Court records--British Columbia

Taxonomy

Code

Scope note(s)

Source note(s)

  • GR and MS subject headings

Display note(s)

Hierarchical terms

Court records--British Columbia

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Court records--British Columbia

Associated terms

Court records--British Columbia

218 Archival description results for Court records--British Columbia

218 results directly related Exclude narrower terms

Vernon County Court process books

  • GR-3507
  • Series
  • 1913-[195-?]

The series consists of one unindexed process book dating from 1913 to 1916 and two process index books. The indexes appear to be for much later records and likely date to the 1950s. A typical entry shows the date received, plaint number, plaintiff, defendant, nature of process, amount, court issued from, name of solicitor, date of return, nature of return and remarks.

British Columbia. County Court (Vernon)

Attorney General document series

  • GR-0419
  • Series
  • 1857-1966

The Attorney-General Document series consists mainly of transcripts of depositions and preliminary hearings and trials, forwarded to the Attorney-General and numbered consecutively by year they were filed. Registers and indexes (volumes 879 to 885) are available on microfilm reel B00395.

British Columbia. Dept. of the Attorney-General

British Columbia Supreme Court of Civil Justice bench books

  • GR-2025
  • Series
  • 1859-1873

Series consists of bench books for civil and criminal cases heard by Matthew Baillie Begbie in the British Columbia Supreme Court of Civil Justice, 1859-1873. The volumes include Begbie's notes of proceedings and may include draft copies of judgements and reasons for judgement. They focus primarily on cases heard on the Cariboo District court circuit. County Court cases may be included as are appeals from the Gold Commissioner's Court. The volumes cover Begbie's term as Justice for the Colony of British Columbia and the unified Colony of British Columbia as well as the early years of his tenure as Chief Justice of British Columbia after the colony became a province of Canada. There is a single entry for a case heard by Henry P.P. Crease at Victoria, 1871.

Volumes 3-8 were originally numbered by Begbie as volumes 1-6.

British Columbia. Judiciary

Record book

  • GR-0714
  • Series
  • 1861-1863

This series consists of one volume of a Colony of British Columbia Supreme Court of Civil Justice record book of cases heard at Yale, Lytton, Lillooet, Quesnel Forks, Antler Creek, Beaver Lake, Hope, Douglas, and New Westminster, from 1861-1863.

British Columbia (Colony). Supreme Court of Civil Justice

Bench books

  • GR-1727
  • Series
  • 1864-1964

This series comprises mostly of bench books for civil and criminal cases heard by various judges and chief justices in the Supreme Court, County Court, Court of Appeal, Admiralty Court, Circuit Courts and Assizes. The series also includes notes on commissions of inquiry as well as miscellaneous court information. Civil and criminal cases are often included in the same volume and records from different judges, different levels of courts, different time periods and geographic areas may be mixed in the same volume, particularly for the earlier period..

For loose material removed from the volumes in GR-1727 see GR-2783.

British Columbia. Judiciary

Fee books

  • GR-0660
  • Series
  • 1864-1886, 1895-1915

This series consists of 22 volumes of fee books, recording fees owing to the Supreme Court. Volume 1 and 2 are for New Westminster, under the Colony of British Columbia Supreme Court of Civil Justice. The third volume covers New Westminster and Victoria from the Vancouver Island Supreme Court of Civil Justice. Volumes 4 to 22 were created after 1870 when both courts merged into the Supreme Court of British Columbia, based in Victoria.

British Columbia. Supreme Court

Correspondence and other material removed from benchbooks

  • GR-2783
  • Series
  • [Ca. 1864-1964]

The series consists of loose material removed from bench books in GR-1727. Records include correspondence and reasons for judgement.

Box 1/7 loose material removed from GR-1727 vols 1-93.
Box 2/7 loose material removed from GR-1727 vols 94-236.
Box 3/7 loose material removed from GR-1727 vols 241-386.
Box 4/7 loose material removed from GR-1727 vols 387-538.
Box 5/7 loose material removed from GR-1727 vols 539-599.
Box 6/7 loose material removed from GR-1727 vols 600-706.
Box 7/7 loose material removed from GR-1727 vols 707-777

British Columbia. Judiciary

Victoria Sheriff court records

  • GR-0854
  • Series
  • 1867-1898

This series consists of 13 volumes of Victoria Sheriff court records, 1867-1898. Records include executions, process books, account books, auction book and a cash book. Records may relate to the Victoria County Court or Supreme Court.

