Quebec

===Courts===
Although Quebec is a civil law jurisdiction, it does not follow the pattern of other civil law systems which have court systems divided by subject matter. Instead, the court system follows the English model of unitary courts of general jurisdiction. The provincial courts have jurisdiction to decide matters under [[provincial law]] as well as [[federal law]], including [[Civil law (legal system)|civil]], [[Criminal law|criminal]] and [[constitutional law|constitutional matters]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Duplé|first=Nicole|title=Droit constitutionnel : principes fondamentaux|year=2009|editor=Wilson & Lafleur|edition=4|page=729|oclc=373349446}}</ref> The major exception to the principle of general jurisdiction is that the [[Federal Court (Canada)|Federal Court]] and [[Federal Court of Appeal]] have exclusive jurisdiction over some areas of federal law, such as review of federal administrative bodies, federal taxes, and matters relating to national security.<ref>{{Cite canlaw|short title =Federal Courts Act|abbr =RSC|year =1985|chapter =F-7|link =https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/f-7/index.html}}</ref>

The Quebec courts are organized in a pyramid. At the bottom, there are the [[municipal court]]s, the Professions Tribunal, the Human Rights Tribunal, and administrative tribunals. Decisions of those bodies can be reviewed by the two trial courts, the [[Court of Quebec]] the [[Superior Court of Quebec]]. The Court of Quebec is the main criminal trial court, and also a court for small civil claims. The Superior Court is a trial court of general jurisdiction, in both criminal and civil matters. The decisions of those courts can be appealed to the [[Quebec Court of Appeal]]. Finally, if the case is of great importance, it may be appealed to the [[Supreme Court of Canada]].

The Court of Appeal serves two purposes. First, it is the general court of appeal for all legal issues from the lower courts. It hears appeals from the trial decisions of the Superior Court and the Quebec Court. It also can hear appeals from decisions rendered by those two courts on appeals or judicial review matters relating to the municipal courts and administrative tribunals.<ref>{{Cite canlaw|short title =Code of Civil Procedure|abbr =CQLR|year =|chapter =C-25.01|section =29|link =http://legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca/en/showdoc/cs/c-25.01}}</ref> Second, but much more rarely, the Court of Appeal possesses the power to respond to [[reference question]]s posed to it by the [[Executive Council of Quebec|Quebec Cabinet]]. The Court of Appeal renders more than 1,500 judgments per year.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Vadnais|first=Louise|year=2000|title=Les caméras en Cour d'appel|url=http://www.barreau.qc.ca/publications/journal/vol32/no8/cameras.html|journal=Le Journal du Barreau|volume=32|number=8|access-date=April 29, 2021|archive-date=February 12, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090212235906/http://www.barreau.qc.ca/publications/journal/vol32/no8/cameras.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>