Jurisdiction
The Federal Court cannot hear any case unless a federal statute confers jurisdiction on the Court to hear cases of that type.
Some examples of the sort of cases heard by the Federal Court are:
- judicial review of immigration decisions,
- intellectual property disputes,
- cases involving admiralty (maritime) law,
- various aboriginal law matters, and
- claims against the Queen in Right of Canada.
These instances of jurisdiction may either be exclusive or concurrent with provincial superior courts, depending on the statute. The Court has the authority to judicially review decisions made by most federal boards, commissions, and administrative tribunals, and to resolve lawsuits by or against the federal government.
Decisions of the Federal Court may be appealed to the Federal Court of Appeal. Because it is a superior court of national jurisdiction, judgments are enforceable across Canada without the need for certification by the courts of a specific province.
Read more about this topic: Federal Court (Canada)
Famous quotes containing the word jurisdiction:
“The putting into force of laws which shall secure the conservation of our resources, as far as they may be within the jurisdiction of the Federal Government, including the more important work of saving and restoring our forests and the great improvement of waterways, are all proper government functions which must involve large expenditure if properly performed.”
—William Howard Taft (1857–1930)