Conclusion deadlines under article 747 of the Judicial Code

The rule in brief

• Conclusions (conclusions / conclusies) are the parties' written submissions. Art. 747 of the Judicial Code organises their exchange.
• Agreed calendar (§ 1). The parties agree on the time limits; the judge records them and sets the hearing.
• Judicial calendar (§ 2). Observations on the case management (mise en état / instaatstelling) within one month of the introductory hearing; the judge's order within 6 weeks; the pleading hearing within 3 months of the last conclusions.
• Summary proceedings and similar (§ 3). Observations within 5 days at most; calendar within 8 days at most.
• Late conclusions (§ 4). Excluded from the debates of the court's own motion.
• New document or fact (art. 748, § 2). Ask for new time limits at the latest thirty days before the pleading hearing.
• Synthesis conclusions (art. 748bis). Each party's last conclusions.

The conclusion calendar proposes a timetable from these rules, or checks one already set.

Where the rules come from

Art. 747 was replaced by the law of 26 April 2007, for cases not yet set down for hearing on 1 September 2007. The law of 30 July 2013 added the family court's urgent proceedings to § 3, and the law of 6 July 2017 added § 4, the sanction of late conclusions.

The former rule "the defendant has one month to conclude" was in the old art. 747, § 1, and disappeared in 2007. The Code now sets no minimum period: the parties agree on the time limits, or the judge sets them. Art. 751, the old route after a referral to the roll, was repealed by the same 2007 law.

The agreed calendar (§ 1)

At the introductory hearing (audience d'introduction / inleidende zitting) or at any later hearing, the parties may agree on time limits for their conclusions. The judge gives the earliest possible hearing date, records the agreed time limits, confirms them and sets the hearing date. The order is entered in the hearing record and notified by the registrar.

The judicial calendar (§ 2)

Observations within one month

Without agreement, each party may send the judge and the other parties written observations on the case management, at the latest within one month of the introductory hearing (§ 2, al. 1). The judge may shorten that period if needed or if the parties agree. The parties may instead agree to send the case to the roll.

The judge's order within six weeks

The judge sets the calendar at the latest 6 weeks after the introductory hearing (§ 2, al. 3). The order fixes the number of conclusions, the last dates for filing them at the registry (greffe / griffie) and for sending them to the other parties, and the date, time and length of the pleading hearing. Where the judge sets the time limits, the hearing takes place at the latest 3 months after the last conclusions.

No remedy lies against the order; it can be corrected for an omission or a clerical error (§ 2, al. 4). The 6 weeks bind the judge: they are not a forfeiture period.

After a referral to the roll

If the case was sent to the roll, any party may later ask for case management by a written request. Its notification starts the one-month and six-week periods again (§ 2, al. 5).

Summary proceedings and similar (§ 3)

Before the summary proceedings judge (référé / kort geding), the president sitting as in summary proceedings, the family court in an urgent procedure and the attachment judge (juge des saisies / beslagrechter):

• observations within 5 days at most;
• the calendar set or the agreement recorded within 8 days at most;
• the judge may shorten or remove both periods;
• the registrar notifies the order at the latest on the first working day after it is made.

Late conclusions and filing (§ 4 and art. 742)

Since the law of 6 July 2017, conclusions filed at the registry or sent to the other party after the time limits are excluded from the debates of the court's own motion. The sanction applies to agreed and judicial calendars alike. Exceptions: art. 748, §§ 1 and 2, and the parties' joint agreement to change the time limits or the calendar. On the date set, the most diligent party may ask for a judgment, which is contradictory in any event.

Conclusions are filed at the registry or at a hearing, sent by post or filed through the IT system (art. 742). Sent by post, they count from the day the registry receives them, not from posting. Through e-Deposit, filing remains possible until midnight on the last day (art. 52).

A new document or fact (art. 748, § 2)

A party that has filed conclusions and discovers a new and relevant document or fact may ask for a new time limit, at the latest thirty days before the pleading hearing.

