Class Actions

December 17, 2021: the Superior Court approves the partial settlement of class action against Québec City for failure to have detainees appear in court within 24 hours of their arrest

We are pleased to announce that on December 13, 2021, the Honourable Justice Chantal Corriveau of the Superior Court of Québec rendered a judgment approving a partial settlement of $412,750 with Québec City in the class action regarding the right of detainees across the province to appear within 24 hours of an arrest.

The partial settlement intervenes only with Québec City, for the benefit of persons arrested and detained in Québec City for a period of more than 24 consecutive hours without appearing in the Municipal Court of Québec City, while the courts were not in session.

Class members who are eligible under the approved settlement agreement were detained during the period between December 15, 2017 and February 9, 2020. Each eligible member will be entitled to estimated net amounts between $2,260 and $6,780. These amounts will vary per member depending on the number of eligible detentions experienced by the member and the result of the process for adding members.

The class action continues against the Attorney General of Quebec and the City of Montreal on behalf of all class members.

How do I know if I am eligible to receive monetary compensation?

Please contact class counsel, at the coordinates below, to find out if you have been identified as an eligible member. We have already identified 120 people and we will be able to confirm if you are on the list. If you are on the list of eligible members, you will automatically be compensated by cheque.

In every case, we invite you to contact us to update your mailing address to make sure you receive your cheque by mail.

What must I do if I am not on the list but believe that I am eligible because my right to appear within 24 hours has been violated?

You have until Sunday, March 13, 2022 at midnight to send the following four items of information to class counsel, by email, telephone or fax at the contact information below:

  1. Your full name;
  2. Your date of birth;
  3. Your full mailing address; and
  4. The month(s) and year(s) in which you believe you were arrested and detained for more than 24 consecutive hours in Quebec City.

We will then evaluate your situation and inform you in April 2022 if you are eligible to benefit from the partial settlement agreement.

You can consult the following documents to understand the terms of the settlement and its benefits for class members:

If you or someone you know is a member of the class, you can contact class counsel.

The coordinates of class counsel are:

Mtre Sophie-Anne Décarie
sadecarie@decarieinc.ca
(819) 770-6666, extension 201
Mtre Jean-François Benoît
jfb@avocat-droit-criminel.com
(819) 770-4888, extension 112
Mtre Robert Kugler
rkugler@kklex.com
(514) 878-2861, extension 116
Mtre Alexandre Brosseau-Wery
awery@kklex.com
(514) 878-2861, extension 147
Mtre Éva Richard
erichard@kklex.com
(514) 878-2861, extension 141

We are pleased to announce that a partial settlement of the class action lawsuit against the Attorney General of Quebec, the City of Montreal and the City of Quebec has been reached. The partial settlement concerns only Québec City, for the benefit of persons who were arrested and held in detention in Québec City for a period of more than 24 consecutive hours without appearing in the Municipal Court of Québec City, while the courts were not in session.

Under the partial settlement, Québec City will pay a global amount of $412,750 to be distributed to class members who are eligible under the settlement agreement during the period from December 15, 2017 to February 9, 2020.

The class action continues against the Attorney General of Quebec and the City of Montreal on behalf of all class members.

As is required by law, in order for a class action settlement to be valid, it must be approved by the Court. On December 3rd, 2021, a hearing will be held by videoconference before the Superior Court of Québec during which class counsel will present an application for approval of the settlement.

You may wish to review the following documents to understand the terms of the settlement and its benefits to class members:

Application for Approval of a Partial Class Action Settlement Agreement and Class Counsel Fees

Partial Settlement Agreement

Notice to Members Claim

Amended Class Action Statement of Claim

If the Superior Court of Québec approves the partial settlement, we will communicate additional information regarding the next steps.

You can view the Notice informing class members of the hearing of the application for approval and how to attend virtually. Please note that class members do not have to attend the hearing in order to benefit from the settlement.

If you or someone you know is a member of the class, you can contact class counsel:

Mtre Sophie-Anne Décarie
sadecarie@decarieinc.ca
(819) 770-6666, extension 201
Mtre Jean-François Benoît
jfb@avocat-droit-criminel.com
(819) 770-4888, extension 112
Mtre Robert Kugler
rkugler@kklex.com
(514) 878-2861, extension 116
Mtre Alexandre Brosseau-Wery
awery@kklex.com
(514) 878-2861, extension 147
Mtre Éva Richard
erichard@kklex.com
(514) 878-2861, extension 141