OTTAWA — A century and a half ago, it had only six judges, no permanent home and a less than onerous workload.

The Supreme Court of Canada is tracing its storied history, and somewhat humble beginnings, to mark its 150th anniversary this year.

As part of the celebrations, the high court plans a ceremonial opening Monday to the judicial year — the first such event since September 1986.

Legislation to create the new court was passed in the spring of 1875 and the first chief justice, William Buell Richards, was sworn in that October.

Richards, born in 1815 in Brockville, in what was then Upper Canada, was a lawyer and politician before becoming a judge.

Five other men rounded out the inaugural Supreme Court. The number of judges would increase to seven in 1927 and the current total of ni

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