TERMS OF USE OF THE DIGITAL OFFICE OF THE
COURT OF APPEAL OF QUEBEC (DOCA)

Issued : November 2, 2021
Last updated : March 2, 2026

1. Acceptance of the Terms of Use

Before using the Digital Office of the Court of Appeal of Quebec (hereinafter the “Digital Office”), counsel, unrepresented parties or persons mandated by a party or by the party’s counsel (hereinafter the “filer”) must read and accept these terms of use. The Digital Office can be used to open an appeal file by filing one or more originating appellate pleadings in all matters, with the exception of youth matters (jurisdictional code: 08). It can also be used to file one or more documents in an already open appeal file.

2. Specific Rules for Opening an Appeal File

2.1. Eligible Pleadings

The Digital Office can be used to e-file originating appellate pleadings and the documents that accompany them, more specifically the following pleadings:

 

Filers can also use the Digital Office to file, at the same time as the originating appellate pleading, other pleadings or documents, in particular the following:

 

2.2. Format and Technical Requirements

Pleadings that are filed must comply with the Chief Justice’s directives and the clerk’s practice directions, including, in particular, the following rules:

• Only PDF files are accepted;
• The pleadings listed above (see subsection 2.1) and the documents that accompany them must permit keyword searches (consequently, digitized documents must not be in the form of a “PDF Image”, with the exception of proofs of service and proofs of notification). If this is not the case, an error message will appear to inform you that only keyword searchable PDF files are permitted. You will have to modify the file in order to be able to continue the filing process;
• Each proof of service filed and each proof of notification filed must be digitized in a separate PDF file because each of these proofs must be associated with the proper party;
• Each PDF that is filed must not exceed 100 MB.

2.3. Analysis and Acceptance of E-Filings

Documents and pleadings filed through the Digital Office are analyzed during the Court office’s opening hours, usually within two working days after they have been filed.

The same legislative and regulatory provisions apply to e-filings and to paper filings. Consequently, if a filing does not comply with the present terms of use or with the applicable regulatory and legislative provisions, the clerk of the Court of Appeal may accept the filing, accept it with an exemption or subject to conditions, or refuse it.

When an originating appellate pleading is filed via the Digital Office, a file number is automatically generated. Nonetheless, the clerk or a judge of the Court of Appeal may refuse the filing.

2.4. Paper Copies

Depending on the nature of the appeal (with leave or as of right), paper copies may be required. These paper copies must be received within five working days after the e-filing or within the time limit determined by the clerk.

For appeals as of right, parties need not provide paper copies unless so requested by the clerk, who may do so, in particular, for voluminous documents.

Where applicable, the appellant must keep the source documents and, at the request of the Court of Appeal, must provide them to the Court office.

The paper copies, if any, provided to the Court office must indicate the appeal file number attributed by the system at the time of the e-filing.

2.5. Time of E-Filing

The deemed time of filing varies depending on the matter (civil, criminal and extradition, or penal), in accordance with the rules in force.

 

2.6. Restrictions

2.6.1. Restrictions on the Filing of Certain Pleadings

It is forbidden to use the Digital Office for:

• Any originating appellate pleading in a youth matter, whether civil, criminal, extradition or penal (files with jurisdictional code 08);
• Any pleading or other document intended for another court;
• Any document that must be filed in a sealed envelope.

2.6.2. Specific Rules for Confidential Documents and Documents in a Sealed Envelope

If the documents contain identifying information that is generally considered confidential and requires that the documents be filed in such a way as to ensure the confidentiality of the information, they must be filed in accordance with the Chief Justice’s Directive entitled Rules for the Preparation of PDF Files Filed with the Court of Appeal and the Clerk's Practice Direction No. 3 — Digital Office of the Court of Appeal (DOCA).

2.6.3. Parties Subject to Prior Authorization of the Court of Appeal

No person declared to be a party subject to prior authorization may use DOCA. Any pleading filed by such person via DOCA will be deemed nonexistent and will not be processed.

2.7. Online Payment

The applicable judicial fees are determined pursuant to the tariffs in force, namely:

• Tariff of judicial fees in civil matters (CQLR, c. T-16, r. 10);
• Tariff of court costs in penal matters (CQLR, c. C-25.1, r. 6).

There is no additional fee for using DOCA.

When paying the judicial fees, filers will be redirected to a secure payment platform. Neither the Ministère de la Justice (MJQ) nor the Court of Appeal of Quebec collects any banking information. Only Visa, MasterCard and American Express credit cards are accepted.

