Ritchie Court
| Ritchie Court | |
|---|---|
|
→ Strong Court | |
William Johnstone Ritchie in 1880. | |
| January 11, 1879 – September 25, 1892 (13 years, 258 days) | |
| Seat | Second Supreme Court of Canada building |
| No. of positions | 6 |
The Ritchie Court refers to the period in the history of the Supreme Court of Canada from 1879 to 1892, during which William Johnstone Ritchie served as Chief Justice of Canada. Ritchie succeeded William Buell Richards as Chief Justice after the latter's resignation, and held the position until his death on September 25, 1892.
The Ritchie Court, much like all iterations of the Supreme Court prior to 1949, was largely overshadowed by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council served as the highest court of appeal in Canada, and its decisions on Canadian appeals were binding on all Canadian courts.
The Ritchie Court continued to face many of the same criticisms as its predecessor, the Richards Court, including the concerns about the conduct of its justices, the excessive length and lack of clarity in its decisions, and significant delays in the publication of those decisions.