Hearing preparation brief
Prepare hearing preparation brief using your own facts, evidence and verified legal grounds.
What you will prepare
- Questions in dispute
- Dated chronology
- Witnesses and matters within their knowledge
- Evidence and exhibit references
- Position and submissions
Information to have ready
Case reference, court and jurisdiction, party names, author contact details, relevant dates and your supporting exhibits. Provide verified legal grounds where requested; the tool does not invent authorities or facts.
Review before filing
Confirm that this document is appropriate for the proceeding, use any mandatory official form, check confidentiality and redactions, and complete required signatures, swearing and service. A draft export is not a filing or proof of service.
Québec small claims: prepare for your hearing
This is a personal preparation worksheet, not a prescribed court brief. The following guidance concerns only the Small Claims Division of the Court of Québec. Exporting does not file exhibits, summon witnesses or establish admissibility. Other proceedings require their own review.
Read your notice of hearing: record the place, date and time. Keep unanswered questions for the court office separate from your account of events.
For each issue, connect a dated event to its source and an actual exhibit. Separate personal observations, another person’s statements and interpretations. Mark unknown dates and missing records rather than filling them in.
Check evidence filing separately: the official instructions describe filing within 10 days after formal filing of the application or response and a 30-day-before-hearing limit for further evidence. Use the official List of Exhibits (SJ-840A), identify plaintiff exhibits P or defendant exhibits D with their numbers, and add the real court file number. Filing is in person or by mail, not through this app. Keep a complete copy for your records; follow the official form and court office instructions for originals.
Identify witnesses and what each can personally explain. If you fear a witness will not attend, ask the clerk using the official SJ-839A at least 30 days before the hearing. The clerk sends the summons; a name in this worksheet does not summon anyone. Check written-testimony requirements separately.
Consult the other party’s filed exhibits and request copies from the clerk if needed. Review your chronology, exhibit references and unresolved questions. For a judgment on the face of the record without a hearing, follow the deadline set by the clerk. Confirm the applicable dates and instructions with the court; this checklist does not calculate a personal deadline.
Official instructions and free forms
- Preparing for the hearing and witness list SJ-839A ↗
- Filing evidence and List of Exhibits SJ-840A ↗
- Written testimony: official-form handoff and limits
Fictional preparation examples
Entirely fictional examples for inspiration. Opening these examples never adds facts or evidence to your case.
Observation with a source
“12 March 2026: I received a delivery email. Supporting record: the original email, to be located.”
Reported statement
“Alex Example told me the parcel arrived. I did not see the delivery. Question: what did Alex observe?”
Unresolved interpretation
“I think delivery was late; the agreed date is still to be checked in the contract.”