Choosing the Right Court

Before you commence your court action, you must determine which court or judicial body has jurisdiction over your matter. Let us explain this sentence by way of an example. Imagine a situation where your supervisor discriminated against because you were sick. You want to take this matter to court. It is important for you to know whether you can go to a court, and if so, which court you must go to. You may or may not know this, but in Ontario, you cannot go to a court for an issue that only relates to discrimination – your only option in this situation is to go to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. Another example could be landlord and tenant disputes which are exclusively dealt by Landlord and Tenant Board.

Once you have determined that your matter indeed belongs to a small claims court in Ontario, you cannot simply choose a court office location that is convenient to you. There are specific rules that dictate which particular court office can you go to.

This course provides guidance on both issues, but only in the context of small claims court in Ontario.