The government of New France was headed by a governorgovernor: an appointed representative
of the Crown sent to
govern a colony. who was responsible to the King. 
The governor took advice from a Sovereign Council which consisted of the intendant,intendant: an important
administrative official in New
France, responsible for finance,
justice and police in the colony.
Jean Talon was the first. the bishop and a number of high ranking seigneursseigneur: a landowner in New
France whose estates were
originally granted by the King
of France. He also
administered justice within his
seigneury. and clergy appointed by the governor. The Sovereign Council was both a lawmaking body and a court for criminal and civilcivil law: law that deals with
private rights (property and the
individual), as opposed to
"criminal" law which involves
crimes against the community.
French civil law is written
down, or statute law, as
opposed to common law. cases which had been referred from lower courts. Although the governor was the royal representative, the day-to-day affairs of the colony were run by the intendant. The first and most famous intendant was Jean Talon.