When do I have to file my evidence in small claims?
Short answer
In Quebec, evidence must be filed at the courthouse within 10 days after the application is legally filed, and more can be added up to 30 days before the date set for the hearing.
In detail
The two deadlines work together: a first quick filing, then a window to complete the file when new documents come to light. After the 30-days-before-the-hearing mark, it becomes much harder to add anything at all.
The filing method is particular: evidence must be filed in person at the courthouse or sent by mail. It cannot be filed online, unlike the application form.
Each party is entitled to receive a free copy of the exhibits filed by the other, by asking the clerk for them. That is what lets you know, before the hearing, what the other party is going to present.
What to document
The filing date of each exhibit and how it was filed. Keep a copy of everything you hand in to the court office: the original stays in the file, and you will need a copy to prepare your presentation.
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
Related questions
- What evidence can I file in small claims?
- I received a small claims application how long do I have to respond?
- What happens if I don't respond to a small claims lawsuit?
- Can I sue back the person who is suing me?
- Is mediation mandatory in small claims?
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.