COVID-19 Pandemic - Update

Latest news

List of the hearings postponed

The Court of Appeal must postpone to an undetermined date or reschedule the hearings on the roll for the following weeks:

• March 16 to 20, 2020;
• March 23 to 27, 2020;
• March 30 to April 3, 2020;
• April 6 to 9, 2020;
• April 14 to 17, 2020;
• April 20 to 24, 2020;
• April 27 to May 1, 2020;
• May 4 to 8, 2020;
• May 11 to 15, 2020.

Appeals decided without a hearing

In light of the current pandemic and its effects on the Court's activities, parties to an appeal are, in general, strongly urged to consider the possibility of availing themselves of art. 384 C.C.P., s. 72 of the Rules of the Court of Appeal of Quebec in Criminal Matters or s. 67 of the Regulation of the Court of Appeal of Quebec in Penal Matters and, where applicable, to present a joint request to the Court to have the appeal decided on the face of the record, without a hearing. If the Court decides that it is appropriate to proceed in this manner, it will notify the parties.

Suspension of time limits in civil matters

Civil procedure time limits are suspended during the health emergency period (Joint Order n° 2020-4251, March 15, 2020).

Details:

• The state of health emergency was declared for the first time on March 13, 2020, for a duration of 10 days (Council 177-2020).
• On March 20, 2020, the state of health emergency was renewed for an additional 10 days, until March 29, 2020 (Council 222-2020).
• On March 29, 2020, the state of health emergency was renewed for an additional 10 days, until April 7, 2020 (Council 388-2020).
• On April 7, 2020, the state of health emergency was renewed for an additional 10 days, until April 16, 2020 (Council 418-2020).
• On April 15, 2020, the state of health emergency was renewed for an additional 10 days, until April 24, 2020 (Council 460-2020).
• On April 22, 2020, the state of health emergency was renewed for an additional 8 days, until April 29, 2020 (Council 460-2020).
• On April 29, 2020, the state of health emergency was renewed for an additional 8 days, until May 6, 2020 (Council 483-2020).
• On May 6, 2020, the state of health emergency was renewed for an additional 8 days, until May 13, 2020 (Council 501-2020).
• On May 13, 2020, the state of health emergency was renewed for an additional 8 days, until May 20, 2020 (Council 509-2020).
• On May 20, 2020, the state of health emergency was renewed for an additional 8 days, until May 27, 2020 (Council 531-2020).
• On May 27, 2020, the state of health emergency was renewed for an additional 8 days, until June 3, 2020 (Council 544-2020).
• On June 3, 2020, the state of health emergency was renewed for an additional 8 days, until June 3, 2020 (Council 572-2020).
• On June 10, 2020, the state of health emergency was renewed for an additional 8 days, until June 17, 2020 (Council 593-2020).
• On June 17, 2020, the state of health emergency was renewed for an additional 7 days, until June 23, 2020 (Council 630-2020).
• On June 23, 2020, the state of health emergency was renewed for an additional 7 days, until June 30, 2020 (Council 667-2020).
• On June 30, 2020, the state of health emergency was renewed for an additional 7 days, until July 8, 2020 (Council 690-2020).

Summary: Civil procedure time limits are therefore suspended until July 8, 2020.

Suspension of certains time limits in penal matters

In accordance with order no. 2020-009 adopted by the Minister of Health and Social Services on March 23, 2020, save for matters the courts consider urgent, the following time limits provided for in the Code of Penal Procedure are suspended:

• time limit for filing an application for leave to appeal (art. 296 C.P.P.);
• time limit for filing a written appearance at the Court of Appeal (art. 303 C.P.P.);
• time limit for filing a factum and proof of its service at the office of the Court of Appeal (arts. 304 and 305 C.P.P.).

Time limits in criminal matters

For the time being, time limits in criminal matters have not been suspended.  Therefore, notices of appeal and applications for leave to appeal must be filed within the usual time limits, subject to such extensions as may be requested in accordance with the ordinary rules. In other respects, if parties believe they will not be able to meet the deadline for the filing of briefs or the documents that stand in lieu of the brief (appeal from a sentence), they are asked to send a letter by fax or an email (see the email addresses of the offices of the Court of Appeal below) in order to request an extension.  Given the exceptional circumstances, the Court of Appeal will adjust time limits accordingly.

Virtual courtroom

Motions before a judge alone

The Court is offering parties and counsel the possibility of presenting their motions before a judge alone by way of videoconference, in a “virtual courtroom”, from the location of their choice (home or office), without the need to travel. This approach, which complies with the social distancing requirements of the current health emergency, will be favoured and will, save for certain exceptions, make it possible to deal with most motions that fall within the jurisdiction of the Court’s judges sitting alone, in all matters and no longer in only urgent ones.

Upon receipt of a motion intended for a judge alone, the Court office will contact the parties or their counsel, as the case may be, in order to provide them with the necessary information.

