Montreal's courts are concentrated at the Palais de justice at 1, rue Notre-Dame Est in Old Montreal — one of the busiest courthouses in North America. Inside sit the Court of Québec (criminal, civil up to its monetary ceiling, youth matters and the Small Claims Division for disputes up to $15,000, where lawyers do not appear) and the Superior Court of Québec (serious criminal trials, family matters, divorces and large civil claims), with the Quebec Court of Appeal nearby on rue Notre-Dame. Housing disputes go not to court but to the Tribunal administratif du logement. Proceedings run in French or English — you have the right to be heard in either language in judicial proceedings — and the free supports include legal aid through the Commission des services juridiques (with offices across the island), duty counsel for people in custody, and Éducaloi's plain-language legal information.
Criminal Law in Montreal
Criminal law is federal — the same Criminal Code as the rest of Canada — so Montreal charges run on the national rules: first appearance and bail at the Court of Québec in the Palais de justice, the most serious matters before the Superior Court, your Charter rights to silence and to free duty counsel by phone from the moment of detention. What is local is the machinery: Quebec's legal aid network (Commission des services juridiques) and the courthouse's own volume, which makes duty counsel and preparation matter.
Before any police interview and before any plea, get legal information first — the free line explains the process, the realistic penalties and the exits (discharges, diversion where available) any hour of the day. Speak to a lawyer about a criminal law matter → Family Law in Montreal
Montreal family matters run before the Superior Court at the Palais de justice: divorce under the federal Divorce Act (1 year's separation), parenting decided on the child's best interests — and property under Quebec's own civil-law regime, where the family patrimony rules divide certain assets for married spouses regardless of the marriage contract. The Quebec twist that surprises the most people: de facto (common-law) spouses have no property-sharing regime at all, however long the relationship — which makes cohabitation agreements and wills essential for unmarried Montreal couples.
The free line explains how the civil-law rules treat your situation, and can book a family-law consultation (C$295, nothing added) on the call. Speak to a lawyer about a family law matter → Impaired Driving & Traffic in Montreal
Impaired driving in Montreal is charged under the federal Criminal Code — 80 mg per 100 mL within 2 hours, minimum $1,000 fine and 1-year driving prohibition on a first offence — with Quebec's SAAQ adding immediate administrative licence suspensions, vehicle seizures for serious cases, and the alcohol-interlock pathway back. Traffic tickets under the Highway Safety Code carry demerit points toward SAAQ thresholds.
For most Montrealers the licence is the real stake. The free line explains where your reading lands, the SAAQ consequences, and what the first court date involves, before you decide anything. Speak to a lawyer about a impaired driving & traffic matter → Employment Law in Montreal
Quebec employment law gives Montreal workers some of Canada's strongest protections: the Act respecting labour standards sets the floor, and employees with 2 or more years of service enjoy a genuine unjust-dismissal remedy through the CNESST — a complaint that can lead to reinstatement, not just money, on short filing deadlines measured in weeks. On top sits the civil-law right to reasonable notice for dismissals without serious reason.
Deadlines here are unforgiving. If you have been dismissed or pushed out, call the free line the same week — a C$295 consultation with a lawyer can be booked on the call before any deadline passes. Speak to a lawyer about a employment law matter → Montreal Courts
Where your matter is heard depends on the offence and its seriousness. The courts that serve Montreal are:
Palais de justice de Montréal
1, rue Notre-Dame Est, Old Montreal. Home to the Court of Québec — criminal matters, civil claims, youth court and the Small Claims Division (up to $15,000, no lawyers at the hearing) — and the Superior Court of Québec for serious crime, family law and major civil cases.
Quebec Court of Appeal (Montreal seat)
Rue Notre-Dame Est, near the Palais. Quebec's highest court, hearing appeals from the Superior Court and the Court of Québec in the Edifice Ernest-Cormier.
Tribunal administratif du logement
The province's housing tribunal — leases, rent fixing, repossession and eviction matters for Montreal tenants and landlords are decided here, not in the courts.
What to Do Right Now
1
Check any charge sheet, summons or court letter for the room and date — the Palais de justice is vast, and knowing your division (Court of Québec, Superior Court, small claims) saves the morning.
2
Write down what happened while it is fresh — dates, times, what was said, any documents — and keep everything in one folder.
3
Do not guess your plea, contact complainants, or discuss the matter on social media. In family and civil matters, keep every contract and letter.
4
Call 1-855-529-1555 free, any hour, for plain-English legal information about your situation — and if you want a lawyer, book a C$295 one-hour consultation (the total, nothing added) right on the call.
Montreal Legal Questions
Which court will my Montreal matter be in?
Almost certainly the Palais de justice at 1, rue Notre-Dame Est — the question is which division. Criminal charges and claims up to the Court of Québec's ceiling sit with the Court of Québec (small claims up to $15,000 in its Small Claims Division); divorces, family matters and large civil cases with the Superior Court. Housing disputes go to the Tribunal administratif du logement instead. Your papers name the division and room.
Can everything be done in English?
In judicial proceedings you have the right to use English or French — pleadings and testimony in either language are part of Quebec's bilingual court tradition — and our free line serves you in plain English (or French) around the clock. Administrative bodies and paperwork lean French, and recent language rules affect some filings, so having the process explained in your language first is genuinely useful.
Can I get free legal help in Montreal?
Yes. Legal Hotline's information line is free, 24/7, on 1-855-529-1555. Quebec's legal aid network (Commission des services juridiques) covers eligible Montrealers for criminal, family and other matters with offices across the island; duty counsel serves people in custody; Éducaloi publishes excellent plain-language explanations of Quebec law; and the Small Claims Division is designed to run without lawyers at all.
Are you a Montreal law firm?
No. Legal Hotline is not a law firm — the free line provides general legal information, not legal advice, and calling creates no lawyer-client relationship. When you want advice, we connect you with a Canadian lawyer for a fixed-price consultation (C$295 — the total, nothing added). Montreal lawyers who want consultation-ready clients can register through our For Lawyers page.