British Columbia. Sheriff. Victoria

Cassier Gold Commissioner records

  • GR-0218
  • Series
  • 1873-1931

The series consists of records created by the Cassiar Gold Commissioner between 1873 and 1931. It includes correspondence outward, mining and water records and photocopies of gold commissioner's court records originally created 1876-1888.

British Columbia. Gold Commissioner (Cassiar)

Victoria Supreme Court divorce orders

  • GR-1587
  • Series
  • 1877-1998

Series consists of decrees nisi, decrees absolute, and divorce orders issued by the Supreme Court of Victoria between 1877 and 1998. Decrees nisi were used inconsistently prior to the 1930s and required a waiting period before a decree absolute could be issued. Between 1968 and 1985, the waiting period was three months. A divorce was not legally in effect without a decree absolute. After 1985, divorce orders automatically came into effect 31 days after the divorce was granted, barring an appeal.

Volumes 1-11 and 19-43 are indexed. The records were scheduled for full retention under Court Services ORCS (schedule 100152) 51440-25.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (Victoria)

Kamloops Supreme Court record and minute books

  • GR-2178
  • Series
  • 1879-1949

Series consists of a Kamloops Supreme Court registrar's record book, mostly from Assizes, for 1879-1911 and a minute book for 1911-1949.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (Kamloops)

Victoria Supreme Court civil orders

  • GR-1566
  • Series
  • 1880-2008

The series consists of civil orders issued by the Supreme Court in Victoria between 1880 and 2008. Orders dating from 1880 until December 1946 were microfilmed and the originals destroyed. Records after this period are maintained in their original form. Many, but not all, volumes dating up to the late 1970s include nominal indexes. Orders are the formal expression of the ruling of the court. The records relate to a variety of civil matters including adoptions, divorces, and bankruptcies.

The records were scheduled for full retention under Court Services ORCS (schedule 100152) 51400-25.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (Victoria)

Victoria Supreme Court judgements

  • GR-1590
  • Series
  • 1880-1977

Series consists of judgements created between November 1880 and October 1977 by the Victoria Supreme Court. Orders are the formal expression of the ruling of the court and judgements are the final orders issued in a case. Early records relate to a variety of matters, including adoption and divorce. Records after 1958 primarily relate to financial matters such as damages, costs, payments, bankruptcy recovery, and divorce costs and maintenance. Original textual records up to the end of 1958 appear to have been destroyed after microfilming; retrieve those records using microfilm.

Records are arranged by volume and folio number as assigned by the court registry. The records were scheduled for full retention under Court Services ORCS (schedule 100152) 51400-25.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (Victoria)

Nanaimo Supreme Court Registrar's assize record books

  • GR-3075
  • Series
  • 1881-1888

The series consists of two registrar's assize record books. One dates from December 1882 to July 1884, and the second dates from 1887 to possibly 1888. The first volume was kept by the registrar (Marshall Bray) and served as a minute book, bench book and record book. It includes several Petit and Grand Jury lists. The second volume was not kept by Bray, but was presumably kept either by his successor or another courts employee working in a similar capacity.

Both volumes include a great deal of witness statements concerning particular cases. Many of the cases deal with Chinese or Indigenous residents of Nanaimo and the surrounding area. The statements are frequently lengthy and often appear to have been recorded verbatim. There are notes regarding translations.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (Nanaimo)

Indexes to New Westminster Supreme Court civil cause books and case record cards

  • GR-4117
  • Series
  • 1881-1977

The series consists of alphabetical indexes from 1881-1977 for New Westminster Supreme Court civil cause books and case record cards found within GR-1564. Indexes provide only a case file number. They do not provide volume and folio numbers necessary to locate civil orders and judgements.

