Welcome to the Researching Canadian Cases research guide. This guide provides you with the basic resources available in electronic and print formats for researching Canadian case law at the Osgoode Hall Law School library. Access to some of these resources are limited to faculty and students of York University while some are further restricted to Osgoode Hall Law School faculty and students only. Please see the individual tabs for all the following resources:
- Secondary Sources
- Canada (Federal)
Supreme Court of Canada
The Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court in the Canadian judicial system. It hears appeals from the Federal Court of Appeal and the Court of Appeal for the provinces. It is governed by the Supreme Court Act and it has jurisdiction to hear disputes in all areas of law.The Federal Courts
The Federal Courts are the highest in Canada's federal judiciary. Originally created in 1971 as a successor to the Exchequer Court of Canada and further separated into two in 2003. They hear applications and appeals for judicial reviews in federally regulated matters mostly on constitutional and administrative cases, areas of copyrights, immigration, maritime, national patents, security, social benefits, tax and trade-marks.Tax Court
The Tax court hears appeals in the area of income tax and it was established in 1983.Court Martial Appeal Court
This court hears appeals from military courts or martial courts trying military personnel and civilians accompanying them overseas for crimes and offences against the Code of Service Discipline.
Administrative Boards & Tribunals
Federal administrative boards and tribunals are created by federal statutes. Their structure and functions vary from those of the courts and the enabling statutes expressly lists out their mandates.
On The Web: Where to Find Canadian Case Law (Great Library of the Law Society of Upper Canada)
The Canadian Legal Research and Writing Guide (formerly, Best Guide to Canadian Legal Research)
Canadian Legislation and Case Law (University of Ottawa Law Library)
Primary Sources of Law: Canadian Case Law (University of Toronto Bora Laskin Law Library)
Finding Caselaw (University of Alberta)
CanLII Primer (The National Self-Represented Litigants Project)