Case status
Reading a Supreme Court of Canada case status
Short answer
- Leave deadline
- 60 days after the date of the judgment appealed from 2
- Leave applications submitted to the Court, 2025
- 474, with 35 granted (7 per cent) 1
- Appeals heard, 2025
- 51, of which 17 as of right and 34 by leave 1
- Appeal judgments, 2025
- 46, with 17 allowed and 29 dismissed 1
- Standing for judgment, end of 2025
- 24 appeals 1
- Quorum
- Any five of the nine judges 2
The path of a case
- Application for leave to appeal: the request for the Court to hear a case, granted where a case involves a question of public importance 4.
- Written decision on leave: the Court grants or dismisses the application where the written material makes the answer clear, and orders an oral hearing in any other case 2.
- Appeal as of right: in some limited criminal cases, an appeal may be brought without leave where one judge of the court of appeal dissented on a point of law 4.
- Hearing: arguments are presented to decide the appeal 4.
- Judgment: pronounced from the bench at the end of the hearing, or delivered with written reasons later 4.
Status terms on a Supreme Court of Canada record
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Applicant | A person who applies for leave to appeal or brings a motion 4 |
| Appellant | A person granted leave to appeal who brings an appeal 4 |
| Respondent | A party opposing the appeal or the application for leave 4 |
| Appeal allowed | The Court overturns the lower court decision 4 |
| Appeal dismissed | The Court agrees with the lower court decision 4 |
| Coram | The panel of judges who hear and decide a case 4 |
| Dissent | An opinion by judges who disagree with the majority 4 |
| Extension of time | Extra time beyond the normal due date 4 |
Leave to appeal in numbers
The Court's statistical summary, dated as of 25 September 2026, counts all applications, appeals and judgments by individual file number 1.
Appeals and judgments in numbers
In 2025, 16 judgments were delivered from the bench and 30 after being reserved 1. The average time from leave granted, or from a notice of appeal as of right, to the hearing was 9.1 months 1.
Two sets of averages
The Court's guide for self-represented litigants says leave decisions are rendered on average 3 months after the application is filed, and appeal judgments on average 6 months after the hearing 3. The statistical summary gives 4.4 months and 5.1 months for 2025 1. The guide page was last modified on 8 September 2026 but does not state the period its averages cover. Both are shown here.
Rules that shape the record
The Court has a Chief Justice and eight puisne judges 2. Any five judges form a quorum 2. A decision under appeal must be a final judgment of the Federal Court of Appeal or of the highest court of final resort in a province, under section 40 of the Supreme Court Act 3. On a leave application, the Court may remand the whole or part of the case to the court appealed from 2.
Leave applications are decided in writing and parties do not appear in person 3. An applicant who misses the 60-day deadline must file a motion for extension of time 3.
When counting the 60 days, the date of the judgment appealed from is not included, and that date is the day the judgment was pronounced, not the day the formal order was signed 5. A response to a leave application is due within 30 days after the Court opens a file 5. If a deadline falls on a weekend or a holiday when the Court is closed, the document may be filed on the next business day 5.
Common questions
How long do I have to apply for leave to the Supreme Court of Canada?
60 days after the date of the judgment appealed from, under section 58 of the Supreme Court Act 2.
How many leave applications does the Supreme Court of Canada grant?
35 of 474 in 2025, or 7 per cent 1.
What does appeal dismissed mean at the Supreme Court of Canada?
The Court agrees with the lower court decision 4.
Rules and charges change. Check the official source linked on this page before you pay or travel. Spotted an error? Email hello@statusofrecord.com.
Sources
- Supreme Court of Canada: Statistical summary 2016 to 2025 (as of 25 September 2026)
- Justice Laws Website: Supreme Court Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. S-26
- Supreme Court of Canada: Applying for leave to appeal (modified 8 September 2026)
- Supreme Court of Canada: Glossary of terms (modified 27 January 2025)
- Supreme Court of Canada: Calculating deadlines (modified 9 September 2026)
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