2. Ask for a bilingual proceeding
Question & Answer
Can I have my civil trial in French?You must ask for bilingual proceedings. Depending on the type of proceeding and the court, you can do this by:
- filing or issuing your first document in French, for example, your Statement of Claim, Statement of Defence, Application, Answer, Plaintiff’s Claim, or Defence
- filing a requisition form or a written statement, and serving it on all parties no later than 7 days before the first hearing, or if you’re the applicant, at the time the application is started
- asking for a bilingual proceeding at a court appearance