List of Supreme Court of Canada cases: Difference between revisions

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This is a chronological list of notable cases decided by the [[Supreme Court of Canada]].

{{Supreme Court of Canada sidebar}}

Note that the [[Judicial Committee of the Privy Council|Privy Council]] heard appeals for [[criminal law|criminal]] cases until [[1933]] and for [[civil law|civil]] cases until [[1949]].

The '''[[Supreme Court of Canada]]''' is the court of last resort and final appeal in [[Canada]]. Cases successfully appealed to the Court are generally of national importance. Once a case is decided, the [[Court]] publishes written reasons for the decision, that consist of one or more opinions from any number of the nine justices. Understanding the background of the cases, the reasoning and the authorship can be important and insightful, as each judge may have varying beliefs in legal theory and interpretation.

==List 1877of –cases 1899by Court era==

* '''[[List of Supreme Court of Canada cases (Richards Court through Fauteux Court)]]''': This list includes cases from the formation of the Court on April 8, 1875, through to the retirement of [[Gérald Fauteux]] on December 23, 1973.

* ''[[Kelly v. Sullivan]]'' [1876] : First case heard by Supreme Court of Canada

* '''[[List of Supreme Court of Canada cases (Laskin Court)]]''': This list includes cases from the rise of [[Bora Laskin]] through to his death on March 26, 1984.

* '''[[List of Supreme Court of Canada cases (Dickson Court)]]''': This list includes cases from the rise of [[Brian Dickson]] through to his retirement on June 30, 1990.

* '''[[List of Supreme Court of Canada cases (Lamer Court)]]''': This list includes cases from the elevation to Chief Justice of [[Antonio Lamer]] on July 1, 1990, to his retirement on January 6, 2000.

* '''[[List of Supreme Court of Canada cases (McLachlin Court)]]''': This list includes cases from the elevation to Chief Justice of [[Beverley McLachlin]] on January 12, 2000, to her retirement on December 15, 2017.

* '''[[List of Supreme Court of Canada cases (Wagner Court)]]''' This list includes cases from the elevation to Chief Justice of [[Richard Wagner (judge)|Richard Wagner]] on December 18, 2017, to the present.

==List 1900of –reasons 1939by author==

{{main|List of Supreme Court of Canada cases (by author)}}

* ''[[Blackburn & Cox v. McCallum]]'' (1903), 33 S.C.R. 65

* ''[[Edwards v. Canada (Attorney General)]]'' <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[1928]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> S.C.R. 276: "Persons Case"

*''[[Reference Re Alberta Statutes]]'' <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[1938]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> S.C.R. 100

==List 1940of &ndash;reasons 1959given by year==

{{Div col begin}}

* ''[[Saumur v. The City of Quebec]]'' <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[1953]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> 2 S.C.R. 299

* [[1984 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* ''[[Deglman v. Guaranty Trust Co, v. Constantineau]]'' <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[1954]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> 3 S.C.R. 785 : quantum meruit

* [[1985 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* ''[[Beaver v. R.]]'' [1957]: subjective [[mens rea]] required for possession

* [[1986 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* ''[[Switzman v. Elbling]]'' <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[1957]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> S.C.R. 285: constitutional division of powers

* [[1987 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* ''[[Priestman v. Colangelo]]'' [1959] Duty of Care in public service conduct.

* [[1988 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* ''[[Roncarelli v. Duplessis]]'' [1959] S.C.R. 121 [http://www.chrc-ccdp.ca/en/browseSubjects/roncarelli.asp][[Constitution of Canada|constitution]], arbitrary action by government.

* [[1989 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[1990 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[1991 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[1992 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[1993 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[1994 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[1995 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[1996 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[1997 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[1998 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[1999 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[2000 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[2001 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[2002 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[2003 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[2004 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[2005 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[2006 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[2007 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[2008 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[2009 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[2010 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[2011 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[2012 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[2013 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[2014 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[2015 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[2016 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[2017 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[2018 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[2019 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[2020 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[2021 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[2022 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[2023 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

* [[2024 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada]]

{{Div col end}}

==See 1960 &ndash; 1979also ==

* [[List of Judicial Committee of the Privy Council cases originating in Canada]]

* ''[[Globe and Mail v. Boland]]'' [1960]: Slander and libel, qualified privilege.

