Inherent jurisdiction

Inherent jurisdiction

Inherent Jurisdiction is a doctrine of the English common law that a superior court has the jurisdiction to hear any matter that comes before it, unless a statute or rule limit that authority or grants exclusive jurisdiction to some other court or tribunal. The term is also used when a governmental institution derives its jurisdiction from a fundamental governing instrument such as a constitution. In the English case of "Bremer Vulkan Schiffbau und Maschinenfabrik v. South India Shipping Corporation Ltd", Lord Diplock described the court's inherent jurisdiction as a general power to control its own procedure so as to prevent its being used to achieve injustice.

Inherent jurisdiction appears to apply to an almost limitless set of circumstances. There are four general categories for use of the court's inherent jurisdiction:

#to ensure convenience and fairness in legal proceedings;
#to prevent steps being taken that would render judicial proceedings inefficacious;
#to prevent abuses of process;
#to act in aid of Superior Courts and in aid or control of inferior courts and tribunals.

As such, the exercise of inherent jurisdiction is a broad doctrine allowing a court to control its own processes and to control the procedures before it. The power stems not from any particular statute or legislation, but rather from inherent powers invested in a court to control the proceedings brought before it.

Inherent jurisdiction in Canada

According to the case law in Canada, the key restriction on the application of inherent jurisdiction is that the doctrine cannot be used to override an existing statute or rule. The clearest articulation of such restriction is set out in the Supreme Court of Canada decision in "College Housing Co-operative Ltd. v Baxter Student Housing Ltd. [1976] " which was a case dealing with whether a judge had exceeded jurisdiction in determining the mortgagee should have priority over other charges and encumbrances. The Supreme Court of Canada stated that a court cannot negate the unambiguous expression of legislative will and further held that:

Inherent jurisdiction cannot, of course, be exercised so as to conflict with statute or rule. Moreover, because it is a special and extraordinary power, it should be exercised only sparingly and in a clear case.

Another restriction on the application of the doctrine of inherent jurisdiction appears to be that inherent jurisdiction cannot be used to create new rules of substantive law.

ee also

* Court system of Canada
* Courts of England and Wales


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • inherent jurisdiction — The jurisdiction of a court existing under a grant of general jurisdiction to the court, not by a grant of jurisdiction for a specific purpose. Kelly v Conner, 122 Tenn 339, 123 SW 622. See inherent power of court …   Ballentine's law dictionary

  • inherent jurisdiction — natural legal authority, natural authority to judge (Legal) …   English contemporary dictionary

  • jurisdiction — ju·ris·dic·tion /ˌju̇r əs dik shən/ n [Latin jurisdictio, from juris, genitive of jus law + dictio act of saying, from dicere to say] 1: the power, right, or authority to interpret, apply, and declare the law (as by rendering a decision) to be… …   Law dictionary

  • inherent powers of court — The inherent power of a court is that which is necessary for the proper and complete administration of justice and such power is resident in all courts of superior jurisdiction and essential to their existence; e.g., sentencing and contempt… …   Black's law dictionary

  • inherent powers of court — The inherent power of a court is that which is necessary for the proper and complete administration of justice and such power is resident in all courts of superior jurisdiction and essential to their existence; e.g., sentencing and contempt… …   Black's law dictionary

  • inherent power of court — A power essential to the very existence of the court or its ability to function in dispensing justice; the power to punish contempt, 17 Am J2d Contpt § 62; the power to grant a continuance in the interest of justice. State ex rel. Buck v McCabe,… …   Ballentine's law dictionary

  • statutory jurisdiction — In effect, jurisdiction as conferred by legislation enacted pursuant to the constitution of the sovereignty on behalf of which the court functions. 20 Am J2d Courts § 91. Jurisdiction in equity as granted by statute apart from the inherent… …   Ballentine's law dictionary

  • original jurisdiction — The jurisdiction conferred on or inherent in a court in the first instance. 20 Am J2d Cis § 98. The jurisdiction of a trial court, as distinguished from the jurisdiction exercised by an appellate court or a court with supervisory powers. 20 Am… …   Ballentine's law dictionary

  • Court system of Canada — Canadian court system (Source Canadian Department of Justice) The court system of Canada is made up of many courts differing in levels of legal superiority and separated by jurisdiction. Some of the courts are federal in nature while others are… …   Wikipedia

  • Offence of scandalizing the court in Singapore — The courtroom in the Old Supreme Court Building that was used for sittings of the Court of Appeal, photographed in August 2008 In Singapore, the offence of scandalizing the court is committed when a person performs any act or publishes any… …   Wikipedia

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