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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 February 2019
In a common-law jurisdiction, “Supreme Court” is not always the name of a court of final appeal. There are 41 Supreme Courts and Supreme Courts of Judicature with general original jurisdiction. They cover 60 political units. In addition to general original jurisdiction, some of those courts have general appellate jurisdiction. There is a number of political units in which a second appellate consideration is possible.
This article provides information about Supreme Courts and Supreme Courts of Judicature with general original jurisdiction. It includes a list with the names of the political units served by Supreme Courts or by Supreme Courts of Judicature with general original jurisdiction; a statement whether a Supreme Court or a Supreme Court of Judicature of a political unit has both general original jurisdiction and general appellate jurisdiction, or only general original jurisdiction; and further information.
The goal of this article is to inform librarians, lawyers, solicitors, and barristers about the many court systems in the common-law world, in which the court of general original jurisdiction is named “Supreme Court” or “Supreme Court of Judicature.” Those courts are found in diverse political units, including Australian states and territories, Belize, Brunei, Canadian provinces and territories, Gibraltar, and Samoa. The oldest among them is the Supreme Court of New York, founded more than 300 years ago.
1 “An Act for the Establishing Courts of Judicature for the Ease and benefit of each respective City, Town and County within this Province,” 1 The Colonial Laws of New York from the Year 1664 to the Revolution 226, 229 (1894).Google Scholar
2 The independence of the State of New York can be dated from April 19, 1775. N.Y. Const., art. XXXV (1777) (measuring New York common law and survival of New York colonial legislation from April 19, 1775). The contemporary equivalent of article XXXV is N.Y. Const. art. I, § 14.Google Scholar
3 Aust. Const. § 73.Google Scholar
4 Supreme Court Act, §§ 36–37, 39, 40–42 (Can.).Google Scholar
5 Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, “Role of the JCPC,” available at http://www.jcpc.gov.uk/about/role-of-the-jcpc.htm (accessed 1/5/2011).Google Scholar
6 Both “Saint Kitts and Nevis” and “Saint Christopher and Nevis” are referred to, with no noticeable preference of one name over the other, in the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis Constitutional Order of 1983, S.I. 1983, No. 881.Google Scholar
7 N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 3.Google Scholar
8 Supreme Court Act 1933, §§ 3, 20, 37E(1) (A.C.T.).Google Scholar
9 Jervis Bay Territory Acceptance Act 1915, § 4D (Cth.).Google Scholar
10 Australian Antarctic Territory Act 1954, § 10 (Cth.).Google Scholar
11 Heard Island and McDonald Islands Act 1953, § 9 (Cth.).Google Scholar
12 Supreme Court Act 1970, §§ 22, 23, 38, 44 (N.S.W.).Google Scholar
13 Criminal Appeal Act 1912, § 3(1) (N.S.W.).Google Scholar
14 Norfolk Island Act 1979, §§ 52, 59 (Cth.); Supreme Court Act 1960 §§ 5, 32–33 (Norfolk Island).Google Scholar
15 Coral Sea Islands Act 1969, § 8 (Cth.).Google Scholar
16 Supreme Court Act, §§ 10, 14, 21, 51, 52 (N.T.).Google Scholar
17 Ashmore and Carrier Islands Territory Acceptance Act 1933, § 12 (Cth.).Google Scholar
18 Supreme Court of Queensland Act 1991, §§ 9, 16(2), 29 (Qsld.).Google Scholar
19 Supreme Court Act 1935, §§ 6, 17, 48, 50 (S.A.).Google Scholar
20 Australian Courts Act 1828, 9 Geo. IV, ch. 83, §§ 1–4, 11–12 (U.K.); Charter of Justice, Court Appointed–Name of Court, Regulations Concerning Appeals (1831) (U.K.).Google Scholar
21 Supreme Court Act 1986, §§ 10, 17 (Vic.).Google Scholar
22 Supreme Court Act 1935, §§ 7, 16, 20 (W.A.).Google Scholar
23 Christmas Island Act, § 14B (Cth.).Google Scholar
24 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act 1955, § 15AAB (Cth.).Google Scholar
25 Bahamas Independence Order 1973, S.I. 1973 No. 1080, sched., arts. 93(1), 98(1) (U.K.).Google Scholar
