This is a chronological list of notable cases decided by the Supreme Court of Canada.

Note that the Privy Council heard appeals for criminal cases until 1933 and for civil cases until 1949.

1877 – 1899

• McGugan v. Smith [1892] : quantum meruit

1900 – 1939

• Edwards v. Canada (Attorney General) [1928] S.C.R. 276: "Persons Case"
• Reference Re Alberta Statutes [1938] S.C.R. 100

1940 – 1959

• Saumur v. The City of Quebec [1953] 2 S.C.R. 299
• Deglman v. Guaranty Trust Co, v. Constantineau [1954] 3 S.C.R. 785 : quantum meruit
• Beaver v. R. [1957]: subjective mens rea required for possession
• Switzman v. Elbling [1957] S.C.R. 285
• Priestman v. Colangelo [1959] Duty of Care in public service conduct.

1960 – 1979

• Globe and Mail v. Boland [1960]: Slander and libel, qualified privilege.
• R. v. Whitfield [1969] : Definition of arrest
• Horsley v. MacLaren (The Ogopogo) [1972]: no duty to rescue
• Jordan House Ltd. v. Menow [1973] : Commerical host liability
• Murdoch v. Murdoch [1975] : Division of matrimonial property
• Canada (A.G.) v. City of Montreal [1978] 2 S.C.R. 770.
• R. v. City of Sault Ste. Marie [1978]: creation of "Strict Liability" class of offences
• Cherneskey v. Armadale Publishers [1979]: defamation

1980 – 1999

• Reibel v. Hughes [1980] : Duty to disclose
• Perka v. R. [1984] : defence of necessity
• R. v. Big M Drug Mart Ltd., [1985] 1 S.C.R. 295 :Lord's Day Act violates Charter
• Re B.C. Motor Vehicle Act [1986] : no jail sentences for Absolute Liability crimes
• Central Trust Company v. Rafuse [1986]: Standard of care for lawyers
• R. v. Oakes [1986] 1 S.C.R. 103:Oakes test for applying limitations clause.
• RWDSU v. Dolphin Delivery Ltd. [1986] 2 S.C.R. 573: Scope of the Charter
• Robichaud v. Canada (Treasury Board) [1987] 2 S.C.R. 84: Secondary liability for discrimination
• R. v. Manninen [1987] : right to seek council on arrest
• R. v. Vaillancourt, [1987] 2 SCR 636 : mens rea required for all criminal offences
• Crocker v. Sundance Northwest Resorts [1988]: exception to Ogopogo rule
• R. v. Morgentaler [1988] 1 S.C.R. 30 : abortion law violates Charter
• Ford v. Quebec (A.G.) [1988] 2 S.C.R. 712: Quebec's Charter of the French Language unconstitutional.
• Andrews v. Law Society of British Columbia, [1989] : Andrews test for Equality under Charter (s.15)
• R. v. Martineau [1990] 2 S.C.R. 633: requirements for murder conviction.
• R. v. Wholesale Travel Group Inc. [1991] : Requirements for Strict Liability offences
• R. v. Jobidon [1991] :Defence of culpable homicide by means of consent
• R. v. Butler , [1992] 1 SCR 452
• R. v. Parks defence of automatism
• R. v. DeSousa [1992]: predicate offence charges, requirement for mens rea
• R. v. Hundal [1993]: Standard for Objective Fault.
• R. v. Creighton, [1993] 3 SCR 3: Objective Fault offences, major turning point in Criminal law.
• R. v. Heywood 1994 SCC 97 Section Seven challenge, Overbreadth
• R. v. Daviault 1994 SCC 72 defence of intoxication
• McKinney v. University of Guelph, [1995]: Case broadened the scope of the Charter, elaborated use of s.15.
• Egan v. Canada [1995] 2 S.C.R. 513: sexual orientation, ground of discrimination under the Charter.
• Hollis v. Dow Corning Corp. [1995] : Product liability
• Stewart v. Pettie [1995]: Duty of Care in social host liability
• R. v. Park [1995] 2 S.C.R. 836 : established the mistaken belief in consent defence
• Hill v. Church of Scientology of Toronto [1995] 2 S.C.R. 1130 : defamation not protected by the Charter.
• Provincial Judges Reference [1997] 3 S.C.R. 3 Reference re Remuneration of Provincial Court Judges
• R. v. R.D.S [1997] 3 S.C.R. 484 : judge's use of personal experiences in deciding cases.
• Delgamuukw v. British Columbia [1997] 3 S.C.R. 1010: existance of aboriginal title and right to self-government.
• Reference re Secession of Quebec [1998] 2 S.C.R. 217 : Quebec cannot unilaterally declare independence
• Vriend v. Alberta, [1998] 1 S.C.R. 493 : provincial governments cannot exclude sexual orientation from human rights codes.
• Law v. Canada [1999] 1 S.C.R. 497 :Re-articulation of s.15 of the charter analysis with a focus on "human dignity".
• British Columbia (PSERC) v. BCGSEU [1999] 3 S.C.R. 3: Known as the Meiorin case, a unified test for Canadian Human Rights Act violations.
• R. v. Marshall [1999] 3 SCR 45 :aboriginal fishing rights.

2000 – present

• R. v. Proulx [2000]: Evaluating sentences, conditional sentences.
• R. v. Nette [2001]: Causation test for murder.
• R. v. Ruzic 2001 SCC 24 defence of duress
• Cooper v. Hobart [2001] 2001 SCC 79: duty of care in torts
• Harvard College v. Canada (Commissioner of Patents) 2002 SCC 76: Harvard mouse, bio-patents
• Nova Scotia (A.G.) v. Walsh [2002]: common law couples not included in the Martial Property Act
• Théberge v. Galerie d'Art du Petit Champlain Inc. 2002 SCC 34 copyright
• R. v. Malmo-Levin [2003] 3 S.C.R. 571 possession of marajuana Charter challenge
• R. v. Clay 2003 SCC 75 possession of marajuana Charter challenge (second)
• Canadian Foundation for Children, Youth and the Law v. Canada (A.G.) [2004], 2004 SCC 4 : spanking allowed under Charter
• CCH Canada Ltd v. Law Society of Canada [2004] 1 S.C.R. 39, 2004 SCC 13: copyright infringment, fair dealing
• Monsanto Canada Inc. v. Schmeiser 1 S.C.R. 902, 2004 SCC 34: revisit issue of bio-patents
• R. v. Mann 2004 SCC 52 : Limits of search and seizure
• Auton v. British Columbia (A.G.) [2004] 2004 SCC 78: Non-core services medical services not guaranteed under Charter
• Reference re. Same-Sex Marriage [2004] 2004 SCC 79: civil marriage includes same-sex couples

External links

• Supreme court decision summaries
• entire judgments