Confirm the decision date, gather your full submission package and reasons, and get legal advice quickly—because the filing window can be short.

You can self-represent, but Federal Court procedures are technical and deadline-driven. Legal representation can materially reduce risk.

A strong judicial review case begins with a complete and well-organized record that addresses the applicable legal and evidentiary requirements. Where the record is solid, the Court can more clearly assess whether the decision-maker engaged with the evidence and applied the law correctly.

Cases are strengthened where the decision shows reviewable errors, such as procedural unfairness, unreasonable factual conclusions, ignored or misunderstood evidence, or the application of an incorrect legal test. Judicial review focuses on how the decision was made in light of the record—not on improving the underlying application.

Timelines vary by case, but judicial review is rarely fast.

Some matters resolve early through settlement, often after filing or during the leave stage. In those cases, timelines can be shorter.

If the matter proceeds without settlement through leave, record preparation, and a full judicial review hearing, it is common for the process to take one year or longer from filing to final resolution, depending on Court scheduling and case complexity.

Sometimes. A re-application can be strategically useful, but it must be handled carefully. We assess this case-by-case before recommending a re-application.

In most cases, no. If the application is allowed, the Court sets aside the decision and sends it back for reconsideration by a different decision-maker.

The outcome of the reconsideration is not guaranteed.

Leave is the Court’s permission to proceed. If leave is refused, the judicial review ends.

In many cases, it’s 15 days (in Canada) or 60 days (outside Canada) from notice/awareness of the decision. Deadlines are strict.

Usually no. The Court typically reviews the decision based on the record that was before the officer/tribunal.

No. Judicial review looks for legal/procedural errors and reasonableness. An appeal (where available) usually re-examines the decision more broadly.