1. The request is filed with the registry and notified by judicial letter (pli judiciaire / gerechtsbrief).
2. The other parties may send observations within 15 days of that notification.
3. The judge rules on the papers within the 8 days that follow, and may set new time limits and move the hearing.
4. Conclusions filed late after that are excluded.

This time limit is counted back from the hearing. When the thirtieth day before it is a weekend or holiday, never move the date later: no source allows it, and Civil Code art. 1.7, § 4, al. 2 excludes that move for periods counted back, which supports the same reading by analogy. A paper filing needs an open registry, so the previous working day is the last day for paper; e-Deposit works on any day until midnight. The tool shows the previous working day.

Synthesis conclusions (art. 748bis)

Each party's last conclusions take the form of synthesis conclusions. They replace all its earlier conclusions and the originating act, except where conclusions may be filed outside the art. 747 time limits. The guide to drafting conclusions covers their form.

Worked examples

Each date was computed with the tool's engine (arts. 52 to 54).

Ordinary procedure. Introductory hearing on Wednesday 7 October 2026:

• observations: day 1 is Thursday 8 October; the month ends on Saturday 7 November, moved to Monday 9 November 2026;
• the judge's order: 6 weeks from day 1, by Wednesday 18 November 2026.

A proposed calendar. Same hearing, judicial calendar, the defendant concludes first, two conclusions per party, six weeks between deadlines:

The pleading hearing should take place at the latest on Thursday 24 June 2027. If it is set on Wednesday 14 April 2027, a request for new time limits for a new document must be filed by Monday 15 March 2027.

Summary proceedings. Introductory hearing on Monday 5 October 2026: the fifth day is Saturday 10 October, so observations by Monday 12 October 2026; the calendar by Tuesday 13 October 2026.

Counting back. Hearing on Monday 14 December 2026: thirty days before is Saturday 14 November. The tool shows Friday 13 November 2026, the last day for a paper filing; never Monday 16 November. Hearing on Tuesday 15 June 2027: thirty days before is Sunday 16 May, and Monday 17 May is Whit Monday. The tool shows Friday 14 May 2027.

The summer option. Introductory hearing on Wednesday 13 May 2026, six-week intervals: the plaintiff's first deadline would fall on Wednesday 5 August 2026. With the option to avoid July and August, the tool moves it to Tuesday 1 September 2026, and the following deadlines shift with it.

Build or check your own timetable with the conclusion calendar. Single deadlines have preset pages: observations under art. 747 and new document under art. 748, both in the procedural deadline calculator.

Common mistakes and open questions

• Relying on a one-month minimum for the defendant. It no longer exists.
• Posting conclusions on the last day. The registry's receipt counts (art. 742).
• Expecting the judicial vacation to extend the calendar. Art. 50, al. 2 covers only appeal and opposition: see the judicial vacation guide.
• Filing on time but sending late. The order fixes both dates, and § 4 sanctions both.
• Counting back as if counting forward. For art. 748, § 2, a date on a day off never moves later.

The tool does not set the calendar: the judge sets or records it. It does not check the content of the conclusions, and it does not handle the joint request for a hearing date (art. 748, § 1) or the request after a referral to the roll.

The tool assists the lawyer, who remains responsible for the calculation and for checking the applicable rule.

Sources

• Judicial Code, arts. 52 to 54, 742, 747, 748 and 748bis: text on Justel. Verified on 4 October 2026; art. 748, § 2 on 5 October 2026.
• Civil Code, art. 1.7, § 4 (law of 28 April 2022). Verified on 5 October 2026.
• Law of 26 April 2007 (art. 747 replaced, art. 751 repealed): Chamber document 51-2811/008. Verified on 4 October 2026.
• Law of 30 July 2013 on the family court (art. 747, § 3). Verified on 4 October 2026.
• Law of 6 July 2017, art. 133 (art. 747, § 4) and art. 742: Chamber document 54-2259/014. Verified on 4 October 2026.
• Constitutional Court, judgment 145/2018, quoting art. 747, § 2. Verified on 4 October 2026.