Court Operations and Governance

Court Operations

The Court of Appeal Registry in Calgary and Edmonton files and manages court documents from the filing (of a notice of appeal or application) through to judgment. The Registry distributes pre-hearing materials to judges, who review all submissions prior to a hearing. After an appeal or application is heard, judges research and write their decision. The decision is posted to the Court Record and made publicly available, first through the Court of Appeal website and then on CanLII.

Court Governance

Vision and Mission

The following statements guide the Court of Appeal across its judicial (decision-making) and administrative functions.

  • It is our vision to be a trusted court providing (that provides) timely justice to all who come before it.
  • It is our mission to be a modern, accessible and independent court whose work is respected and trusted by the public, the Bar and members of the judiciary.

Core values

The Court’s core values include:

  • Judicial independence
    • Protecting the Court’s constitutional role as part of a separate, independent judicial branch while working effectively with the executive and legislative branches of government
    • Educating the public about the importance of an independent judicial system
    • Maintaining public confidence in the judicial system
  • Excellence and Integrity
    • Applying and developing the law through well-reasoned decisions
    • Respecting the Constitution and the rule of law
    • Supporting ongoing professional development and legal education for the judiciary and the Court’s legal and administration staff
  • Fairness and equality
    • Fair and impartial justice
    • Consistency and predictability in decision making
    • Equal and fair treatment before the law for all parties
  • Accessibility
    • Reducing unreasonable barriers to participation in the judicial process
    • Embracing technology and electronic processes to better enable Albertans to connect with, access and learn about the judicial system, justice service and the Court
    • Committing to the open court principle including reasonable public access to court records and publicly accessible and open proceedings
  • Efficiency and effectiveness
    • Timely decisions
    • Effective case management
    • Supporting Registry services
    • Managing public funds responsibly while providing high-quality justice to Albertans

Strategic Priorities

From 2024 to 2029, the strategic priorities for the Court of Appeal are:

  1. Institutional independence
  2. Continued excellence in the Court’s work
  3. Access to justice
  4. Public outreach and education
  5. Responsible stewardship of public resources