FILE A COMPLAINT AGAINST A PROSECUTOR
Lack of respect, inappropriate conduct in court, negligence, unjustified delays, communication issues with a prosecutor of the Criminal and Penal Prosecutions Office — the DPCP receives complaints about the quality of its services, free of charge.
VERSION FRANÇAISE →Did you have a problematic experience with a criminal and penal prosecuting attorney (DPCP)? Do you feel the conduct or services rendered by this prosecutor, or by the staff of the DPCP, did not meet the expected standards? The Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions (DPCP) has an internal mechanism to handle complaints regarding the quality of its services — whether they come from a victim, an accused, a witness, a relative or their lawyer.
This guide explains who can file a complaint, how to identify the right recourse, draft your request with the help of AI, and submit it to the appropriate office — in four simple steps.
When to file a complaint — the most common grounds
The DPCP handles complaints regarding the quality of services rendered by its staff. Here are the situations that can legitimately be the subject of a complaint about quality of service.
Inappropriate remarks, condescending or contemptuous tone, inappropriate attitude toward a victim, witness, accused or member of the public in the context of the prosecutor's duties.
Failure to respond to calls or emails, failure to inform a victim of the progress of their file, lack of information about important decisions affecting the file.
Unjustified delays in handling a file, lost or misrouted documents, manifest lack of preparation at a hearing, procedural errors attributable to staff.
Inappropriate behaviour during a hearing, remarks outside the professional scope, manifest lack of preparation or integrity in the handling of a file by a Crown prosecutor.
The DPCP complaint mechanism cannot be used to:
• Contest a prosecutor's decision to authorize or refuse a prosecution, withdraw a charge, or terminate a proceeding
• Contest a decision rendered by a judge (you must appeal or contact the Conseil de la magistrature)
• Obtain disclosure of evidence from the file if you are accused (this goes through your lawyer)
• Obtain the withdrawal of charges against you or the appeal of your conviction (consult a lawyer)
If you disagree with a prosecutor's decision not to lay charges, there is a separate procedure: express your disagreement to the chief prosecutor of the relevant regional office. This procedure is set out in DPCP Directive ACC-3.
You have 6 months following the events giving rise to your complaint to file it.
The guide in 4 simple steps
Identify who is the subject of your complaint
The procedure varies depending on the status of the person concerned. Three scenarios:
To find the contact details of the chief prosecutor of the relevant regional office, consult the page Contact details of DPCP chief prosecutors.
Gather and organize your facts
Open a document and write a simple, factual chronological summary. The DPCP needs precise information to investigate properly. Include:
Ask Claude to draft your complaint
Open Claude — or Gemini or ChatGPT — and paste your facts with this prompt:
The AI will draft a structured initial version that clearly distinguishes between breaches of service quality (admissible) and disagreements with decisions (not admissible). Read carefully before submitting.
Submit your complaint with the right form
The DPCP has created two distinct PDF forms depending on the recipient of your complaint. Download the one that applies to your situation, fill it out and attach your document drafted with AI.
The service is entirely free. The DPCP undertakes to provide you with a written response within 30 working days of receiving your complaint. If this deadline cannot be met, you will be informed and given a new deadline.
Prosecutors are also members of the Barreau du Québec
Important: Crown prosecutors are lawyers who are members of the Barreau du Québec. If the conduct complained of constitutes a breach of their professional obligations as a lawyer — beyond a simple service quality issue — you can also file an investigation request with the Office of the Syndic of the Barreau du Québec.
Possible double recourse: service quality complaint to the DPCP + investigation request to the Barreau syndic for ethical breach.
This applies particularly in cases of breach of professional secrecy, undisclosed conflict of interest, serious breach of integrity, or unacceptable professional conduct. The Office of the Syndic of the Barreau can examine the conduct of a lawyer even if they practise as a State prosecutor. See our guide File a complaint against a lawyer for details.
What AI does — and what it does not do
AI helps you organize your facts and draft a clear and respectful complaint. It does not give you legal advice and does not replace a lawyer.
The most common pitfall is to disguise a disagreement with a prosecutor's decision as a service quality complaint. The DPCP dismisses such complaints. Before submitting, ask yourself: am I denouncing the way I was treated (admissible) or am I challenging the decision made (not admissible)? To challenge a decision, there are separate avenues — appeal to the Court, expressing disagreement to the chief prosecutor, complaint to the Conseil de la magistrature if a judge is involved.
If you are accused and wish to challenge your conviction or obtain disclosure, consult a lawyer. If you are eligible, legal aid can cover your fees. The Centres de justice de proximité can also guide you free of charge.
If you are a victim of a criminal offence and looking for support, the Network of Crime Victims Assistance Centres (CAVAC) offers free and confidential services.
Ready to submit your complaint?
START MY COMPLAINT TO THE DPCP →Your voice deserves to be heard by the State
Criminal and penal prosecuting attorneys represent the State in all criminal and penal cases in Quebec. They have a duty to act with respect, diligence and professionalism toward all persons involved — victims, witnesses, accused persons, relatives. When the quality of service falls short, you have the right to file a complaint. Identify the right person to address your complaint to, organize your facts, draft your complaint with the help of AI, and submit it free of charge. The DPCP undertakes to respond to you within 30 days.
An error to report? Information to add or a question about this guide? Write to us at justice-quebec@outlook.com — we read every message.