Tips for Self Represented Litigants

How is the court system set up in Nova Scotia?

There are many different courts in Nova Scotia:

  • The Nova Scotia Court of Appeal
  • The Supreme Court of Nova Scotia,( which includes a Family Division in Halifax Regional Municipality and Cape Breton)
  • Family Court
  • Provincial Court (with night court for summary offences in Sydney and Halifax)
  • Probate Court
  • Small Claims Court
  • Bankruptcy Court
  • Youth Court

Click here for a more complete description of each court and see the courts website for more information about each court.

Generally speaking, there are two kinds of cases: criminal and civil. A criminal case is when the Crown charges a person with a crime. A civil case is when someone sues an individual or a business. There are many kinds of civil cases. Some examples are: a divorce, a landlord and tenant dispute, a disagreement with a neighbour, and a dispute about an estate.

For more information about court structure and the procedures in a criminal and civil trial, click here.

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