About CAS

The Courts Administration Service (CAS) is integral to the shield that safeguards the judicial independence that is the foundation of Canada’s judicial system. CAS provides registry, judicial and corporate services to 4 courts of law: the Federal Court of Appeal, the Federal Court, the Court Martial Appeal Court of Canada and the Tax Court of Canada (referred to collectively as “the Courts”). Our services also facilitate access to justice for all Canadians by enabling litigants and legal counsel to submit disputes and other matters to be heard before the Courts.

CAS was established to:

• facilitate coordination and cooperation among the 4 Courts for the purpose of ensuring the effective and efficient provision of administrative services
• enhance judicial independence by placing administrative services at arm’s length from the Government of Canada and by affirming the roles of chief justices and judges in the management of the Courts
• enhance accountability for the use of public money in support of court administration while safeguarding the independence of the judiciary

Judicial independence

Judicial independence is one of the cornerstones of the Canadian judicial system. Under the Constitution, the judiciary is separate from, and independent of, the executive and legislative branches. Judicial independence enables judges to make decisions free of influence based solely on facts and law. It has 3 components: security of tenure, financial security and administrative independence. Safeguarding judicial independence is a key consideration when providing services and programs to the Courts and supporting the Chief Justices’ roles in the Courts’ management.