Saskatchewan. Judicial District of Swift Current
- GA 80
- Primary Agency
- 1913-1958
Judicial districts were geographical areas in Saskatchewan over which the courts held legal jurisdiction. Judicial boundaries pre-determined the centre where cases had to be heard. Criminal matters were usually heard in the judicial district where the crime occurred while civil matters were heard where the plaintiff or defendant resided or where the property in dispute was located.
In 1913, the boundaries of the Judicial District of Moose Jaw were altered, resulting in the establishment of the Judicial District of Swift Current on May 1, 1913. The boundaries of the district were altered several times during its existence.
The Judicial District of Swift Current was located in the south-west part of the province. The centre of the district was located in the city of Swift Current, 170 kilometres west of the city of Moose Jaw and 218 kilometres east of Medicine Hat, Alberta. The courthouse was located at 121 Lorne Street West.
Towns and villages located in the judicial district at some point during its existence were Aneroid; Cabri; Gull Lake; Herbert; Leader; Maple Creek; Morse; Ponteix; Prussia; Swift Current; Tompkins; and Woodrow.
Courts holding jurisdiction in the district included the Supreme Court; the Court of King's Bench; the Court of Queen's Bench; the District Court; and the Surrogate Court. Both criminal and civil cases were heard in the judicial district. Criminal offences included arson; robbery; theft; murder; manslaughter; treason; kidnapping; assault; sexual assault; blackmail; extortion and perjury. Civil matters included divorce; contract disputes; foreclosures; the administration of estates of the deceased and probate of wills; small claims (debt) matters and property disputes.
A resident judge presided at the various court sittings. Court officials included a Clerk of the Supreme Court; a local registrar for the Court of King's Bench/Queen's Bench; a Clerk and Deputy Clerk of the District Court; a Clerk and Deputy Clerk of the Surrogate Court; a sheriff and deputy sheriff; court reporters and process issuers (servers). Local registrars processed court documents; received documents for filing; kept accounting records and acted as clerks of the court at all courtroom and chamber sessions. Sheriffs executed court orders; served legal documents and enforced statute orders.
In 1958, all existing judicial districts were abolished and the province of Saskatchewan became one judicial district with twenty-one judicial centres. The Judicial District of Swift Current became the Judicial Centre of Swift Current.