When the appeal is ready to be heard and a hearing date has not previously been set by the Court, by a judge or by the clerk, the clerk must issue a declaration of readiness.

The notice is sent to the lawyers and to self-represented parties.

The master of the rolls then determines the hearing date based on the date of the notice, unless the Chief Justice gives specific instructions or unless legal provisions establish an order of priority.

Useful links and resources

Please read the applicable provisions, including:

Sections 68, 78 and 80 R.C.A.Q.C.M.

Purpose

For purposes of the hearing on the merits of the appeal, you may file a book of authorities.

Your book of authorities must contain the case law or doctrine you consider relevant.

You must indicate the relevant passages to facilitate finding them, by either:

• underlining them;
• highlighting them; or
• identifying them with vertical lines in the margin.

You can choose to include only the relevant excerpts, together with the preceding page and the succeeding page, and the headnote (summary), if there is one.

You must separate authorities from one another with numbered tabs.

Your book of authorities need not include judgments contained on the List of judgments deemed to be part of a book of authorities.

On the cover page of each volume of your book of authorities, you must indicate:

• the file number;
• the designation of the parties;
• the title; and
• the status of the party filing the book of authorities.

Notification/Filing

You must notify and file your book of authorities:

if you are the appellant: at least 40 days before the date set for the appeal hearing;

if you are the respondent or any other party: at least 30 days before the date set for the appeal hearing.

You must notify your book of authorities to the other parties.

The paper version of the book of authorities must be printed on both sides of each sheet, in “letter” format (21.5 cm x 28 cm).

Digital Office of the Court of Appeal (DOCA)

Unless you are exempted, you must file your book of authorities, with a copy of the proof of notification to the other parties, through DOCA.

Exemption: Self-represented parties who are detained or hospitalized are not required to transmit the PDF file of the book of authorities, pleadings, briefs, memoranda or any other document they file on paper.

List of judgments deemed to be part of a book of authorities

In accordance with section 48 of the Rules of the Court of Appeal of Quebec in Criminal matters (R.C.A.Q.C.M.) and section 43 of the Regulation of the Court of Appeal of Quebec in Penal matters (R.C.A.Q.P.M.), the Court publishes a list of judgments that parties are exempt from including in their book of authorities. The case law included in this list is deemed to be part of the book of authorities. The Court is familiar with these judgments, which are frequently relied on before it. However, if a party wishes to draw the attention of the Court to one or more of these judgments, it may limit itself to including relevant excerpts (along with the preceding and succeeding pages) together with the headnote of the judgment (if available) (s. 47 para. 4 R.C.A.Q.C.M. and s. 42 para. 4 R.C.A.Q.P.M.).

This list does not constitute an exhaustive list of relevant judgments for any particular subject matter, nor an opinion in that regard.

List of judgments in Criminal and Penal Matters 

• Kienapple v. R., [1975] 1 S.C.R. 729
• R. v. Sault Ste. Marie, [1978] 2 S.C.R. 1299
• Palmer v. R., [1980] 1 S.C.R. 759
• Hunter v. Southam, [1984] 2 S.C.R. 145
• R. v. Yebes, [1987] 2 S.C.R. 168
• R. v. Garofoli, [1990] 2 S.C.R. 1421
• R. v. W.(D.), [1991] 1 S.C.R. 742
• R. v. Stinchcombe, [1991] 3 S.C.R. 326
• R. v. Shropshire, [1995] 4 S.C.R. 227
• R. v. M. (C.A.), [1996] 1 S.C.R. 500
• R. v. Lifchus, [1997] 3 S.C.R. 320
• R. v. Proulx, [2000] 1 S.C.R. 61, 2000 SCC 5
• R. v. Biniaris, [2000] 1 S.C.R. 381, 2000 SCC 15
• R. v. Starr, [2000] 2 S.C.R. 144, 2000 SCC 40
• R. v. Sheppard, [2002] 1 S.C.R. 869, 2002 SCC 26
• R. v. Braich, [2002] 1 S.C.R. 903, 2002 SCC 27
• R. v. Cinous, [2002] 2 S.C.R. 3, 2002 SCC 29
• R. v. Beaudry, [2007] 1 S.C.R. 190, 2007 SCC 5
• R. v. L.M., [2008] 2 S.C.R. 163, 2008 SCC 31
• R. v. J.H.S., [2008] 2 S.C.R. 152, 2008 SCC 30
• R. v. C.L.Y., [2008] 1 S.C.R. 5, 2008 SCC 2
• R. v. Nasogaluak, [2010] 1 S.C.R. 206, 2010 SCC 6
• R. v. Lacasse, [2015] 3 S.C.R. 1089, 2015 SCC 64
• R. v. Jordan, [2016] 1 S.C.R. 631, 2016 SCC 27

Number of copies in paper copy format required for a hearing

Under section 49 of the Rules of the Court of Appeal of Quebec in Criminal Matters and section 46 of the Regulation of the Court of Appeal of Quebec in Penal Matters, books of authorities must only be filed in PDF format, both for appeals on the merits and for motions, unless the clerk requires one or more paper copies. 

For this purpose, parties must consult the table published below indicating the number of paper copies of the book of authorities required for each week of hearings.

Number of copies of the book of authorities in paper copy format required for each week of the hearing (last updated: February 10, 2025) 

The parties must consult Clerk's Practice Direction No. 8, which specifies the applicable terms and conditions relating to the electronic filing of the books of authorities. 

The PDF file of the books of authorities must be compiled in accordance with the rules set out in the Chief Justice's Directive on the Rules Respecting the Preparation of the PDF Files Filed with or Transmitted to the Court.

Guide to best practices

• Verify that your book of authorities satisfies all the requirements mentioned in the checklist available on the Court’s website and at the Court office.

Useful links and resources

Please read the applicable provisions, including:

Sections 13 and 47 to 49 R.C.A.Q.C.M.

The Court sits from September to June to hear appeals on the merits. 

Hearing rolls may be consulted on the page entitled “Rolls - Appeals on merits” of our website and are sent at least 60 days before the hearing to lawyers and to self-represented parties.

The sending of the roll constitutes the notice of hearing. It specifies the time allotted to each party for oral argument.

Rules to follow at a Court hearing

• Monday to Friday, hearings begin at 9:30 a.m. Nonetheless, the clerk may convene you at a different time, given that several cases may be heard on the same day.
• You must wear sober attire that respects the Court’s decorum.
• Please ensure that your cell phone and other electronic devices are in silent mode at all times.
• Hearings are public, with some exceptions.
• Hearings are recorded by the clerk (audio only).
• No one may, at any time, take photographs, take screenshots or make any audio or video recording of a hearing, or disseminate such photographs, screenshots or recordings, in whole or in part.
• After oral arguments, the Court of Appeal may render its decision, referred to as a judgment:
  • at the end of the hearing. In such a case, the judgment is rendered from the bench by the judge presiding at the hearing and the judgment is written down in the minutes of the hearing;
  • after having taken the matter under advisement. In such a case, the clerk sends the parties a copy of the judgment as soon as it has been rendered.

Useful links and resources

Please read the applicable provisions, including:

Sections 7, 8, 35, 72, 74 and 77 R.C.A.Q.C.M.