Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island


The Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island is the superior court of the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island.
The Court is composed of five judges, led by its Chief Justice, currently Jacqueline R. Matheson. The Supreme Court derives its jurisdiction from Prince Edward Island's Judicature Act, enacted in its current form in 2008.

History and functions

Prior to 2008 reforms that were formally implemented in 2009, the superior court in Prince Edward Island was the Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island . With the passage of the Judicature Act, the Supreme Court was stripped of its corresponding Appeal Division, now assigned to the newly created Court of Appeal of Prince Edward Island, while the Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island remained as a single-division superior court. All former justices of the Supreme Court became justices of the Supreme Court.
Pursuant to the Constitution Act, 1867, the Supreme Court is operated by the provincial government, while its justices are appointed by the Governor General of Canada, on the advice of the Prime Minister of Canada. Section 96 of the Constitution Act has traditionally been interpreted as supplying the Supreme Court with inherent jurisdiction.
The Supreme Court sits in Georgetown, Summerside, and the provincial capital of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. It deals with pre-trial matters and hears trials dealing with such cases as family matters, estate and probate, as well as indictable criminal matters, which can be heard with or without a jury. It also hears applications for judicial reviews concerning the decisions of tribunals with the Provincial Court of Prince Edward Island.

Current judges

PositionNameAppointedSupernumeraryNominated byPosition prior to appointment
Chief JusticeTracey L. Clements2017TrudeauLawyer at Stewart McKelvey
JusticeNancy L. Key2013HarperLawyer at McInnes Cooper
JusticeTerri MacPherson2017Trudeau
JusticeJames Gormley2017TrudeauLawyer at Stewart McKelvey
JusticeGregory Cann2018TrudeauLawyer at Cox & Palmer
Supernumerary JusticeJacqueline R. Matheson2004
1988
2017MulroneyJustice of the Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island
Supernumerary JusticeWayne D. Cheverie20012016ChrétienChairman of the Prince Edward Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission
Supernumerary JusticeGordon L. Campbell20012018ChrétienLawyer at Stewart McKelvey Stirling Scales