For operational purposes, the province is divided into two regions comprised of ten judicial districts, each with a court centre and a branch of the court located therein. The court sits on circuit in more than 20 other places where no provincial court or court office is regularly maintained.
The largest court centre, or court branch, is at St. John’s where there are 9 judges (one of whom is the Chief Judge). After that comes Corner Brook with 3 judges, followed by Gander with 2 judges; Happy Valley-Goose Bay with 2 judges; and alphabetically, Clarenville, Grand Bank, Grand Falls-Windsor, Harbour Grace, Stephenville, and Wabush, all with 1 resident judge each.
The St. John’s branch of the Provincial Court is comprised of four divisions: Adult Criminal; Youth Court; Small Claims Court; and Traffic Court. Branches outside of St. John’s are not similarly divided but each provides all of the services covered by those divisions, as well as Family Court.
Proceedings in the Provincial Court are open to the public unless prohibited by legislation or by an order of a judge.
Although court staff cannot act as advisors to the public, the Court is accessible to all who wish to avail of its services without the intervention or representation of a lawyer.
Further information on the court and its functions can be obtained by contacting any of the Court centres.