Criminal Court
There are three levels of court in B.C. for dealing with criminal matters:
- Provincial Court – Criminal trials for adult and youth matters such as theft under $5,000, mischief and assault are heard in Provincial Court. If the accused chooses, more serious crimes can be heard without a jury in this court.
- Supreme Court – This is the superior trial court in B.C. The Supreme Court hears serious criminal cases such as murder, manslaughter, aggravated assault, bank robbery and major drug cases. The accused can elect for trial with or without jury. This court may also hear some appeals from the provincial court.
- Court of Appeal – This is the highest level of court in B.C. This court only involves judges and lawyers and hears appeals from the trial courts about both criminal and civil cases.