Appeals on merits

As of May 25, 2020, the Court will resume, on a regular basis, the hearing of appeals and motions presentable before a panel. In order to comply with the physical distancing requirements resulting from the current situation, these hearings will be held by videoconference, in "virtual courtroom" mode (unless the matter is to proceed without a hearing - see under "Appeals decided without a hearing" at https://courdappelduquebec.ca/en/covid-19-pandemic-update/). Parties or counsel will therefore be able to participate in a hearing from the location of their choice (home or office), without the need to travel. The Court office will contact the parties or counsel concerned in order to make the necessary arrangements for this purpose. Please take note that a virtual hearing may not be appropriate for certain matters, in which case the Court office will also contact those concerned.

Councils and Joint orders

• Council 177-2020 (March 13, 2020): CONCERNANT une déclaration d urgence sanitaire conformément à l’article 118 de la Loi sur la santé publique (only in French)
  
  
• Joint Order 2020-4251 (March 15, 2020): Arrêté de la juge en chef du Québec et de la ministre de la Justice du 15 mars 2020 (only in French)
  
  
• Council 222-2020 (March 20, 2020): CONCERNANT le renouvellement de l’état d’urgence sanitaire conformément à l’article 119 de la Loi sur la santé publique et certaines mesures pour protéger la santé de la population (only in French)
  
  
• Council 2020-009 (March 23, 2020): Arrêté de la ministre de la Santé et des Services sociaux -Concernant l'ordonnance de mesures visant à protéger la santé de la population dans la situation de pandémie de la COVID-19 (only in French)
  
  
• Joint Order 2020-4267 (March 27, 2020): Order 4267 of the Chief Justice of Québec and the Minister of Justice dated 27 March 2020 - CONCERNING the notification of a document by a technological means during the period of the public health emergency declared on 13 March 2020
  
  
• Council 388-2020 (March 29, 2020):CONCERNANT le renouvellement de l’état d’urgence sanitaire conformément à l’article 119 de la Loi sur la santé publique et certaines mesures pour protéger la santé de la population (only in French)
  
  
• Council 2020-013 (April 1, 2020): Arrêté de la ministre de la Santé et des Services sociaux -Concernant l'ordonnance de mesures visant à protéger la santé de la population dans la situation de pandémie de la COVID-19 (only in French)
  
  
• Council 418-2020 (April 7, 2020):CONCERNANT le renouvellement de l’état d’urgence sanitaire conformément à l’article 119 de la Loi sur la santé publique (only in French)
  
  
• Council 460-2020 (April 15, 2020):CONCERNANT le renouvellement de l’état d’urgence sanitaire conformément à l’article 119 de la Loi sur la santé publique (only in French)
  
  
• Council 478-2020 (April 22, 2020):CONCERNANT le renouvellement de l’état d’urgence sanitaire conformément à l’article 119 de la Loi sur la santé publique (only in French)
  
  
• Council 483-2020 (April 29, 2020):CONCERNANT le renouvellement de l’état d’urgence sanitaire conformément à l’article 119 de la Loi sur la santé publique (only in French)
  
  
• Council 501-2020 (May 6, 2020):CONCERNANT le renouvellement de l’état d’urgence sanitaire conformément à l’article 119 de la Loi sur la santé publique (only in French)
  
  
• Council 509-2020 (May 13, 2020):CONCERNANT le renouvellement de l’état d’urgence sanitaire conformément à l’article 119 de la Loi sur la santé publique (only in French)
  
  
• Council 531-2020 (May 20, 2020):CONCERNANT le renouvellement de l’état d’urgence sanitaire conformément à l’article 119 de la Loi sur la santé publique (only in French)
  
  
• Council 544-2020 (May 27, 2020):CONCERNANT le renouvellement de l’état d’urgence sanitaire conformément à l’article 119 de la Loi sur la santé publique (only in French)
  
  
• Council 572-2020 (June 3, 2020):CONCERNANT le renouvellement de l’état d’urgence sanitaire conformément à l’article 119 de la Loi sur la santé publique (only in French)
  
  
• Council 593-2020 (June 10, 2020):CONCERNANT le renouvellement de l’état d’urgence sanitaire conformément à l’article 119 de la Loi sur la santé publique (only in French)
  
  
• Council 630-2020 (June 17, 2020):CONCERNANT le renouvellement de l’état d’urgence sanitaire conformément à l’article 119 de la Loi sur la santé publique
  
  
• Council 667-2020 (June 23, 2020):CONCERNANT le renouvellement de l’état d’urgence sanitaire conformément à l’article 119 de la Loi sur la santé publique
  
  
• Council 689-2020 (June 25, 2020): Ordering of measures to protect the health of the population amid the COVID-19 pandemic situation
  
  
• Council 690-2020 (June 30, 2020):CONCERNANT le renouvellement de l’état d’urgence sanitaire conformément à l’article 119 de la Loi sur la santé publique

Contact information for the offices of the Court

• Office of the Court in Quebec City:  Fax: 418-646-6961 or courdappelqc@judex.qc.ca
• Office of the Court in Montreal: Fax: 514-864-7270 or courdappelmtl@judex.qc.ca