Find the Right Lawyer in Saskatchewan

Learn More about Saskatchewan, Canada

Saskatchewan is the middle of the three prairie provinces and is one of only two landlocked provinces in the country. It is bordered by Alberta, other Canadian provinces, and the states of Montana and North Dakota.

Almost 10% of the total area of Saskatchewan is fresh water, composed of reservoirs, rivers, and the 100,000 lakes in the province. The majority of individuals who reside in Saskatchewan live in the southern half of the province as the northern half is mostly forest and is sparsely populated.

Around half of the population of Saskatchewan resides in its largest city, Saskatoon, or in its capital, Regina. The primary language of Saskatchewan is English, as around 82% of the residents speak English as their first language.

Saskatchewan became a province in 1905. The economy of Saskatchewan is based on:

• Energy;
• Mining; and
• Agriculture.

Saskatchewan enjoys more hours of sunshine than any other province in Canada. It also has the most tornadoes of the country, averaging between 12 and 18 per year.

There are numerous tourist attractions in Saskatchewan that individuals will not want to miss. The RCMP Heritage Centre is the law enforcement museum which is located in Regina.

This museum showcases exhibits about the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), showing artifacts which are related to the Canadian police force. The RCMP is the national police force of Canada and has been since 1873.

For individuals who are seeking to obtain an education in Canada, the University of Saskatchewan is located in Saskatoon. It is a Canadian public research university and was founded in 1907.

If an individual is interested in art, there are several museums they can visit in Saskatchewan. These include:

• The Remai Modern, located in Saskatoon;
• The MacKenzie Art Gallery, located in Regina; and
• The Biggar Museum and Gallery, located in Biggar.

Additional Saskatchewan Law Information

Individuals who are seeking an attorney in Canada may find that the process and the terminology is different from the United States. In Canada, common law attorneys are called barristers and solicitors.

In Canada, the term attorney is different than in the United States. An attorney in Canada is an individual who is appointed under a power of attorney.

For potential clients who reside in Canada, it is important to note that when searching LegalMatch for assistance, the terms attorney as lawyer will be used because LegalMatch content is written by individuals with American vocabularies.

In the United States, lawyer and attorney are used interchangeably. These terms both refer to an individual in the legal profession without a distinction between lawyers who try cases in court and those who do not.

In Canada, a lawyer is an individual who has been called to the bar and may be referred to as a barrister or a solicitor. No restrictions exist on the type of law a lawyer can practice and they may appear in court as well as represent their clients in court.

The courts in Saskatchewan follow a hierarchical model which is similar to other provinces in Canada. In Saskatchewan, there are three levels of court, including:

• The Provincial Court of Saskatchewan;
• The Court of Queen’s Bench for Saskatchewan; and
• The Court of Appeal for Saskatchewan.

The Provincial Court of Saskatchewan includes:

• The trial court, which handles most of the criminal cases;
• The court of first appearance for most criminal matters; and
• Criminal and civil jurisdiction which is defined by provincial and federal statutes, which include:
  • adult criminal;
  • youth criminal;
  • civil small claims for amounts less than $30,000;
  • traffic safety and municipal bylaws; and
  • some family law matters outside of:
    • Regina;
    • Saskatoon; and
    • Prince Albert.

In Provincial Court, there is a chief judge as well as 48 judges. There are 13 permanent court offices in the province. There are also more than 60 circuit points.

The Court of Queen’s Bench for Saskatchewan:

• Deals typically with the most serious criminal offenses;
• Handles the majority of family law matters;
• Hears appeals from the majority of civil and criminal matters in Provincial Court as well as from provincial administrative boards and tribunals.
• Has inherent jurisdiction to hear any matter which is put before it, which includes:
  • serious adult and youth criminal matters;
  • jury trials;
  • civil matters with amounts greater than $30,000;
  • family matters, including:
    • divorce;
    • custody;
    • access;
    • support; and
    • property division;
  • charter and constitutional challenges; and
  • applications related to estates; and

The Court of Queen’s Bench for Saskatchewan has a chief justice and 32 justices. It has 9 judicial centers.

The Court of Appeal for Saskatchewan:

• Is the highest court in Saskatchewan; and
• Is not a trial court, it only hears appeals from:
  • The Court of Queen’s Bench is all matters;
  • The Provincial Court in certain criminal matters; and
  • Certain provincial administrative boards and tribunals.

The Court of Appeal for Saskatchewan has a chief justice and 7 justices. It sits in Regina regularly and travels to Saskatoon to hear civil matters from 1 week 6 times each year.

Parties may seek leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada from a decision of the Court of Appeal. Parties do not have an automatic right of appeal.

Typically, there are fewer than 5 cases per year which advance to the Supreme Court of Canada from Saskatchewan.

It is important to note that there have been limits placed on the amount of damages which may be awarded in claims of pain and suffering. The Supreme Court of Canada has placed these limits, which are approaching a maximum of $400,000.

This is in contrast to the United States, which is known for its large damages awards. Other aspects of cases are handled differently between the two nations, including attorney’s fees.

In the United States, the American Rule is followed, which means each party bears their attorney’s fees costs. In contrast, in Canada, the English Rule is used.

According to the English Rule, the costs of a legal action are paid by the party that lost. If a party prevails at trial or on appeal, they can expect the other side to pay between 50% and 90% of their legal costs.

Locate Lawyers in Saskatchewan, Canada and Saskatchewan, Canada Attorneys Quickly

Before an individual selects their lawyer, barrister, or solicitor in Canada, it is important for them to ensure that their lawyer has completed all of the necessary training and has the proper education and certifications. In general, for an individual to become a lawyer in Saskatchewan, they must:

• Obtain a Bachelor of Laws degree (LLB) or a Juris Doctor degree (JD) from a faculty of common law at a Canadian university or obtain a Certificate of Equivalency that is issued by the National Committee on Accreditation (NCA);
• Demonstrate suitability to practice;
• Successfully complete the PREP Bar admissions course;
• Successfully complete of 12 months of articles; and
• Submit the relevant application documents and fees.

An individual seeking to find a lawyer in Saskatchewan can use services such as LegalMatch. LegalMatch provides potential clients with information about pre-screened Saskatchewan lawyers, including:

• Their experience and educational information;
• Fee information;
• Malpractice coverage; and
• Reviews from former clients.

Additional information regarding a Saskatchewan lawyer, legal procedures, and laws in Saskatchewan, Canada can be found by searching the following websites:

• The Legal Aid Program of Canada;
• The Canadian Bar Association; and
• The Law Society of Saskatchewan.