Ontario. Supreme Court. Local Registrars

• Local Registrars

• Ontario. High Court of Justice. Local Registrars

• Ontario. County Court Clerks

• Ontario. District Court Clerks

• Ontario. Surrogate Court Registrars

• Ontario. Clerks of Assize

Local Registrars of the Supreme Court were established by the Ontario Judicature Act, in 1881, combining the duties and functions formerly carried out by the Deputy Clerks of the Crown and Pleas and the Deputy Registrars of the Court of Chancery.

The process of replacing Deputy Clerks and Deputy Registrars with Local Registrars, however, was a gradual one; occurring over time as vacancies arose.

The Local Registrar of the Supreme Court, for most judicial districts in the province, also functioned as Clerk of Assize, County/District Court Clerk, and as Surrogate Court Registrar.

In 1989, legislation was passed which merged the Supreme and District Courts and regionalized the administration of justice in the province. With this change, the Local Registrars of the Supreme Court became Local Registrars of the Ontario Court (General Division).

The following is a simple alphabetical listing of the counties/districts/judicial districts that existed within the Province between 1881 and 1989 (with Dt.= District, Co.=County, and J.D.=Judicial District), 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- ); Durham J.D. (1974- ); Elgin Co. (1853- ); Essex Co. (1853- ); Frontenac Co. (1865- ); Grey Co. (1853- ); Haldimand Co. (1851-1974); Haldimand J.D. (1974- ); Haliburton Co. (1874- ); Halton Co. (1855-1973); Halton J.D. (1974- ); Hamilton- Wentworth J.D. (1974- ); Hastings Co. (1850- ); Huron Co. (1867- ); Kenora Dt. (1898- ); Kent Co. (1851- ); Lambton Co. (1853- ); 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- ); Niagara North J.D. (1970- ); Niagara South J.D. (1970- ); Nipissing Dt. (1858- ); Norfolk Co. (1850-1974); Norfolk J.D. (1974- ); Northumberland and Durham United Cos. (1850-1973); Northumberland Co. (1974- ); Ontario Co. (1853-1973); Ottawa-Carleton J.D. (1969- ); Oxford Co. (1850- ); Parry Sound Dt. (1898- ); Peel Co. (1866- 1973); Peel J.D. (1974- ); Perth Co. (1853- ); Peterborough Co. (1850-1851; 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- );(1863- ); Waterloo Co. (1850-1851; 1853- 1973); Waterloo J.D. (1974- ); Wellington Co. (1853- ); Welland Co. (1856-1970); Wentworth Co. (1855-1973); York Co. (1850-1851; 1866-1970); York J.D. (1971- ); and York Region J.D. (1980- ).

Within their judicial districts, Local Registrars acted with the same authority as the Registrar in Toronto. They signed court judgements and other documents, filed and maintained papers and books and settled judgements. They also performed similar roles as County Court Clerks, Surrogate Court Registrars and Clerks of Assize.

Ontario Judicature Act, Statutes of Ontario 1881, Chap. 5

Courts of Justice Amendment Act, Statutes of Ontario 1989, Chap. 55

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

2026-11-16: migrated to AtoM

Statutes of Ontario (see above)

Holemsted, George. A Manual of Practice of the High Court of Justice for Ontario (1881).

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

Archivist(s):
T. Belton, R. Anger