A Court of Quebec judge from the small claims division on the cusp of retirement is the subject of an enquiry by the Quebec Judicial Council due to “certain” conduct that “likely” constitutes a breach of the Judicial Code of Ethics.

The unnamed judge was hearing a dispute from a plaintiff who sought reimbursement of past and future expenses for the care of two cats allegedly afflicted with health problems after they were purchased.

The plaintiff complained about the judge’s conduct, and alleged a lack of impartiality, a lack of respect, poor management of the hearing, and an unjustified refusal to consult his personal notes during his testimony, all of which demonstrated bias by the judge.

A playback of the hearing recording “reveals a lack of restraint and an inappropriate attitude,” noted the Conseil de la magistrature du Québec in A et Juge, Cour du Québec, Chambre civile, Division des petites créances, 2025 CanLII 48055 (QC CM).

“The attitude observed suggests a loss of control in the exercise of judicial authority,” added the Conseil. “The judge’s imminent mandatory retirement cannot constitute an argument for refusing to conduct an enquiry. This is particularly so because of the educational and preventive nature of judicial ethics.”

The Quebec Judicial Council received 150 complaints in 2024, according to its annual report. In all, 122 judges were the subject of a complaint during the year, with nearly a quarter of the complaints lodged against a judge sitting in the Small Claims Division of the Court of Québec.

Of the 150 complaints, 46 were deemed unfounded at the study stage, 84 held to be unfounded after review, 19 are still being examined, and only one was retained for enquiry.