A group challenging Quebec’s new language law won its first legal victory Friday, Aug. 12, as a judge temporarily suspended a provision requiring English court documents to be translated into French.

Quebec Superior Court Judge Chantal Corriveau ruled that sections of Bill 96 requiring companies to pay a certified translator to prepare French versions of legal documents could prevent some English-speaking organizations from accessing justice through the courts.

In a written decision issued Friday, Corriveau said the provision could lead to delays and costs that would particularly affect small and medium-sized businesses.

“In this case, in the court’s view, the evidence shows a serious risk that in these cases some legal entities will not be able to assert their rights in court on time or will be forced to do so in a language they and their attorneys know best and consider their native language,” she wrote.

The judge ordered that the two articles be suspended until the case is heard on the merits, which will likely happen in November.

The group of attorneys challenging these articles of law argued that the translation requirement violates provisions of the 1867 Constitution Act that guarantee access to the courts in both official languages.

According to court documents, the group claims that the number of certified legal interpreters is limited, especially in some regions, and that their services cost between $0.20 and $0.40 per word.