The Court of Quebec is very important because it is there that many cases are heard by a judge for the first time. The Court of Quebec is divided into three Divisions:
- the Civil Division,
- the Criminal and Penal Division, and
- the Youth Division.
Remember that what’s often referred to as “small claims court” is really part of the Civil Division of the Court of Quebec.
The Court of Québec is composed of approximately 330 judges, including the chief judge, the senior associate chief judge and three associate chief judges.
This section deals with the Civil Division of the Court of Quebec, excluding small claims.
The types of cases that can come before the Court of Quebec depend on the amount of money in dispute. In general, the Court of Quebec hears claims of less than $75,000. It can also hear claims between $75,000 and $100,000. In the latter case, the person who initiates the proceeding may choose to file it before the Civil Division of the Court of Québec or before the Superior Court.
The Court of Quebec hears a variety of matters ranging from the recovery of municipal or school taxes to having a person undergo a psychiatric examination, or confined to an institution.
In addition, only the Court of Quebec can hear appeals of certain decisions made by other bodies. For example, the Court hears appeals of decisions made by the Commission d’accès à l’information, the Tribunal administratif du logement (rental board), the Tribunal administratif de déontologie policière, and Revenu Québec on the issue of provincial taxation. The Court of Quebec has the power to uphold the body’s decision or change it.