Quebec Court of Common Pleas (1764-1775)

Biography

A Court of Common Pleas for the province was established in Quebec by the 1764 ordinance setting up the courts. The Court had jurisdiction over civil matters involving sums over £St10. Although the Court was based on the English court of the same name, unlike the latter it tried in practice most cases under its theoretical jurisdiction, apart from those tried by the Court of King's Bench. Cases in the Courts were to be determined according to equity, with regard to the laws of England; in practice, however, the Courts applied pre-Conquest French law in cases involving French-Canadians. In 1770, with the revocation of the civil jurisdiction of the Justices of the Peace, the Court was divided into two separate Courts for the Districts of Quebec and Montreal respectively, each with jurisdiction over all civil matters arising within its district. The Courts were abolished with the rest of the existing court system as of May 1, 1775 by the Quebec Ac

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