* [[List of notable Canadian Courts of Appeals cases]]

* ''[[O'Grady v. Sparling]]'' [1960] S.C.R. 804

* [[List of notable Canadian lower court cases]]

* ''[[R. v. Whitfield]]'' [1969] : Definition of arrest

* [[List of Vancouver court cases]]

* ''[[R. v. Drybones]]'' [1970] S.C.R. 282: [[Canadian Bill of Rights]]

* ''[[Horsley v. MacLaren]]'' (''The Ogopogo'') [1972]: no duty to rescue

* ''[[Jordan House Ltd. v. Menow]]'' [1973] : commercial host liability

* ''[[Murdoch v. Murdoch]]'' (1973), [1975] 1 S.C.R. 423 : Division of matrimonial property

* ''[[Calder v. British Columbia (Attorney General)]]'', [1973] S.C.R. 313 Aboriginal rights.

* ''[[Canada (A.G.) v. City of Montreal]]'' <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[1978]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> 2 S.C.R. 770.

* ''[[R. v. City of Sault Ste. Marie]]'' [1978]: creation of "Strict Liability" class of offences

* ''[[Cherneskey v. Armadale Publishers]]'' [1979]: defamation

* ''[[Bliss v. Canada (Attorney General)]]'' [1979] 1 S.C.R. 183: Canadian Bill of Rights

== 1980External &ndash; 1989links ==

* [http://www.mapleleafweb.com/scc/public3/index.html Summaries]

* ''[[Reibel v. Hughes]]'' [1980] : Duty to disclose

* [http://www.canlii.org entire Judgments]

* ''[[Pettkus v. Becker]]'' [1980] 2 S.C.R. 834

* [http://legaleaseckut.wordpress.com/2010/07/02/top-ten-most-cited-canadian-court-cases/ Ten most cited cases]

* ''[[Perka v. R.]]'' [1984] : defence of necessity

* ''[[R. v. Guerin]]'', [1984] 2 S.C.R. 335 Aboriginal rights

* ''[[R. v. Big M Drug Mart Ltd.]]'', <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[1985]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> 1 S.C.R. 295 :[[Lord's Day Act]] violates Charter

* ''[[Operation Dismantle v. The Queen]]'', [1985] 1 S.C.R. 441 section 7, justicibility

* ''[[Canadian Dredge & Dock Co. v. R.]]'', [1985] 1 S.C.R. 662, {{canlii-scc|1985|31}}: corporate liability

* ''[[Sansregret v. R.]]'' [1985] : estalishing offence of rape

* ''[[Re B.C. Motor Vehicle Act]]'' [1986] : no jail sentences for Absolute Liability crimes

* ''[[Central Trust Company v. Rafuse]]'' [1986]: Standard of care for lawyers

* ''[[R. v. Oakes]]'' <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[1986]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> 1 S.C.R. 103:[[Oakes test]] for applying [[limitations clause]].

* ''[[RWDSU v. Dolphin Delivery Ltd.]]'' <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[1986]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> 2 S.C.R. 573: Scope of the Charter

* ''[[Robichaud v. Canada (Treasury Board)]]'' <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[1987]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> 2 S.C.R. 84: Secondary liability for discrimination

* ''[[R. v. Manninen]]'' [1987] : right to seek council on arrest

* ''[[R. v. Vaillancourt]]'', [1987] 2 SCR 636 : [[mens rea]] required for all criminal offences

* ''[[Crocker v. Sundance Northwest Resorts]]'' [1988]: exception to ''Ogopogo'' rule

* ''[[R. v. Morgentaler]]'' <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[1988]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> 1 S.C.R. 30 : [[abortion]]

* ''[[Ford v. Quebec (A.G.)]]'' <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[1988]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> 2 S.C.R. 712: Quebec's [[Charter of the French Language]] unconstitutional.

