page_title: Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories
section_title: Creation of the Court
hierarchical_section_title: Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories / The First Supreme Court (1885-1907) / Creation of the Court
context_page_description: The Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories is the name of two different superior courts for the Canadian territory of the Northwest Territories, which have existed at different times.
  The first Supreme Court of the North-West Territories was created in 1885. At that time, the North-West Territories included the territory which later became the Provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan, as well as the Yukon Territory. The first Supreme Court lasted until abolished for territorial purposes in 1905. However, it continued to act for the Provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta until finally being abolished in 1907.
  The current Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories was created in 1955 and continues to operate today.
  Both courts had general jurisdiction over matters of both civil and criminal law. The first Court was both the trial court and the appellate court, but the current Court is primarily a trial court, with appeals going to the Alberta Court of Appeal, sitting as the Court of Appeal for the Northwest Territories.
context_section_description: The first Supreme Court of the North-West Territories was created by the federal Parliament in 1885 to replace the system of individual stipendiary magistrates which had previously operated in the Territories.  The former stipendiary magistrates were appointed as the first judges of the new Supreme Court.
caption: Regina Courthouse of the Supreme Court of the North-West Territories, 2002 Victoria Avenue, c.1919.
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