Overview
To file an appeal at the Court of Appeal, the person filing the appeal – called the appellant – must order and file the appeal record.
Get an appeal record in one of the following ways:
- you create it on your own
- Transcript Management Services (TMS) – a Government of Alberta service – creates it
- you have a commercial preparer create it
Pick one of the methods below to create an appeal record, then follow the steps.
You create the appeal record
Step 1. Order transcripts online
All transcripts must be ordered online.
Go to the order a courtroom transcript web page to order the original court hearing transcript.
Step 2. File your electronic transcript (optional for fast track appeals)
After you’ve received your transcript, file an electronic copy with the Court of Appeal.
If it is a fast track appeal, you don’t need to follow this step.
Step 3. Gather your documents
Civil appeals and criminal appeals need different documents. The Alberta Rules of Court lists the documents for different appeals.
Alberta Rules of Court – Civil appeal documents
For civil appeals, find out which documents you must include with your appeal record in the Alberta Rules of Court: Sections 14.18 to 14.20.
Alberta Rules of Court – Criminal appeal documents
For criminal appeals, find out which documents you must include with your appeal record in the Alberta Rules of Court: Sections 16.13 to 16.14.
Step 4. Finish your appeal record
An appeal record for civil matters and an appeal record for criminal matters are different.
Read the appeal record requirements to find out how to correctly prepare the appeal record for your situation.
Also, it is important to know the Alberta Rules of Court for different appeal records:
Alberta Rules of Court – Civil appeal
For civil appeals, review important information about your appeal record in the Alberta Rules of Court: Sections 14.15 to 14.22.
Alberta Rules of Court – Criminal appeal
For criminal appeals, review important information about your appeal record in the Alberta Rules of Court: Sections 16.12 to 16.15.
Step 5. File and serve your documents
The appellant is responsible for:
- filing all copies of the appeal record with the Registrar of the Court of Appeal
- serving a copy of the appeal record to all other parties
See the deadlines for filing an appeal record.
TMS creates the appeal record
Transcript Management Services (TMS) is a Government of Alberta service. You provide TMS with your transcripts, then TMS creates an appeal record.
Step 1. Order transcripts online
All transcripts must be ordered online.
Go to the order a courtroom transcript web page to order the original court hearing transcript.
Remember to note the transcript order number(s). You will need the order number(s) in the next step for the Request for Appeal Record form.
If you have Legal Aid coverage
Refer to the NOTICE on page 2 of the Request for Appeal Record form. You do not have to do step 1 to order transcripts online if:
- You have a Legal Aid certificate.
- You wish TMS to bill Legal Aid directly for the cost of transcripts and preparation of the appeal record.
Step 2. Fill out the Request for Appeal Record form
Fillable PDF forms do not open properly on some mobile devices and web browsers.
If you are having problems opening the form, contact PDF form technical support.
If you do not have Legal Aid coverage, you need the transcript order number(s) to complete the Request for Appeal Record form.
Download the Request for Appeal Record form.
Step 3. Provide your documents
Refer to the NOTICE on page 2 of the Request for Appeal Record form.
Send an email to TMS at [email protected] with:
- subject line: "Appeal Record Request – Appeal [appeal #]"
- attachments:
- the Request for Appeal Record form – if you do not have Legal Aid coverage, make sure to include the transcript order number(s) on the form
- filed Notice of Appeal
- civil cases only: list of contents
- copies of documents that you must include with your appeal record according to the Alberta Rules of Court for:
- civil appeals – Alberta Rules of Court: Sections 14.18 to 14.20
- criminal appeals – Alberta Rules of Court: Sections 16.12 to 16.15
If you do not have an email account, call TMS at 403-297-7392 to make different arrangements.
Step 4. Get and pay for your appeal record
TMS will prepare the necessary number of copies of your appeal record that you, the other respondent(s) and the Court of Appeal need.
If an electronic copy of your transcript is available, TMS will send a copy of it to the Court of Appeal.
When the appeal record is ready, TMS will contact you and:
- tell you how to pay for it
- tell you where to pick it up
- provide an invoice, if required
If you make payment at a court location, make sure you have your TMS invoice – provided to you by TMS – if required. All court locations accept these payments:
- Visa, MasterCard, American Express
- direct debit
- cash
- money order or bank draft
There is no GST.
TMS accepts cheques from law firms.
Table 1. TMS rates to prepare an appeal record
Service | Rate |
---|---|
Documents | $2 per page |
Copy rate | $0.40 per page |
Table 2. Preparation times for appeal records
Type of appeal | Appeal record preparation time |
---|---|
Fast track appeal | Up to 3 weeks |
Sentence appeal – sentence of 6 months or less | Up to 4 weeks |
Sentence appeal | Up to 6 weeks |
Conviction appeal | Up to 6 weeks |
Standard appeal | Up to 8 weeks |
Step 5. File and serve your appeal record
The appellant is responsible for:
- filing all copies of the appeal record with the Registrar of the Court of Appeal
- serving a copy of the appeal record to all other parties
See the deadlines for filing an appeal record.
Commercial preparer creates the record
You may have a commercial preparer create your appeal record. A commercial preparer will charge a fee for their services.
Contact
Court of Appeal
Contact the Court of Appeal for questions about:
- contents of the appeal record
- Court of Appeal rules
Hours: 8:15 am to 4:00 pm (Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 855-738-4747
Email for Calgary appeals: [email protected]
Email for Edmonton appeals: [email protected]
TMS
Contact TMS for questions about:
- getting an appeal record from TMS
- paying for your appeal record
Hours: 8:15 am to 4:00 pm (Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 403-297-7392
Email: [email protected] (preferred method of contact)
Mailing address
TMS has no public-facing counters.
Transcript Management Services
Suite 1901-N, Calgary Courts Centre
601 5 Street SW
Calgary, Alberta T2P 5P7