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Government

Ministry of Attorney General

Comparison: Provincial Court and Supreme Court responsibilities

Both the Provincial Court and the Supreme Court grant court orders for:

Only the Provincial Court grants court orders for:
  • child protection (giving the Ministry of Children and Family Development the right to remove a child from his or her home and place the child with another relative or foster family), and
  • adult guardianship (providing protection for adults who are vulnerable to abuse or no longer capable of making their own decisions).
Only the Supreme Court grants divorces and court orders for:
  • the division of property
  • the exclusive occupancy of the family home
  • the exclusive use of the contents of the family home
  • guardianship of the estate (property)of the child
  • paternity (for issues not related to child support), and
  • adoption.

Important!

If you need to go to court to settle an issue relating to your separation or divorce, we recommend you talk to a lawyer to find out which court is most appropriate for you. A family justice counsellor can also provide you with information about the courts.

For more information about the court process and applying for a court order, please o see our web site sections called If You Go to Provincial Court and If You to to Supreme Court.