rowbotham. September 17, 2016. dead.
17. Web site: Prime Minister of Canada: PM announces Alberta Judicial Appointments. November 4, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20100113170946/http://www.pm.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?category=1&id=2906. January 13, 2010. dead.
18. Web site: Justices of the Court of Appeal . October 28, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161028084558/https://albertacourts.ca/court-of-appeal/sittings-hearing-lists-locations/justices-of-the-court-of-appeal . October 28, 2016 . dead .
19. Web site: Alberta, past and present : historical and biographical. John. Blue. August 5, 2018. Chicago, Ill. : Pioneer Historical. Internet Archive.
20. Web site: Archived copy . September 24, 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20091117070138/http://www.elgin.ca/tweedsmuir/Eden%20Vol%204/page%200045%20-%200050.pdf . November 17, 2009 . dead .
21. Web site: S. Bruce Smith- S. Bruce Smith School. sbs.epsb.ca.
22. Web site: LASA Judicial Busts . September 24, 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090619112204/http://www.legalarchivessociety.ab.ca/Virtual%20Exhibits/judicial_busts.html . June 19, 2009 . dead .
23. Web site: Order of Canada. Government of Canada, Office of the Secretary to the Governor General, Information and Media. Services. archive.gg.ca.
24. Web site: Archived copy . October 14, 2009 . January 1, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110101062203/http://www.freemasons.ab.ca/AbFM/ABF0211.pdf . dead .
25. News: Alberta Judicial Appointments Announced. https://web.archive.org/web/20091017084223/http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/news-nouv/ja-nj/2005/doc_31492.html. dead. October 17, 2009. September 28, 2009.
26. News: Alberta Judicial Appointment Announced. https://web.archive.org/web/20031111225447/http://www.justice.gc.ca/en/news/ja/1995/ALTA6.html. dead. November 11, 2003. July 10, 2019.
27. Web site: David Cargill McDonald The Canadian Encyclopedia. 2021-01-11. www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca.
28. News: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-insurance-cap-on-soft-tissue-injuries-struck-down-1.712242.
29. Web site: Archived copy. November 4, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20110727162027/http://www.cba.org/Alberta/PDF/NewsletterNov1999.pdf. July 27, 2011. dead.
30. Web site: (no title). Edmonton Sun.
31. Web site: Alberta Law Reform Institute. November 4, 2009. https://archive.today/20130424114149/http://prejury.law.ualberta.ca/alri/About-ALRI/Staff--Board-Profiles/Mr.-Justice-Neil-C.-Wittmann.php. April 24, 2013. dead.
32. Web site: University of Alberta: Frank Ford (1942–1946). www.ualbertacentennial.ca.
33. Web site: Albertasource.ca Alberta's Online Encyclopedia. www.albertasource.ca.
34. Web site: University of Alberta: Board of Governors. www.ualbertacentennial.ca.
35. Web site: Law Society of Alberta - 2006 Annual Report . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20080402055040/http://www.lawsocietyalberta.com/lsa-ar/page14.html. April 2, 2008.
36. Web site: Archived copy. October 9, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20110611045535/http://www.calgary.ca/DocGallery/BU/cityclerks/c.pdf. June 11, 2011. dead.
37. Book: Canadian Who's Who 2005. 9780802089076. Lumley. Elizabeth. April 2005. University of Toronto Press .
38. Web site: John D. Bracco History. September 27, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20110706175959/http://jdbracco.epsb.ca/history.htm. July 6, 2011. dead.
39. Web site: ADR Chambers International - Panel Member. September 28, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20080905213834/http://www.adrchambersinternational.com/cvkerans.htm. September 5, 2008. dead.
40. Web site: ADR Chambers International - Panel Member. September 28, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20080905214134/http://www.adrchambersinternational.com/cvhetherington.htm. September 5, 2008. dead.
41. Web site: Archived copy. November 4, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20110706192850/http://www.pbla.ca/library/attachment.135477. July 6, 2011. dead.
42. Web site: ADR Chambers International - Panel Member. September 28, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20080905212856/http://www.adrchambersinternational.com/cvoleary.htm. September 5, 2008. dead.
43. Web site: ADR Chambers International - Panel Member. September 28, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20081204151532/http://www.adrchambersinternational.com/cvlieberman.htm. December 4, 2008. dead.
44. Web site: LG - 404 Error. www.lieutenantgovernor.ab.ca.
45. Web site: http://www.calgary.ca/DocGallery/BU/cityclerks/caldermen.pdf . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070927221722/http://www.calgary.ca/DocGallery/BU/cityclerks/caldermen.pdf . September 27, 2007 .
46. Web site: Archived copy. October 9, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20110725185227/http://www.archivescanada.ca/english/search/ItemDisplay.asp?sessionKey=999999999_142&l=0&lvl=1&v=0&coll=0&itm=136794&rt=1&bill=1. July 25, 2011. dead.
47. Web site: Albertasource.ca Alberta's Online Encyclopedia. www.albertasource.ca.
48. Book: Lords of the North. 9781896182711. McDonell. James K.. Campbell. Robert Bennett. 1997. GeneralStore PublishingHouse .
49. Book: A History of the University of Alberta, 1908–1969. registration. 363. Hugh John MacDonald Justice Alberta.. University of Alberta. 9780888640253. Johns. Walter Hugh. 1981.
50. Web site: Archives and Special Collections - University of Calgary -. specialcollections.ucalgary.ca.
51. Book: Northern Justice: The Memoirs of Mr Justice William G. Morrow. Osgoode Society for Canadian Legal. History. Legal Archives Society of. Alberta. search. results. December 1, 1995. Univ of Toronto Pr. 0802007880.
52. Web site: Fourth International Conference on Law via the Internet - Bibliographical Notes. November 4, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20080811054049/http://www.lexum.umontreal.ca/conf/conf2002/en/bio.html. August 11, 2008. dead.
53. Web site: Archived copy. November 4, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20100215152557/http://ccca.dgtlpub.com/2008/2008-10-31/pdf/where_the_grass_is_greener.pdf. February 15, 2010. dead.
54. Web site: List of Law Nomination Scholarships - Office of the Registrar - University of Alberta. www.registrar.ualberta.ca.