In 2003, the Table de concertation jeunesse itinérance du centre-ville and the Réseau d’aide aux personnes seules itinérantes de Montréal (RAPSIM) created the Opération droits devant, gathering around 40 community workers from different organizations working on homelessness in Montreal, in order to compile information on the judiciarization of people living homelessness, to represent them and to hold media and awareness raising activities. Steps were also taken at the Commission des droits de la personne (Human rights Commision) to demonstrate that homeless people experience social profiling experienced.
In parallel to these activities, the organizations asked for the development of a support and individual court accompaniment service for homeless or vulnerable people facing tickets. Thus, the Clinique Droits Devant was created within the RAPSIM on November 20th, 2006. Very quickly, the Clinique’s services were met with enthusiasm, helping on average 150 to 200 new people every year. Given this success, the RAPSIM decided to encourage the Clinique in gaining its autonomy after seven years of existence to allow it to continue developing. The Clinique received its letters patent on March 4th, 2014 and held its founding assembly on May 14th, 2014.