26 Bangladesh Const. arts. 94, 101, 103.Google Scholar
27 Barbados Independence Order 1966, S.I. 1966 No. 1455, sched., § 80(1) (U.K.).Google Scholar
28 Belize Const. arts. 94(1), 95(1), 100(1).Google Scholar
29 Supreme Court Act 1905, §§ 2, 12 (Bermuda); Court of Appeal Act 1964, §§ 2, 12, 16 (Bermuda).Google Scholar
30 Supreme Court Act, §§ 3, 6, 16–19 (Brunei).Google Scholar
31 Supreme Court Act, ch. 443, §§ 2, 9(1) (B.C.); Court of Appeal Act, ch. 77, §§ 2(1), 6 (B.C.).Google Scholar
32 Judicature Act, ch. J-4, §§ 3, 5 (Nfld. & Lab.).Google Scholar
33 Judicature Act, R.S.N.W.T., ch. J-1, §§ 2, 9, 10, 15 (N.W.T.).Google Scholar
34 Judicature Act, R.S.N.S., ch. 240, §§ 3–8 (N.S.).Google Scholar
35 Supreme Court Act, R.S.P.E.I., ch. S-10, §§ 2, 11 (P.E.I.).Google Scholar
36 Supreme Court Act, ch. 211, §§ 2, 4 (Yukon); Court of Appeal Act, ch. 47, § 1 (Yukon).Google Scholar
37 West Indies Associated States Supreme Court Order 1967, S.I. 1967 No. 223, §§ 4(1), 4(2), 9–10 (U.K.), amended by Anguilla, Montserrat and Virgin Islands (Supreme Court) Order 1983, S.I. 1983 No. 1108, § 2 (U.K.).Google Scholar
38 Falkland Islands Constitution Order 2008, S.I. 2008 No. 2846, sched. 1, §§ 86(1), 87(1), 92 (U.K.); Falkland Islands Courts (Overseas Jurisdiction) Order 1989, S.I. 1989 No. 2399, §§ 3(1)(a)-(b), 8, 9 (U.K.).Google Scholar
39 FSM Const. art. XI, §§ 1, 2, 6, 7.Google Scholar
40 Chuuk Const. art. VII, §§ 1–4.Google Scholar
41 Pohnpei Const. art. 10, §§ 1, 4, 5.Google Scholar
42 Gibraltar Constitution Order 2006, annex 1, §§ 60(1), 61(1) (U.K.); Supreme Court Act 1960, § 12 (Gibraltar); Court of Appeal Act 1964, § 3 (Gibraltar).Google Scholar
43 Guyana Const. arts. 123, 133; High Court Act §§ 17–19 (Guyana); Court of Appeal Act §§ 3, 6 (Guyana).Google Scholar
44 Jamaica (Constitution) Order in Council 1962, §§ 97, 103 (U.K.); Judicature (Supreme Court) Act, § 27 (Jamaica); Judicature (Appellate Jurisdiction) Act, §§ 10–13 (Jamaica).Google Scholar
45 Nauru Const. art. 48; Courts Act, § 17 (Nauru); Nauru (High Court Appeals) Act 1976, §§ 3, 5 & sched. (Aust).Google Scholar
46 N.Y. Const. art. VI, §§ 1, 4–7. The trial term and the special term are the Trial Division, although not denominated as such.Google Scholar
47 Palau Const. art. X, §§ 1, 2, 5.Google Scholar
48 Judicature (Courts) Ordinance §§ 3, 6 (2001) (Pitcairn); Pitcairn Court of Appeal Order 2000, S.I. 2000 No. 1341, §§ 3, 4 (U.K.).Google Scholar
49 St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Constitution Order 2009, S.I. 2009, No. 1751, sched. 1, §§ 80, 82, 86, 153, 218 (U.K.); Court of Appeal Ordinance, §§ 3, 8 (St. Helena); Supreme Court (Jurisdiction in the Dependencies) Ordinance (St. Helena); Amendment of Laws (St. Helena) Order, 2009, Legal Notice No. 26 of 2009 (conforming St. Helena laws to Constitution Order 2009).Google Scholar
50 Samoa Const. arts. 65, 73, 75, 79, 80; Judicature Ordinance 1961, §§ 21, 31, 41, 45.Google Scholar
51 Seychelles Const. arts. 119, 120, 125.Google Scholar
52 Singapore Const. arts. 93, 94(1); Supreme Court of Judicature Act 1969, § 3 (Sing.). Article 93 of the Singapore Constitution provides that the judicial power is vested in the Supreme Court, and in subordinate courts established by law. The Supreme Court of Judicature Act refers throughout to the Supreme Court. It is concluded that, in the title of the act, the phrase “of Judicature” is superfluous.Google Scholar
53 Tonga Const. arts. 84–86, 90–92. The Land Court has exclusive jurisdiction of titles to land. Id. art. 90.Google Scholar
54 Trinidad & Tobago Const. art. 99.Google Scholar
55 Turks and Caicos Islands Const., S.I. 1988 No. 247, §§ 49, 53 (U.K.).Google Scholar
56 Vanuatu Const. arts. 49, 50, 53, 54.Google Scholar
57 Judicature Act 1908, §§ 3, 57 (N.Z.); Judicature Act 1908, § 3, as amended by Judicature Amendment Act 1979, § 2 (N.Z.); Supreme Court Act 2003, §§ 6, 42 (N.Z.).Google Scholar
58 Supreme Court Ordinance §§ 3, 12, 12A, 13 (1976) (H.K.); Basic Law art. 80, first para. (H.K.).Google Scholar
59 Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (2005 ch. 4) (U.K.).Google Scholar
