Open and transparent

The Supreme Court of Canada is internationally respected for its openness and transparency. As one of Canada’s most important public institutions, the Court makes its work accessible in a number of ways.

The open court principle

As a general rule, court proceedings are open and public. This is known as the open court principle and is protected by the right to freedom of expression guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The open court principle serves to instill public confidence in the justice system.

Supreme Court hearings are generally open to the public, and most are available via webcast, either live or on demand. On occasion, there are necessary restrictions on the open court principle. This can happen when there is a publication ban or an order sealing the file.

Case files are made available on the Court’s website and upon request to the Records centre. In order to help more people understand the legal issues and the outcome of its decisions, the Court publishes plain language summaries, called Cases in Brief, for every judgment.

The Court supports members of the media who report on legal matters by informing them of hearings and judgments, fielding their inquiries, and holding briefings on all judgments. In addition, the Chief Justice holds an annual news conference to update the media and public on the work of the Court.

The Court summarizes its activities and initiatives each year in its Year in Review. The Court also provides timely updates on its activities on social media, including Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and X.