54. On ruling on whether a judicial application or pleading, including one presented under this division, is abusive, the court may order a provision for costs to be reimbursed, order a party to pay, in addition to legal costs, damages for any injury suffered by another party, including to cover the professional fees and disbursements incurred by that other party, or award punitive damages if warranted by the circumstances.
In family matters, in addition to any other order that it may issue under the first paragraph, the court, when declaring that an application or a pleading is abusive, orders the party that initiated the application or pleading to pay damages to cover the professional fees and disbursements incurred by the other party.
If the amount of the damages is not admitted or cannot be easily calculated at the time the application or pleading is declared abusive, the court may summarily determine the amount within the time and subject to the conditions it specifies or, in the case of the Court of Appeal, refer the matter back to the court of first instance for a decision.
2014, c. 1, a. 54; 2024, c. 222024, c. 22, s. 291.