465. A judgment on the merits must be rendered within six months after the case is taken under advisement, or within four months after the case is taken under advisement in a small claims matter. An interlocutory judgment, a judgment on the merits in an adoption matter or a judgment ruling on the custody of a child or the support to be paid for the benefit of a child must be rendered within two months after the case is taken under advisement and a judgment by default must be rendered within 30 days after the record is complete.
Where the judge seized of a case or matter fails to render a judgment within the time limit prescribed by the first paragraph, the chief justice or judge may, on his own initiative or on a motion by one of the parties, remove the case or matter from the judge and order that it be assigned to another judge or re-entered on the roll.
Before granting an extension or removing a case or matter from the judge who failed to render a judgment within the time prescribed, the chief justice or judge shall take account of the circumstances and of the interests of the parties.
The chief justice or judge or, at his request, the senior associate chief justice or judge shall exercise, personally, the powers and duties conferred on the chief justice or judge by this article.
In the first week of each month, the clerk must give to the chief justice or judge a list of the cases or matters in his district, of whatever nature they may be, which have been under advisement for five months or more and, in a small claims matter, for three months or more.
1965 (1st sess.), c. 80, a. 465; 1993, c. 30, s. 5; 1992, c. 57, s. 420; 2002, c. 7, s. 88.