Court of Quebec - Criminal and Penal Division

The Court of Quebec is made up of approximately 300 judges, including a chief judge, a senior associate chief judge, and four associate chief judges. The court is divided into several divisions: the Civil Division, the Youth Division, and the Criminal and Penal Division.

This section of Côtécour only deals with the Criminal and Penal Division, which, as its name indicates, hears criminal and penal cases.

In the Criminal Division, the court is always composed of a judge presiding alone. There is no jury at the Court of Quebec.

Criminal and penal law deals with forbidden acts called "offences". The person “suing” in criminal matters is the State and those found guilty of committing an offence are sentenced.

The Criminal and Penal Division of the Court of Quebec is called upon to apply a variety of laws, including:

• The Criminal Code (a federal law);
  
• The Controlled Drugs and Substances Act;
  
• The Highway Safety Code;
  
• The Taxation Act;
  
• The Code of Penal Procedure.

Preliminary inquiries concerning criminal offences are also held at the Court of Quebec, even if they are eventually judged in Superior Court.