How long does the judge take to render a decision?
Short answer
In Quebec, the judge can render a decision immediately at the end of the hearing or take the matter under advisement. Where the matter is taken under advisement, the judge has a maximum of two months to render judgment.
In detail
JuridiQC describes these two possibilities in its walkthrough of the steps leading to a judgment in family matters. A decision rendered on the spot is common for simple or uncontested applications; advisement is more common where the evidence is voluminous or contested.
The two-month period runs from the taking under advisement, that is, from the end of the hearing, and not from the filing of the application. How long a file takes overall depends mainly on the steps that come before: filing, notification, exchange of documents, roll call and the court's availability.
Once judgment is rendered, if the other party does not comply with it, enforcement steps are available.
What to document
The exact date of the hearing and of the taking under advisement, the judge's name and the court file number. Keep a copy of the judgment as soon as you receive it and note the date on which it was sent to you: several time limits, including those for an appeal, are counted from that date.
Put your facts in writing, free. Writing your version down early, keeping your documents dated and preparing your questions for a lawyer: the tool is there to document, never to advise.
Open the application Up to 3 files, no card · see the plans
Official sources
- JuridiQC — De facto spouses with children: the main steps to obtain a judgment on separation
- JuridiQC — The keys to understanding a judgment
Related questions
- What is a parental union in Quebec?
- Our child was born before June 30, 2025 — are we in a parental union?
- What is included in the parental union patrimony?
- Does the house I owned before meeting my spouse get divided?
- How do you withdraw from the parental union patrimony?
See all the answers · the full guide collection · Lire en français
What this page is not
This is general legal information about the law of Quebec and Canada, dated and sourced. It is not legal advice, not a strategy, and not a prediction about the outcome of a case. In Quebec, only lawyers and notaries may give legal advice (Act respecting the Barreau du Québec, ss. 128 and 133). Laws and amounts change: the official source always prevails over us.