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This series consists of executive records of the Court Services Branch, including those of the Assistant Deputy Minister, Ministry of the Attorney General. Records range in date from 1973-1994. This includes operational and administrative files from the Court Services Headquarters in Victoria and may relate to all court registries throughout BC.

The majority of records consist of correspondence, minutes, reference material, forms, drafts, legislation, and manuals. The first two accessions are arranged according to a Court Services specific file code system.

Files may regard: legislation drafting, amending or reference; circulars; news releases and clippings; statistics; executive correspondence referral replies or complaints, many related to issues with members of the public obtaining copies of documents or other services from Court Services; liaison and co-operation with other political bodies; creation of forms; administrative records related to staffing and appointments; wrongful imprisonment; staff errors and complaints against staff; escape incident case files; escort and security procedures; registry policy and procedures including their development, legal requirements and circulation to all registries; Family Court procedures, including the enforcement of Family Maintenance orders; personal property and debt collection case files; executions and serving of documents including procedures, complaints and staff appointments; interpleader files and actions against sheriffs; and, subject files on a variety of topics.

There are also many committee and meeting records, including those of Court Services Policy Board, Board of Sheriffs, Regional Court Administrators, Board of District Managers, Court Services Advisory Board, Court Services Status of Women Committee, Ministerial Case Management Evaluation Task Force Committee, Victim Assistance Committee, Justice Institute, Corrections Branch, Executive Policy Board, Canadian Bar Association, BC Association of Chiefs of Police, and various committees reviewing legislation and planning its implementation.

Files in accession 92-4831 were created from the mid-1980s on and utilize a different file system known as the Operational Records Classification System (ORCS) and Administrative Records Classification System (ARCS). These records relate to IT projects, budgets, various committee files, and the procedural analysis of the Provincial Family Court and Family Maintenance Enforcement Program (FMEP).

The Ministry responsible for these records and associated dates are:

British Columbia. Ministry of Attorney General (1979-)
British Columbia. Ministry of the Attorney-General (1976-1979)
British Columbia. Dept. of the Attorney-General (1871-1976)

The series consists of committee related and conference meeting materials that were attended by members of the Criminal Justice Branch. These records document the branch’s participation in inter-ministerial and intergovernmental criminal justice work. The files cover a wide range of criminal justice issues such as traffic safety, legislation development, family law, juvenile justice, justice reform, videotape use in child sexual abuse cases, and police and BC Parole Board files. The records were created and received by the Ministry of Attorney General, Criminal Justice Branch between 1984 and 1993 in British Columbia.

The records are arranged by committee/conference name or subject. They include correspondence, memoranda, reports, project files, surveys, manuals, committee agendas and minutes, and conference programs. The records are assigned Administrative Records Classification System (ARCS) numbers (schedule 100001). They also include an alphanumeric abbreviation code.

This series consists of drafting of legislation and regulation case files from the Legislative Council of the Ministry of Attorney General, mostly from the 1950s to the late 1980s. Most files relate to drafting new or amending existing individual bills, acts, regulations, and orders in council, and include a variety of records used in the drafting process for particular years. The series also includes some correspondence files, subject files, Cabinet Committee on Legislation Records of Decisions, Cabinet Committee Approvals, reviews of existing legislation, as well as general operational and administrative records of the office documenting the legislative process, meetings, procedures, training, human resources management, presentations and conference materials, such as the Uniform Law Conference.

Most legislation and regulation case files each have a two sided structure; however, this structure is not always followed consistently through the files. Records on the left side of the file generally include correspondence and memorandums, while the remaining documents such as acts, regulations, working drafts, reference material and records used in the legislation process are on the right side. These records can include copies of legislation from BC and other jurisdictions, drafts, working copies, amendments to existing legislation and regulations, reference materials used in the drafting and editing process, correspondence from government and third parties interested in changes to legislation, cabinet submissions, notes, bills, requests for new legislation, court judgements, commission reports, proclamations, orders in council and discussion papers.

These records have been classified as 34200-20 in the Legal Services ORCS (schedule 105050).

The series consists of five slide shows created in 1977 by the Ministry of Attorney General. These slide shows are concerned with the information system aspects of the Justice system's responsibilities including administration, courts, police and corrections and the use of geographic base files. The series also includes scripts for the slide shows.

The series consists of videotapes created by the Ministry of Attorney General between 1983 and 1990. The videos were created to provide public information on a variety of topics including Justice and Court services, alcohol and youth issues and disaster response.

Series consists of miscellaneous files created by the Information and Privacy unit of the Ministry of Attorney General. Although most of the files relate to the Ministry of Attorney General, the unit also provided services to the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General and there are files that reflect this.

Records consist of policy and procedures files, correspondence, reports, training material, meeting files, reference material and copies of investigation reports. The investigation reports document privacy investigations by the ministry, or the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner. Some of these investigation files relate to other government bodies and were kept for reference purposes.

