Which court has appellate jurisdiction within Ontario?

The Divisional Court is the court in Ontario that possesses appellate jurisdiction, which means it has the authority to hear appeals from decisions made by lower courts and administrative tribunals. The Divisional Court operates under the Superior Court of Justice and serves as a venue for appealing matters that arise from various sources, including decisions made in the Small Claims Court and other specialized tribunals.

Understanding the role of the Divisional Court is crucial for legal practitioners, as it helps to ensure that parties have access to a higher level of judicial review regarding certain types of decisions. This appellate function is necessary to maintain a system of checks and balances within the legal framework and to provide a mechanism for correcting potential errors made in lower courts.

In contrast, the Small Claims Court handles cases involving monetary disputes up to a certain limit but does not have appellate functions. The Ontario Court of Justice primarily deals with criminal matters and family law but also does not provide an avenue for appeals. The Superior Court of Justice, while it does have some appellate functions, is not the designated court specifically for all appellate matters as the Divisional Court is. Hence, choosing the Divisional Court correctly identifies the court that holds the specific role of appellate jurisdiction in the Ontario court system.