* ''[[Irwin Toy Ltd. v. Quebec (Attorney General)]]'' [1989] : Freedom of speech

* ''[[Andrews v. Law Society of British Columbia]]'', [1989] : equality rights

* ''[[R. v. Turpin]]'', [1989] 1 S.C.R. 1296: Charter right to trial by jury.

* ''[[R. v. Tutton]]'', [1989] 1 S.C.R. 1392: Criminal negligence

{{Supreme Court of Canada}}

== 1990 &ndash; 1999 ==

* ''[[R. v. Sparrow]]'', [1990] 1. S.C.R. 1075 aboriginal rights

* ''[[R. v. Martineau]]'', [1990] 2 S.C.R. 633: [[murder]].

* ''[[R. v. Keegstra]]'', [1990] 3 S.C.R. 697: Hate propaganda

* ''[[R. v. Wholesale Travel Group Inc.]]'' [1991] : Strict liability offences

* ''[[R. v. Jobidon]]'', [1991] :Defence of consent

* ''[[R. v. Butler]]'', [1992] 1 SCR 452

* ''[[R. v. Parks]]'' {{canlii-scc|1992|75}} defence of [[automatism]]

* ''[[R. v. DeSousa]]'' [1992]: predicate offences, requirement for [[mens rea]]

* ''[[R. v. Hundal]]'' [1993]: Objective fault standard.

* ''[[R. v. Creighton]]'', [1993] 3 SCR 3: Objective fault standard.

* ''[[R. v. Daviault]]'' {{canlii-scc|1994|72}} defence of intoxication

* ''[[R. v. Heywood]]'' {{canlii-scc|1994|97}} [[Section Seven of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms|Section Seven]] challenge, Overbreadth

* ''[[Dagenais v. Canadian Broadcasting Corp.]]'', [1994] 3 S.C.R. 835: role of juries

* ''[[McKinney v. University of Guelph]]'', [1995]: Case broadened the scope of the Charter, elaborated use of '''s.15'''.

* ''[[Egan v. Canada]]'' <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[1995]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> 2 S.C.R. 513: [[sexual orientation]], ground of discrimination under the Charter.

* ''[[Hollis v. Dow Corning Corp.]]'' [1995] : [[Product liability]]

* ''[[RJR - MacDonald Inc. v. Canada (Attorney General)]]'' [1995] 3 S.C.R. 199 : tobacco, freedom of speech.

* ''[[Stewart v. Pettie]]'' [1995]: Duty of Care in social host liability

* ''[[R. v. Park]]'' <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[1995]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> 2 S.C.R. 836 : established the mistaken belief in consent defence

* ''[[Hill v. Church of Scientology of Toronto]]'' <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[1995]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> 2 S.C.R. 1130 : defamation not protected by the Charter.

* ''[[Eldridge v. British Columbia (Attorney General)]]'' [1997] 2 S.C.R. 624 section 32 and 15 of the Charter

* ''[[Provincial Judges Reference]]'' <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[1997]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> 3 S.C.R. 3 Reference re Remuneration of Provincial Court Judges

* ''[[R. v. R.D.S]]'' <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[1997]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> 3 S.C.R. 484 : judge's use of personal experiences in deciding cases.

* ''[[Delgamuukw v. British Columbia]]'' [1997] 3 S.C.R. 1010: existence of aboriginal title and right to self-government.

* ''[[Vriend v. Alberta]]'', <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[1998]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> 1 S.C.R. 493 : provincial governments cannot exclude sexual orientation from human rights codes.

* ''[[Reference re Secession of Quebec]]'' <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[1998]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> 2 S.C.R. 217 : Quebec cannot unilaterally declare independence

* ''[[R. v. Godoy]]'' [1999] 1 S.C.R. 311: Rights against police entering private residence.

* ''[[Law v. Canada]]'' [1999] 1 S.C.R. 497 :Re-articulation of ''s.15'' of the charter analysis with a focus on "human dignity".

* ''[[British Columbia (PSERC) v. BCGSEU]]'' [1999] 3 S.C.R. 3: Known as the ''Meiorin case'', a unified test for [[Canadian Human Rights Act]] violations.

