Judicial Information
The Alberta Court of Justice has 136 full-time equivalent Justices (some full time and some part time) as well as a number of Supernumerary Justices who serve when required. Justices in Edmonton and Calgary belong to specific divisions: Criminal, Family & Youth or Civil, but all Justices are qualified to hear cases in all areas of the law. There are 72 locations across the province where Justices of the Alberta Court of Justice hear matters. In smaller locations, the Court sits only on specific days of the week. Some Justices regularly sit in a particular city or town and others travel between locations, but all Justices are able to sit at any location in Alberta.
In addition to Justices, the Court is served by more than 40 full-time and part-time Justices of the Peace.
The Chief Justice is the administrative head of the Court, and he is assisted by the Deputy Chief Justice and nine Assistant Chief Justices. The page Judges and Justices of the Peace has more information on the Court's Judges and Justices of the Peace.
- Judicial Independence - Justices must be free, but obliged, to decide on their own.
- Judicial Appointments - To be a Justice of the Alberta Court of Justice, you need to be a lawyer with at least 10 years of experience. Justices of the Alberta Court of Justice are appointed by the Alberta Minister of Justice from a list of approved candidates.
- Judicial Education - The Justices of the Alberta Court of Justice are committed to professional development and have many opportunities to advance their education and keep up to date with developments in law and in society. While Justices are individually responsible for their own education, the Court has education plans in place to guide the Justices and support them in their professional development.
- Judicial Complaints - The Court has a process to hear complaints about Justices from lawyers or the public.
Further information on Justices of the Alberta Court of Justice is available in the Court of Justice Act. The Justice of the Peace Act and the Justice of the Peace Regulation set out the jurisdiction of the Justices of the Peace.