The volume marked "8. Front index" has not been found to index New Westminster Supreme Court cause books (GR-1564), orders (GR-1606 and GR-1806), assize minute books (GR-1818), or judgments (GR-1892). It is assumed that this volume indexes a cause book that has not yet been transferred to BC Archives custody.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (New Westminster)

New Westminster Supreme Court civil cause books and case record cards

  • GR-1564
  • Series
  • 1881-1977

Series consists of civil cause books and case record cards from the New Westminster Supreme Court from September 1881 to April 1977. There are no cause books for November 1947 to August 1949 or for July to December 1975 and volume 11 (1956) is missing. Cause books and case records cards provide the framework for Supreme Court civil action cases and may include the names of parties, the dates when proceedings occurred, and can be used to determine volume and folio numbers for locating final orders and/or judgements. Cause books were used by the courts until approximately the mid-1970s. They were replaced by case record cards, which were replaced by digital systems in the 1990s. They are often the only source of information for divorces that were not finalized since no final order would have been granted and case files are destroyed.

Records are arranged chronologically by the date a case was initiated. Case file numbers were then assigned sequentially and include the year a case was initiated. Original textual records prior to 1949 were destroyed after microfilming. Retrieve records using microfilm reels The records were scheduled for retention under Court Services ORCS (schedule 100152) 53200-20.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (New Westminster)

Kamloops Supreme Court orders and judgements

  • GR-2451
  • Series
  • 1881-2000

The series consists of civil orders and reasons for judgement created between 1881 and 2000. Early records are from the Yale district, although the majority of records in the series relate specifically to Kamloops. The records are largely arranged chronologically by filing date, which can sometimes be several months after the order was issued in court. Between 1954 and 1973, orders were arranged by volume and folio numbers. Records were compiled into volumes based on filing date. Each folio is comprised of one order. The Archives does not currently have records for the period 1974 to 1982. Between 1983 and the late 1980s, some civil orders were filed by a sequential number. From the late 1980s onwards, the court filing system returned to using volumes and folios; however the volume number began again at 1. Many of the volumes contain indexes.

Civil orders are the formal expression of the ruling of the court and reasons for judgement provide the court's rationale. The records relate to a variety of civil matters, including adoption orders.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (Kamloops)

Kamloops Supreme Court civil cause books

  • GR-1626
  • Series
  • 1882, 1887-1946, 1951-1952

Series consists of cause books from the Kamloops Supreme Court for civil cases in 1882, 1887-1946, and 1951-1952. Cause books provide the framework for Supreme Court civil action cases and may include the names of parties, the dates when proceedings occurred, and volume and folio numbers for locating final orders. They are often the only source of information for divorces that were not finalized since no final order would have been granted and case files are destroyed.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (Kamloops)

New Westminster Supreme Court judgements

  • GR-1892
  • Series
  • 1882-1949

The series consists of judgements created by the New Westminster Supreme Court registry between 1882 and 1949. Orders are the formal expression of the ruling of the court and judgements are the final orders issued in a case.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (New Westminster)

Vancouver County Court plaint and procedure books and case record cards

  • GR-1651
  • Series
  • 1886-1990

This series consists of plaint and procedure books and case record cards from the Vancouver County Court for civil cases between 1886-1990. Plaint and procedure books and case records cards provide the skeletal framework for civil County Court proceedings and may include the names of parties, the dates when proceedings occurred, and can be used to determine a volume and folio number for locating final orders. Plaint and procedure books were used by county courts until approximately the mid-1970s. They were replaced by case record cards, which were used until the courts turned to digital systems in the 1990s.

The records are arranged by case number, which can be found by using the indexes in GR-1650. Beginning in 1976, cases were arranged by case number within two series: other civil ("F") and motor vehicle (ā€œEā€). Case numbers each begin with the letter of their corresponding series. Original records were destroyed after microfilming; retrieve records using microfilm. The records were scheduled for retention under Court Services ORCS (schedule 100152) 53200-20.