3. Specific Rules for Filings in an Already Open Appeal File

3.1. Pleadings and Documents that Must Be Filed Through the Digital Office

Certain pleadings and documents must be filed solely through the Digital Office, namely:

• Written appearance (in a criminal or penal matter);
• Certificate/Attestation concerning the transcription of depositions (civil or penal matter);
• Application for a transcript of the proceedings and the reproduction of exhibits (Form SJ 980A);
• Application for the reproduction of judicial hearings (Form SJ 021A);
• Request for a settlement conference;
• Application for the reimbursement of judicial fees or court fees (Form SJ 1010A);
• Book of authorities.

No paper filing is required for these pleadings or documents.

3.2. Technological Versions

Parties must use the Digital Office to transmit the PDF file of pleadings and other documents already filed on paper at the counter of the Court office. The paper version of these pleadings or documents already filed with the Court office on paper will be considered to be the original, and the technological version will be considered to be a courtesy copy with no legal value.

3.3. Format

The technological version of pleadings and documents must be prepared in accordance with the Chief Justice’s directives and the clerk’s practice directions.

3.4. Maximum Size

The total size of PDFs e-filed at one time cannot exceed 500 MB; otherwise, several e-filings will be required.

3.5. Analysis and Acceptance of E-Filings

Documents and pleadings filed through the Digital Office are analyzed during the Court office’s opening hours. If an e-filing is non compliant, the clerk may accept it, accept it with an exemption, accept it subject to conditions, or refuse it. In the latter three cases, the clerk will then contact the person concerned to inform them thereof.

3.6. Confidential Documents and Documents in a Sealed Envelope

If the documents contain identifying information that is generally considered confidential and requires that the documents be filed in such a way as to ensure the confidentiality of the information, they must be filed in accordance with the Chief Justice’s Directive entitled Rules for the Preparation of PDF Files Filed with the Court of Appeal and the Clerk's Practice Direction No. 3 — Digital Office of the Court of Appeal (DOCA).

4. General Rules of Use

4.1. Service

The Digital Office is made available by the MJQ to users at all times, subject to the exceptions set out in these general rules of use.

The MJQ, however, reserves the right to limit access to the Digital Office outside Court office hours in order to perform technological infrastructure work. Users will be informed of technological infrastructure work by means of a notice posted on the Court of Appeal’s website.

For the best user experience on the Digital Office, use of Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge is recommended. It is also advisable to use the most recent version of these browsers and to ensure that the operating system and the Web browser used have all the required updates and modifications.

4.2. Intellectual Property Rights

Users are responsible for obtaining all required authorizations or holding all necessary rights, including copyright, with respect to the documents being e-filed.

4.3. Privacy Policy

The privacy policy for digital judicial services (available only in French) forms an integral part of the rules for use of the Digital Office.

4.4. Limitation of Liability

By using the Digital Office, users acknowledge that the MJQ shall not be liable for any costs, damages or losses users may incur or suffer, including any loss of rights:

1. either because they have not complied with these rules; or
2. because they have failed to abide by the laws or regulations in force in Quebec.

4.5. Applicable Legal Framework

Use of the Digital Office is governed by the laws applicable in Quebec. Any dispute arising from the application of the rules of this service shall fall under the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Quebec.

4.6. Responsibilities of Users

Users are responsible for the following:

• The accuracy of the information in the user account and in the filing platform;
• Ensuring that the technological documents can be filed via the Digital Office;
• The unauthorized use by them of the Digital Office, including use contrary to the restrictions set out in section 2.6 of these rules and use in violation of the Government of Quebec’s copyrights;
• The confidentiality of their user ID and password, the data that can be accessed with their user ID and password, and any actions that may be performed with said user ID and password. A user’s ID and password are reserved for the user’s exclusive use; therefore, the user cannot allow another person to use them;
• Immediately informing the MJQ of any unauthorized use of their user ID or password and of any security breach, as well as taking all measures available to them to ensure optimal security conditions when using the Digital Office. All actions performed with a user ID are logged.

Acceptance of the Rules

The user acknowledges and accepts the following statements:

• By accessing the website of the Digital Office and clicking on “I accept these rules”, the user acknowledges having read and accepted these rules;
• The Court of Appeal and the MJQ reserve the right to amend these rules at any time without prior notice to users of the Digital Office;
• Users understand that they are solely responsible for reading these rules before accepting them.