Langlois Kronström Desjardins Prevails in Superior Court. The Judicial Sage of a Quarrelsome Litigant is Terminated

On May 10, 2012, the Superior Court put an end to almost five years of litigation between Concordia University, duly represented by LKD lawyers Dimitri Maniatis, Rébecca St-Pierre, and Fabrice Vil, and Mr. Ashraf Azar by declaring him a quarrelsome litigant. Mr. Azar is a disgruntled former student of the University that was expelled in 2004 for gross violations of its Code of Academic Conduct. After exhausting his internal remedies, Mr. Azar pursued the University before the civil courts with a multitude of different proceedings designed to challenge the decision to expel him and to obtain compensation for his alleged damages.

LKD prevailed in defence of Concordia University in each of the multiple proceedings launched by Mr. Azar, including before the Québec Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada. However, Mr. Azar was undeterred and multiplied his proceedings to the point where Concordia University had no alternative but to seek to have him declared a quarrelsome litigant.

In her judgment dated May 10, 2012, the Honourable Claudette Picard j.s.c. granted Concordia’s request and recognized that declaration of quarrelsomeness would serve the interests of all parties, and in particular Mr. Azar’s own interest “so that he can go on with his life”. This is express judicial recognition that a declaration of quarrelsomeness benefits the litigant himself, and constitutes another reason that can be brought forward to support applications for this relief in appropriate circumstances. A copy of the judgment can be found here.