Is my hearing public and can someone attend?
Short answer
In Quebec, civil justice administered by the courts of justice is public, and anyone may attend hearings and consult court records, except where the law provides for a hearing in camera or restricts access (art. 11 of the Code of Civil Procedure).
In detail
Article 12 allows the court to make an exception to the principle of open proceedings where it considers that public order — in particular the protection of the dignity of the persons concerned — or the protection of substantial and legitimate interests requires it: a hearing in camera, restricted access to a document, a ban on publication, or anonymity.
JuridiQC flags a common exception: in family matters, such as an application for divorce or for child custody, hearings are held in camera and the person accompanying you will not be able to enter the room without the court's authorization. Article 13 of the Code of Civil Procedure lists who is nonetheless admitted to a hearing held in camera.
The Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL, Quebec's rental board) states that its hearings are public, but that it may, on its own initiative or at a party's request, order a hearing in camera where it considers it necessary in the interest of justice. Section 23 of the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms enshrines the right to a public and impartial hearing.
What to document
If someone comes with you, note their name and their role (support, interpreter, caregiver). In family matters, check with the court office before the hearing date whether their presence will be allowed.
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.
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Official sources
- Code of Civil Procedure, arts. 11, 12 and 13 (Légis Québec)
- Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms, s. 23 (Légis Québec)
- The rules and customs to follow in court, in 10 questions (JuridiQC, Government of Quebec)
Related questions
- What happens if I do not show up for my hearing?
- Can I appeal a small claims judgment?
- How do I get my file from my employer, my insurer or a company?
- How do I get a document from a government department, a city or a public body?
- What happens if the other party lies under oath?
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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.