About Civil Proceedings

The Superior Court of Justice hears all civil proceedings in Ontario, including commercial matters, personal injury, bankruptcy and insolvency cases, and litigation involving wills and estates. The Court also has some appellate jurisdiction under various statutes.

Civil proceedings in the Superior Court are generally governed by the Rules of Civil Procedure; however, some matters may be governed by other procedures under particular legislation.

The Divisional Court, a branch of the Superior Court of Justice, is the principal forum for judicial review of government action and also hears statutory and some civil appeals from a broad range of administrative tribunals in Ontario. The Divisional Court is one of the busiest appellate Courts in Canada. The jurisdiction of civil appeals to the Divisional Court increased to $50,000 effective October 1, 2007.

A distinct branch of the Superior Court called the Small Claims Court hears civil matters for under $35,000.

To locate a court in your area, please see the List of Ontario Court Addresses on the Ministry of the Attorney General’s website.

Established in Toronto in 1991, the Commercial List is comprised of a team of judges who have experience in managing complex commercial litigation. Additional information, practice directions, and related forms can be found in the practice and procedure section for the Toronto Region.

Estates List

Established in Toronto in the 1990s, the Estates List is comprised of judges who hear proceedings in the Toronto Region involving issues of estate, trust and capacity law. Practice directions and related forms can be found in the practice and procedure section for the Toronto Region.