British Columbia. County Court (Vancouver)

Vancouver County Court indexes to civil cases

  • GR-1650
  • Series
  • 1886-1990

The series consists of indexes for Vancouver County Court 1886-1990 plaint and procedure books and case record cards found within GR-1651. Entries may provide a case number, which can be used to locate an associated record within a plaint and procedure book or a case record card. Plaint and procedure books were used by county courts until approximately the mid-1970s. They were replaced by case record cards, which were used until the courts turned to digital systems in the 1990s.

Over time, index entries vary and may be searchable by the name of the plaintiff, the defendant, a third party, or an alias. Original records were destroyed after microfilming; retrieve records using microfilm. The records were scheduled for full retention under Court Services ORCS (schedule 100152) 53200-20.

British Columbia. County Court (Vancouver)

Vernon Supreme Court judgements and indexes to judgements

  • GR-2315
  • Series
  • 1887-1934

The series consists of judgements issued by the Supreme Court in Vernon between 1887 and 1934. The records consist of judgements on a variety of matters, including libel, divorce, foreclosures, debtors and creditors, and other civil matters. Records are arranged in rough chronological order. Indexes are only available in containers of original paper records.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (Vernon)

Nanaimo Supreme Court cause books

  • GR-2028
  • Series
  • 1887-1948

Series consists of cause books from the Nanaimo Supreme Court from 1887-1890 and 1894-1948. Cause books provide the framework for Supreme Court civil action cases and may include the names of parties, the dates when proceedings occurred, and can be used to determine volume and folio numbers for locating final orders and/or judgements. Cause books were used by the courts until approximately the mid-1970s. They are often the only source of information for divorces that were not finalized since no final order would have been granted and case files are destroyed.

Original records were destroyed after microfilming. Retrieve records using microfilm reels The records were scheduled for retention under Court Services ORCS (schedule 100152) 53200-20.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (Nanaimo)

Nanaimo Supreme Court Registrar's assize record book

  • GR-2301
  • Series
  • 1888-1912

Series consists of one Nanaimo Supreme Court Registrar's assize record book for 1888 to 1912.

Original textual records were destroyed after microfilming. Use microfilm copy.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (Nanaimo)

Notice of appeal of case (Gray et al v McCallum etc.)

  • GR-0355
  • Series
  • 1889-1894

This series consists of the notice of appeal for the case of Samuel Gray, John Gray and James Gray versus Arthur Edward McCallum, and by counter-claim, McCallum versus the Grays and Edward Mainwaring Johnson and the Ophir Bed Rock Flume Company (1894). Includes letter from John Gray to McCallum, Dec. 25, 1889.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (Victoria)

Chilliwack County Court civil and Supreme Court chambers bench book

  • GR-2086
  • Series
  • 1889-1891

Series consists of one bench book for Chilliwack County Court civil and Supreme Court chambers cases heard before Judge William Norman (W.N.) Bole between 1889 and 1891. The volume includes records relating to cases heard at his residence in New Westminster. It also frequently includes his reasons for judgement.

British Columbia. County Court (Chilliwack)

New Westminster Supreme Court orders

  • GR-1806
  • Series
  • 1889-1915

The series consists of original orders created by the New Westminster Supreme Court registry between 1889-1915. Orders are the formal expression of the ruling of the court.

Records are arranged by volume as assigned by the court registry and are indexed. Original textual records were destroyed after microfilming. Six maps were removed from the files prior to microfilming and are housed separately (accession M90-005).

British Columbia. Supreme Court (New Westminster)

Nelson Supreme Court orders

  • GR-2718
  • Series
  • 1890-1945

Orders. Organized by case. Includes divorce orders.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (Nelson)

Comox County Court plaint and procedure book

  • GR-2124
  • Series
  • 1890-1896

Series consists of one plaint and procedure book from the Comox County Court for cases between 1890 and 1896. Plaint and procedure books provide the framework for County Court civil action cases and may include the names of parties, the dates when proceedings occurred, and can be used to determine a volume and folio number for locating final orders.

The original volumes for records 1/1890 to 1/1896 were destroyed after microfilming; retrieve records using microfilm. The records were scheduled for retention under Court Services ORCS (schedule 100152) 53200-20.

British Columbia. County Court (Comox)

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