Ontario. Crown Attorneys (1857-1968)

• Crown Attorneys

• Upper Canada. County Attorneys

Prior to 1857, authority over the prosecution of offences rested with the Attorney General and his officers at the capital of Upper Canada. As the population of the province expanded, however, this system became increasingly difficult to carry out from such a centralized office. As a result, legislation was passed in 1857 which provided for the appointment of a Crown Attorney, by the Governor, for each county in the Province. The Crown Attorney (originally called a County Attorney), was required to be a barrister-at-law with at least three years experience at the Bar of Upper Canada.

The Crown Attorneys were also required to be a resident of the county, and as such were part of the local administration of justice. In 1948, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions was created within the Department of the Attorney General in order to coordinate the activities of the Crown Attorneys. The Crown Attorneys themselves, continued to be county officials.

However, in 1968, the Government of Ontario, through the Department of the Attorney General, became responsible for all aspects of the administration of justice in the province. As a result, the Crown Attorneys became officials of the Department of the Attorney General.

The following is an alphabetical listing of the counties/districts that existed within the Province between 1857 and 1968 (with Dt.= District and Co.=County), along with the dates for which they existed: Algoma Dt. (1859- ); Brant Co. (1853- ); Bruce Co. (1867- ); Carleton Co. (1850-1969); Cochrane Dt. (1922- ); Dufferin Co. (1881- ); Elgin Co. (1853- ); Essex Co. (1853- ); Frontenac, Lennox and Addington United Cos. (1850- 1865); Frontenac Co. (1865- ); Grey Co. (1853- ); Haldimand Co. (1851-1974); Haliburton Co. (1874- ); Halton Co. (1855-1973); Hastings Co. (1850- ); Huron and Bruce United Cos. (1853-1867); Huron Co. (1867- ); Kenora Dt. (1898- ); Kent Co. (1851- ); Lambton Co. (1853- ); Lanark and Renfrew United Cos. (1850-1866); Lanark Co. (1866- ); Leeds and Grenville United Cos. (1850- ); Lennox and Addington United Co. (1865- ); Lincoln Co. (1856-1970); Manitoulin Dt. (1899- ); Middlesex Co. (1850-1851; 1853- ); Muskoka and Parry Sound Dt. (1888-1898); Muskoka Dt. (1898- ); Nipissing Dt. (1858- ); Norfolk Co. (1850-1974); Northumberland and Durham United Cos. (1850-1973); Ontario Co. (1853-1973); Oxford Co. (1850- ); Parry Sound Dt. (1898- ); Peel Co. (1866-1973); Perth Co. (1853- ); Peterborough Co. (1850-1851; 1863- ); Peterborough and Victoria United Cos. (1851-1863); Prescott and Russell United Cos. (1850- ); Prince Edward Co. (1850- ); Rainy River Dt. (1909- ); Renfrew Co. (1866- ); Simcoe Co. (1850- ); Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry United Cos. (1850- ); Sudbury Dt. (1907- ); Temiskaming Dt. (1913- ); Thunder Bay Dt. (1884- ); Victoria Co. (1863- ); Waterloo Co. (1850-1851; 1853- 1973); Wellington Co. (1853- ); Welland Co. (1856-1970); Wentworth Co.1866-1970); and York and Peel United Cos. (1853- 1866).

Crown Attorneys conduct prosecutions of offences in their respective regions of Ontario under the Criminal Code of Canada and other federal statutes such as the Young Offenders Act, as well as under some provincial statutes such as the Highway Traffic Act and the Liquor Licence Act. In doing so, Crown Attorneys choose the appropriate charge on which to proceed, consider the release of prisoners pending trial and conduct trials at all levels of court. In addition, Crown Attorneys also act as counsel to the coroner during inquests, and advise police, lawyers and the public on general matters relating to the administration of justice.

An Act for the Appointment of County Attorneys, and for other purposes as related to the local Administration of Justice in Upper Canada, Statutes of Upper Canada 1857, Chap. 59

RAD: Rules for Archival Description, 2nd edn (2008)

2026-11-16: migrated to AtoM

Ministry of the Attorney General Annual Reports, 1974-1990

Directory and Guide to Services of the Ontario Government, 1950- 1966

KWIC Indexes, 1975-1997

Government of Ontario Telephone Directories, 1971-1996

Agency not found in Canadiana Name Authorities, 1996-12-24

Archivist(s):
R. Anger