Supreme Court of the Yukon Territory
Encyclopedia
The Supreme Court of the Yukon Territory (SCYT) is the court of general jurisdiction
for the Canadian territory of Yukon
. Civil
and criminal
cases are heard by the court, as well as, appeal
s from the Yukon Territorial Court, Yukon Small Claims Court and other quasi-judicial
boards. Appeals from the court are made to the Court of Appeal of the Yukon Territory
.
The SCYT consists of two resident judges, five judges from the Northwest Territories
and Nunavut
, and forty-two deputy judge
s appointed from across Canada. The rules of procedure for the SCYT are based upon those of the Supreme Court of British Columbia
. The court is based in Whitehorse
.
Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction is the practical authority granted to a formally constituted legal body or to a political leader to deal with and make pronouncements on legal matters and, by implication, to administer justice within a defined area of responsibility...
for the Canadian territory of Yukon
Yukon
Yukon is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three federal territories. It was named after the Yukon River. The word Yukon means "Great River" in Gwich’in....
. Civil
Civil law (common law)
Civil law, as opposed to criminal law, is the branch of law dealing with disputes between individuals or organizations, in which compensation may be awarded to the victim...
and criminal
Criminal law
Criminal law, is the body of law that relates to crime. It might be defined as the body of rules that defines conduct that is not allowed because it is held to threaten, harm or endanger the safety and welfare of people, and that sets out the punishment to be imposed on people who do not obey...
cases are heard by the court, as well as, appeal
Appeal
An appeal is a petition for review of a case that has been decided by a court of law. The petition is made to a higher court for the purpose of overturning the lower court's decision....
s from the Yukon Territorial Court, Yukon Small Claims Court and other quasi-judicial
Quasi-judicial body
A quasi-judicial body is an individual or organization which has powers resembling those of a court of law or judge and is able to remedy a situation or impose legal penalties on a person or organization.-Powers:...
boards. Appeals from the court are made to the Court of Appeal of the Yukon Territory
Court of Appeal of the Yukon Territory
The Court of Appeal of the Yukon Territory is the highest appellate court for the Yukon Territory. It hears appeals of both criminal and civil cases from the Supreme Court of the Yukon Territory and Yukon Territorial Court....
.
The SCYT consists of two resident judges, five judges from the Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
and Nunavut
Nunavut
Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
, and forty-two deputy judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
s appointed from across Canada. The rules of procedure for the SCYT are based upon those of the Supreme Court of British Columbia
Supreme Court of British Columbia
The Supreme Court of British Columbia is the superior trial court for the province of British Columbia. The BCSC hears civil and criminal law cases as well as appeals from the Provincial Court of British Columbia. Including supernumerary judges, there are presently 108 judges...
. The court is based in Whitehorse
Whitehorse, Yukon
Whitehorse is Yukon's capital and largest city . It was incorporated in 1950 and is located at kilometre 1476 on the Alaska Highway in southern Yukon. Whitehorse's downtown and Riverdale areas occupy both shores of the Yukon River, which originates in British Columbia and meets the Bering Sea in...
.