The Osgoode Hall Law School Library is Canada’s leading law library, celebrated for its extensive and diverse collection. It serves as a cornerstone of legal education and research, offering valuable resources to students, faculty, legal scholars and practitioners. Among its most distinguished holdings is the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) factum collection, which represents a critical part of Canada’s legal history.
The SCC Factum Collection: A Unique Legal Resource
The SCC factum collection was donated in the late 1990s by the former Law Society of Upper Canada Great Library (now the Law Society of Ontario). It includes volumes from Volume 1 (1877) to Volume 103 (1981). These factums, submitted to the Supreme Court of Canada, offer invaluable insight into legal arguments that shaped landmark cases. Currently housed in the John R. Cartwright Rare Book Room, the collection is a rich resource for legal historians and researchers, but it currently lacks organization and indexing tools, making it difficult to navigate.
Professor Patricia McMahon, a leading scholar in legal history, recognized the potential of this collection while conducting research for her upcoming book. “The SCC factum collection is a critical part of Canada’s legal heritage,” she explains. “By developing an index, we can unlock this treasure trove of legal history, making it accessible to researchers and future generations.”
Supporting Legal Research and Education
To address the accessibility issues, Professor McMahon applied for a grant through Osgoode’s Research Intensification Fund to create an index for the collection. This index will help researchers locate key case information, filing dates, and citation details, and will support students in her Legal Biography seminar. The project aims to enhance the utility of the collection for legal historians, students, scholars and practitioners alike.
The long-term goal is to digitize the SCC factum collection, ensuring the preservation and global accessibility of these historically significant documents. “Digitizing the collection will make it easier for scholars and students worldwide to engage with this invaluable resource,” says Yemisi Dina, Chief Law Librarian at Osgoode. “This is an essential step in preserving Canada’s legal history for future generations.”
A Leader in Legal Research
The SCC factum collection exemplifies the Osgoode Hall Law School Library’s commitment to supporting legal research and education. “By maintaining and expanding resources like the SCC factum collection, we support not only the academic community but also the broader legal profession,” says Dean Trevor Farrow. “The library continues to set the standard for excellence in legal research, advancing our understanding of Canadian law and its evolution.”
The Osgoode Hall Law School Library’s ongoing work to organize, index, and eventually digitize the SCC factum collection underscores its vital role in preserving and disseminating legal scholarship, ensuring that these critical resources remain accessible for generations to come.