Nunavut Court of Justice Registry: Contact, Hours, and Filing Guide

Everything in a Nunavut small claims case flows through one office: the Civil Registry of the Nunavut Court of Justice in Iqaluit. Whether you are filing your Notice of Claim, paying fees, requesting forms, or checking on a case — this is where you go. And if you live outside Iqaluit, you can handle most of it by email and phone.

Contact Details

In person: Nunavut Justice Centre (Building #510) Iqaluit, Nunavut

Mailing address: Civil Registry, Nunavut Court of Justice P.O. Box 297 Iqaluit, NU X0A 0H0

Phone: (867) 975-6100 Toll-free: 1-866-286-0546 Email: [email protected]

Hours: 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM EST, Monday through Friday. Closed for lunch from noon to 1:00 PM and on statutory territorial holidays.

Filing by Email

Nunavut does not have an automated online filing portal. Instead, the Civil Registry accepts documents sent as PDF attachments to [email protected]. After submitting your documents:

1. Call the Registry at (867) 975-6100 or 1-866-286-0546 to pay the $75 filing fee by credit card
2. Staff review the document, assign a file number, apply the court seal, and mark the official issue date
3. The sealed claim is forwarded to the Office of the Sheriff for service

This email-and-phone process works, but it is not instant. Your claim is officially issued when the Registry processes it — not when you hit send. If you are close to a limitation deadline, call after emailing to confirm receipt and processing.

What Registry Staff Can Help With

Registry staff handle the administrative side of the court:

• Providing blank court forms
• Explaining the sequence of procedural steps
• Confirming filing fees and payment methods
• Accepting filed documents and issuing court file numbers
• Forwarding claims to the Sheriff's Office for service
• Scheduling hearing dates

They can also tell you the current status of your file — whether a Reply has been filed, whether a hearing is scheduled, and what documents are on record.

What Registry Staff Cannot Do

Court staff are legally prohibited from:

• Giving legal advice about whether you should file or how to argue your case
• Helping you draft or fill out your Notice of Claim
• Evaluating your evidence or telling you whether your case is strong
• Recommending whether to accept a settlement offer
• Acting as your representative in any way

If you need legal guidance, contact one of Nunavut's legal aid offices:

• Maliiganik Tukisiiniarvik Legal Services (Qikiqtaaluk region, Iqaluit): (867) 975-6395
• Kivalliq Legal Services (Rankin Inlet): (867) 645-2536
• Kitikmeot Law Centre (Cambridge Bay): (867) 983-2906
• Family Law Line: 1-866-606-9400
• Civil and Poverty Law Line: 1-866-677-4726

Legal Aid Nunavut's published civil-law categories focus on eviction and social-issue matters such as human rights, landlord-tenant, employment law, and police misconduct. Its current civil-law information does not list routine unpaid-debt, contractor, or property-damage claims. Contact a regional clinic to ask whether your case qualifies.

The Sheriff's Office

For anything related to service of process or enforcement of judgments:

Phone: (867) 975-6103 Email: [email protected]

The Sheriff's Office is separate from the Civil Registry but works closely with it. When you file a claim, the Registry sends the sealed documents to the Sheriff for service. After you win a judgment, the Sheriff handles enforcement — garnishment, Writs of Execution, and Payment Hearing summons.

Circuit Court Sittings

The Nunavut Court of Justice does not sit only in Iqaluit. Judges travel on circuit to communities across all three regions — Qikiqtaaluk, Kivalliq, and Kitikmeot. If your hearing is scheduled for a circuit sitting, the Registry can confirm the date and location.

For parties or witnesses in remote communities, the court can authorize attendance by teleconference or videoconference. Request this through the Registry as early as possible.

The Governing Rules

Nunavut small claims procedure is governed by:

• Small Claims Rules of the Nunavut Court of Justice (R-023-2007, amended R-015-2018) — the primary procedural rules
• Judicature Act (C.S.Nu., c. J-10) — the statute establishing the NCJ and its jurisdiction
• Rules of the Nunavut Court of Justice — the general civil rules, which apply where the Small Claims Rules do not address a specific issue

These are publicly available through the Nunavut Legislation website (nunavutlegislation.ca). Reading the Small Claims Rules before filing gives you a clear picture of deadlines, service requirements, and what the court expects at each step.

The Making a Small Claim in Nunavut guide consolidates these rules into a step-by-step roadmap with worksheets, so you do not have to cross-reference legislation and court guides on your own.

See more Nunavut guides →