This series consists almost entirely of records created and/or maintained by the Exchequer Court of Canada in the Ottawa Admiralty District between 1891 and 1972. The first case of this series began in 1891, and the last began in 1970. Some actions continued past 1971 and were maintained by the Federal Court of Canada, Trial Division, which inherited jurisdiction over Admiralty matters from the Exchequer Court in 1971.
Matters heard in the Ottawa Admiralty District include actions for damages caused by collisions, damages to cargo, recovering possession of ships, compensation for necessaries supplied, compensation for salvage or towage services rendered, recovering unpaid wages and disbursements, money due on mortgages, and breaching contracts regarding the use or hire of a ship.
The most common records that were created through the course of the legal proceedings include preliminary acts issued by the parties at the time of the collision, if applicable, writs of summons, which detail the particulars of the plaintiff's claim, as well as affidavits, minutes of filing, bail bonds, statements of claim, statements of defence, caveats, demands for particulars, depositions, contents of the record, memoranda of settlement, subpoenas, and minutes of decree. The case files contain notices, or documents filed by the solicitors of the plaintiff and the defendant formally notifying the parties of the legal process. Orders were issued as formal written directions of the Court, for example: scheduling a trial, issuing warrants for arrest of vessels, releasing arrested vessels, for examination of witnesses, inspecting cargo, appointing appraisers, releasing exhibits to counsel, and making payments.
This series contains several exhibits that were used by the plaintiffs or defendants to prove their case. These exhibits include maps of the regions where collisions occurred, technical drawings of ships, photographs of damages to wharves or ships, and ship papers such as log books or movement books.
The Ottawa Admiralty District has several books that contain information regarding the cases that were heard in the Court. There are four volumes of docket records that cover the period of 1891 to 1971.