*''[[R. v. Marshall]]'' <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[1999]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> 3 SCR 45 :aboriginal fishing rights.

* ''[[Corbiere v. Canada (Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs)]]'' [1999] 2 S.C.R. 203, {{canlii-scc|1999|29}} : Equality rights, right to vote.

== 2000 &ndash; present ==

* ''[[R. v. Proulx]]'' [2000]: Evaluating sentences, conditional sentences.

* ''[[Lovelace v. Ontario]]'' [2000] 1 S.C.R. 950, {{canlii-scc|2000|37}}: [[affirmative action]]

* ''[[Little Sisters Book and Art Emporium v. Canada (Minister of Justice)]]'' 2 S.C.R. 1120, {{canlii-scc|2000|69}}

* ''[[R. v. Nette]]'' [2001]: Causation test for murder.

* ''[[R. v. Sharpe]]'' [2001] 1 S.C.R. 45: Freedom of speech

* ''[[R. v. Ruzic]]'' {{canlii-scc|2001|24}} defence of duress

* ''[[Cooper v. Hobart]]'' [2001] {{canlii-scc|2001|79}}: [[duty of care]] in [[torts]]

* ''[[Harvard College v. Canada (Commissioner of Patents)]]'' {{canlii-scc|2002|76}}: [[Harvard mouse]], bio-patents

* ''[[Nova Scotia (Attorney General) v. Walsh]]'' [2002]: common law couples not included in the Martial Property Act

* ''[[Théberge v. Galerie d'Art du Petit Champlain Inc.]]'' {{canlii-scc|2002|34}} copyright

* ''[[Gosselin v. Quebec (Attorney General)]]'' [2002] 4 S.C.R. 429, {{canlii-scc|2002|84}} Constitutional entitlement to social assistance.

* ''[[Chamberlain v. Surrey School District No. 36]]'' [2002] 4 S.C.R. 710

* ''[[R. v. Malmo-Levine; R. v. Caine]]'' [2003] 3 S.C.R. 571, {{canlii-scc|2003|74}} possession of [[marijuana]] Charter challenge

* ''[[R. v. Clay]]'' {{canlii-scc|2003|75}} possession of [[marijuana]] Charter challenge (second)

* ''[[Canadian Foundation for Children, Youth and the Law v. Canada (A.G.)]]'' [2004], {{canlii-scc|2004|4}} : [[spanking]] allowed under Charter

* ''[[CCH Canadian Ltd. v. Law Society of Upper Canada]]'' <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[2004]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> 1 S.C.R. 39, {{canlii-scc|2004|13}}: [[copyright]] infringment, [[fair dealing]]

* ''[[Monsanto Canada Inc. v. Schmeiser]]'', [2004] 1 S.C.R. 902, {{canlii-scc|2004|34}}: revisit issue of bio-patents

* ''[[Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada v. Canadian Assn. of Internet Providers]]'' [2004] {{canlii-scc|2004|45}}: [[internet service provider]]s as common carriers. Status of caches

* ''[[R. v. Mann]]'' {{canlii-scc|2004|52}} : Limits of search and seizure

* ''[[Auton (Guardian ad litem of) v. British Columbia (Attorney General)]]'' [2004] {{canlii-scc|2004|78}}: Non-core services medical services not guaranteed under Charter

* ''[[Reference re. Same-Sex Marriage]]'', [2004] 3 S.C.R. 698 {{canlii-scc|2004|79}}: federal government may extend civil marriage to same-sex couples

* ''[[Chaoulli v. Quebec (Attorney General)]]'' {{canlii-scc|2005|35}}: law banning private health insurance unconstitutional.

=== Not yet decided ===

* ''[[Childs v. Desormeaux]]'': social host liability.

* ''[[Robertson v. Thomson Corp.]]'': copyright in newspaper articles within a database

== External links ==

* [http://www.mapleleafweb.com/scc/public3/index.html Supreme court decision summaries]

* [http://www.canlii.org entire judgments]

[[Category:Supreme Court of Canada cases| ]]

[[Category:CaseCanadian case law lists|Supreme Court of Canada]]

[[Category:Lists of Supreme Court of Canada cases|*]]