The Provincial Court is one of two trial courts in British Columbia. The Supreme Court of British Columbia is the other.
Supreme Court of British Columbia
The Provincial Court deals with cases in five main categories
Adult criminal
Over 95% of criminal cases in BC are heard in Provincial Court. The Criminal Code gives Provincial Court judges the authority to conduct bail hearings, preliminary inquiries, pretrial conferences, trials, and sentencing hearings in criminal matters except for adults charged with murder and a few rare offences such as treason and piracy. These trials are heard in BC Supreme Court.
Family
Provincial Court judges conduct trials and mediation conferences in disputes about guardianship of children, parenting arrangements, and child and spousal support under the Family Law Act and other BC statutes, as well as in child protection matters under the Child, Family and Community Service Act.
People can bring Family Law Act matters to either the Provincial or Supreme Court. However, only the Supreme Court can deal with divorce, adoption, and the division of family assets (except ownership of a companion animal).
Youth criminal
Provincial Court judges deal with young persons aged 12 through 17 who are charged with criminal offences under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
Small claims
With some exceptions, the BC Provincial Court deals with civil cases involving values from $5001 to $35,000.
Traffic, ticket, bylaw
The Court’s judicial justices hear trials of traffic and bylaw offences, as well as other provincial and municipal offences prosecuted under the Offence Act and the Local Government Act. They also deal with certain federal contravention tickets.
Judicial Officers
The Provincial Court is made up of judges, judicial justices and justice of the peace adjudicators and the staff who support their work. Judges have the authority to hear all of the matters listed above. Judicial justices decide search warrant applications, conduct bail hearings remotely on evenings and weekends and preside in traffic, ticket and bylaw trials and small claims payment hearings. Justice of the peace adjudicators hear one-hour simplified small claims trials in Vancouver and Richmond.