2. Ask for bilingual proceedings

You must ask for bilingual proceedings. To ask for bilingual proceedings, you can:

• file your first document in French, for example, your Plaintiff's Claim, or Defence
• file a requisition form with the court
• file a written statement with the court that explains you speak French and are asking for bilingual proceedings
• ask the judge or justice of the peace for a bilingual proceeding at any court appearance

Contact your local courthouse for more information and help.

Deadline to ask for bilingual proceedings

There are deadlines to ask for a bilingual proceeding in Small Claims Court.

If you are the plaintiff, you have to ask for bilingual proceedings when you file your claim.

If you are the defendant, you have to ask for bilingual proceedings before the notice of trial is sent and at least 7 days before the proceedings start.

Service

If you filed a form or written statement to ask for bilingual proceedings, you need to serve that document on all parties in your case. You can serve the document by mail, courier, email, or in person.

There are rules you must follow for how to serve documents. And different rules apply based on how you serve the document, the type of proceeding, and the type of court. If you need help figuring out how to serve documents, you can contact your local Small Claims Court.