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Alberta’s Courts (1906-2014)

  • The previous Judicial Districts of Northern Alberta and Southern Alberta were replaced with five new districts: Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge, Macleod, and Wetaskiwin.
  • The Judicial District of Athabasca was formed in 1909 from part of the Judicial District of Edmonton. Subdistricts in Peace River and Grande Prairie were created in 1919. This District and its subdistricts were disbanded in 1920 to become parts of the Judicial Districts of Edmonton and Peace River.
  • The Judicial District of Red Deer was created in 1914 from part of the Judicial District of Wetaskiwin. A subdistrict in Lacombe was created in 1916 and disbanded in 1920.
  • The Judicial District of Stettler was created in 1914 from parts of the Judicial Districts of Wetaskiwin and Calgary. It disbanded in 1936 and merged with the Judicial District of Red Deer.
  • The Judicial District of Medicine Hat was created in 1914 from parts of the Judicial Districts of Calgary and Lethbridge.
  • The Bassano Subdistrict was created in the Judicial District of Calgary in 1914 and disbanded in 1935.
  • The Taber Subdistrict was created in the Judicial District of Lethbridge in 1914 and disbanded in 1935.
  • The Camrose Subdistrict was created in the Judicial District of Wetaskiwin in 1918 and disbanded in 1936.
  • The Judicial District of Acadia was created in 1919 from part of the Judicial District of Calgary. It was renamed the Judicial District of Hanna in 1922. Briefly merging with the Judicial District of Drumheller in 1945, it remained an independent judicial district before disbanding and merging with the Judicial District of Drumheller in 1987.
  • The Judicial District of Peace River was formed in 1920 from the Judicial District of Athabasca, with Grande Prairie added as a subdistrict. The Grande Prairie Subdistrict became the Judicial District of Grande Prairie in 1954.
  • The Judicial District of Drumheller was created in 1926 from part of the Judicial District of Calgary.
  • The Vegreville Subdistrict of the Judicial District of Edmonton was created in 1928. It became the Judicial District of Vegreville in 1954 before merging back into the Judicial District of Edmonton in 1994.
  • In 1981, the Judicial District of Fort McMurray was created from parts of the Judicial District of Edmonton.
  • In 1994, the Judicial District of Macleod was merged into the Judicial District of Lethbridge.
  • In 1997, the Judicial District of St. Paul was created from part of the Judicial District of Edmonton.

As of 2014, the active judicial districts in Alberta were: Calgary, Drumheller, Edmonton, Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Peace River, Red Deer, St. Paul, and Wetaskiwin.

From the Archives

Alberta Gazette, September 17, 1906.

Judicial Districts of Alberta, 1906.

Map of the Province of Alberta, 1926.

Province of Alberta - Judicial Districts, January 1, 1962.

Judicial Districts (southern Alberta), 1982.