Citing cases from the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court of Nova Scotia

The Court of Appeal and Supreme Court of Nova Scotia underwent a few name changes in the 20th century. This guide outlines those name changes and provides examples of how to cite a case from the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court of Nova Scotia at a particular point in time.

to July 31, 1966

• Nova Scotia Supreme Court in banco
  • Citation examples:

R v Adams (1956), 39 MPR 27 (NSSC (in banco)).

In Re Frank Mackey (1918), 52 NSR 165 (SC (in banco)).            

• Nova Scotia Supreme Court
  • Citation examples:        

Quirk v Sydney Mines (Town) (1923), 56 NSR 571 (SC).

R v Pilot, [1964] 1 CCC 375 (NSSC).

August 1, 1966 to January 29, 1993

• Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, Appellate Division
  • Citation examples:        

R v Wheaton (1969), 1 NSR (2d) 565 (SC (AD)).

Urban Consultants Ltd v Savard (1990) 29 CCEL 222 (NSSC (AD)).

• Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, Trial Division
  • Citation examples:        

Coast Realties Ltd v Nolan (1971), 20 DLR (3d) 96 (NSSC (TD)).

Sutton v Reid (1981), 43 NSR (2d) 135 (SC (TD)).

January 30, 1993 to date

• Nova Scotia Court of Appeal
  • Citation examples:        

Roose v Hollett (1995), 147 NSR (2d) 295 (CA).

Garnier v Caldwell (1998), 44 RFL (4th) 119 (NSCA).

• Supreme Court of Nova Scotia
  • Citation examples:        

Balcom v Balcom (1999), 2 RFL (5th) 30 (NSSC).

R v Hurley (1997), 157 NSR (2d) 222 (SC).

April 6, 1999 to date

• Supreme Court (Family Division)
  • Citation examples:        

Bennett v Bennett (1999), 177 NSR (2d) 282 (SC (Fam Div)).

Boon v Boon (2000), 11 RFL (5th) 25 (NSSC (Fam Div)).

PLEASE NOTE: As per the Canadian Guide to Uniform Legal Citation, 7th ed (Toronto: Carswell, 2010), always cite a case using the neutral citation if one is available. For this reason, please note the following dates of implementation of the neutral citation:

• Nova Scotia Court of Appeal (NSCA), September 1999
• Supreme Court of Nova Scotia (NSSC), December 2000
• Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, Family Division (NSSF), January 2001- April 2005
  • For cases after this date range, use NSSC

For more information on the neutral citation, see The neutral citation: What is it? and The neutral citation: Using parallel citations and pinpoint references.