Files are arranged by the classification number taken from the Administrative Records Classification System (ARCS).

The series consists of records created in the office of the Assistant Deputy Attorney General, including those of acting Assistant Deputy Attorney Generals. The records were created between 1974 and 2006, and consist of memos, briefing notes, legal opinions, certificates of settlement, press releases, staff personnel records, newsletters, incoming and outgoing correspondence, contract information, and meeting minutes from Executive, Branch Management, Personnel and Supervisors’ Committees meetings as well as from the Policy and Legislation, Finance and Budget, and Legislation and Regulatory subcommittees. The records span the tenures of several Assistant Deputy Attorney Generals and document the impact and influence of the evolution of civil law and public policy in British Columbia. The series outlines legal principles relating to key civil matters involving the Crown, and provides background information and information on how matters were resolved.The series also provides evidence of the relationship between the Assistant Deputy Attorney General and the Ministry of the Attorney General, as well as relationships with other ministries within government. Records in the series cover a variety of high-profile cases, including the Sue Rodriguez medically assisted dying case, tobacco litigation, the Jericho Hill school case, and the Delgamuukw Aboriginal title case. Some of the correspondence appears to have been written by members of the public to various governmental representatives and ministers, and subsequently forwarded to the Assistant Deputy Attorney General for a response.

The series is covered by a variety of ARCS. The creating office generally created files based on subject or committee. Records relating to the same subject or committee can often be found across different accessions.

This series consists of subject files, correspondence and other records from the Office of the Attorney General from 1945-1972, 1974-2001. The records document all aspects of the Attorney General's role, including: advice to Cabinet; political oversight of the ministry; and involvement in inter-ministerial and inter-governmental initiatives. Files relate to all branches and functions of the Ministry of Attorney General and many include an overview of the work conducted by various branches of the ministry.

The majority of records are annual subject or correspondence files documenting the Attorney General’s liaison with government ministries and other government bodies, such as BC Ferries and BC Hydro. For earlier records, this includes annual correspondence files with Members of the Legislative Assembly, Ministers, and a few members of the public such as concerned citizens, and representatives of various organizations or companies. These files may contain correspondence in and out, alongside related reference material. In later series outgoing correspondence may be filed separately as flimsies (outgoing correspondence sent by the Attorney General). Some of the flimsies reply to correspondence written by members of the public and subsequently forwarded to the Attorney General from various officials for a response.

In addition, many records are copies requiring review or approval by the Attorney General, such as requests for legislation, and orders in council (OICs) and related background information.

Other types of records vary over the years and may include: Police Board records, including minutes; settlement offers with First Nations; Police Services complaints commission records; Human Rights Tribunal records, including reasons for decision; annual reports; legal opinions; press releases; newspaper clippings; staff personnel records; newsletters; correspondence; statistics; reports; budgets; audits; Freedom of Information requests; Treasury Board submissions; newspaper clippings; court records; files related to sessions of parliament including Bills, notes and responses to questions; daily journals or agendas (these are the only records in the series covering the years 1945-1951); briefs submitted to Cabinet from interested third parties. Many records appear to be informational to keep the Attorney General informed about various issues or the progress of programs and projects.

The subjects included in these records are extremely diverse, as the Attorney General interacted with all branches of government. A few prominent subjects include: liquor control, Doukhobors, Policing, allegations of corruption and abuse of authority by government officials or police, horse racing, conferences, Royal Commissions, Bank of British Columbia, Columbia River Treaty and power development project, and Dominion Provincial Conferences.

The records include a VHS videotape providing an overview of Thomas R. Berger’s report addressing claims of sexual abuse at Jericho Hill School for the Deaf. The videotape also contains the Attorney General at the time, the Honorable Colin Gablemann’s ministerial statement tabling Berger’s report to the Legislature on June 28th, 1995.

Names and dates of Attorney Generals covering these records are:
Robert Bonner (1952–1968)
Leslie Peterson (1968–1972)
Alex MacDonald (1972–1975)
Brian Smith (1983-1988)
Bud Smith (1988-1990)
Russell Fraser (1990-1991)
Colin Gabelmann (1991-1995)
Ujjal Dosanjh (1995–2000)
Andrew Petter (2000)
Graeme Bowbrick (2000–2001)
Geoff Plant (2001–2005)

These records are covered under Executive Records schedule 102906. Accession 86-0270 is covered under onetime schedule number 860140.

This series consists of records of Malcolm McAvity, Director of Land Titles. Record dates range from 1992 to 1999. Files relate to legislation impacting Land Titles, such as Crown Liens, Escheat Act and Hastings Park Renewal Act. Other records are from committees the Director sat on, some are related to projects and work of the entire Ministry of Attorney General, such as implementing the use of email. Records include minute, correspondence, reports, reference material, and requests for legislation.

For the period in which these records were created, Land Titles functions were part of the Ministry of Attorney General.

Covered under Executive Records schedule 102906.