Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories

The Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories is the name of two different superior courts for the Canadian territory of the Northwest Territories, which have existed at different times.

The first Supreme Court of the North-West Territories was created in 1885. At that time, the North-West Territories included the territory which later became the Provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan, as well as the Yukon Territory. The first Supreme Court lasted until abolished for territorial purposes in 1905. However, it continued to act for the Provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta until finally being abolished in 1907.

The current Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories was created in 1955 and continues to operate today.

Both courts had general jurisdiction over matters of both civil and criminal law. The first Court was both the trial court and the appellate court, but the current Court is primarily a trial court, with appeals going to the Alberta Court of Appeal, sitting as the Court of Appeal for the Northwest Territories.

The first Supreme Court of the North-West Territories was created by the federal Parliament in 1885 to replace the system of individual stipendiary magistrates which had previously operated in the Territories. The former stipendiary magistrates were appointed as the first judges of the new Supreme Court.

The Court was a superior court of civil and criminal jurisdiction. The jurisdiction of the Court was defined by reference to the jurisdiction of the English courts which existed as of July 15, 1870, the date the North-West Territories became part of Canada. The Court had all the powers "... used, exercised and enjoyed by any of Her Majesty’s superior courts of common law, or by the Court of Chancery, or by the Court of Probate in England" as of that date. The judges of the Court sat individually as trial judges. The full court sat en banc to hear appeals. A further appeal lay to the Supreme Court of Canada under The Supreme Court Act.

...
Wikipedia