How Do I File an Agreement in Court?

Written agreements about most family law issues can be filed in the Provincial Court or the Supreme Court under the Family Law Act and the rules of court:

• agreements on parental responsibilities and parenting time can be filed under s. 44(3) of the Family Law Act,
• agreements on contact with a child or children can be filed under s. 58(3),
• agreements on child support can be filed under s. 148(2), and
• agreements on spousal support can be filed under s. 163(3).

Agreements that are filed in court can be enforced as if they were orders of the court in which they are filed.

Among other things, this means that the BC Family Maintenance Agency (BCFMA) can enforce an agreement for support exactly as it would enforce an order for support. Enforcement by BCFMA (which until recently was known as FMEP, because it was called the Family Maintenance Enforcement Program) is the usual reason why agreements are filed in court.

When there is an existing court proceeding

If a court proceeding has already been started, an agreement will normally be filed in the same court registry where the proceeding was started. This helps to keep the whole court file together and prevents confusion about the status of the agreement and the status of the litigation.

If the action is in the Provincial Court, take one original copy of the agreement to the family law counter along with the file number of the court proceeding. The court staff will help you with any paperwork. You don't need to see a judge or appear in court.

If the action is in the Supreme Court, take one original copy of the agreement to the family law counter along with something showing the style of cause of the court proceeding (the file number, the court registry, the name of the claimant, and the name of the respondent). The court staff will give you a blank Requisition to fill out. You don't need to see a judge or appear in court.

When a court action hasn't been started

If there is no existing court action, it's up to you to decide where you'd like to file your agreement. Since the BCFMA will enforce an agreement whether it's filed in the Provincial Court or the Supreme Court, it's usually easiest just to go to the courthouse nearest you.

All you need to take to the courthouse is one original copy of the agreement (usually both parties will have their own original copy of the agreement with signatures in ink). The court staff will open a court file for the agreement and help you with any paperwork.

Finding out if your agreement has been filed

It can be a bit tricky to find out if an agreement has been filed in court or not, since there's no requirement that agreements be filed or that agreements that are filed be filed in the same court registry as any court proceedings between the parties to the agreement.

If there is an existing court action, go the court registry where the litigation began and ask to see the court file. Because family law files are sealed from the general public, you'll need to bring some photo ID.

If there isn't an existing court action, you'll need to make at least two stops:

1. First, go to the local Provincial Court to ask the staff to do a province-wide search to see if a Provincial Court file has been opened in your name and the name of the other party.
2. Second, go to the closest Supreme Court to do the same search of Supreme Court files. You can also do the Supreme Court search using Court Services Online (https://justice.gov.bc.ca/cso/index.do), but you won't be able to get any details of the court file other than that one exists.

For more information

You can find more information about family law agreements in the chapter Family Law Agreements.

This information applies to British Columbia, Canada. Last reviewed for legal accuracy by Beatrice McCutcheon, September 19, 2023.

JP Boyd on Family Law © John-Paul Boyd and Courthouse Libraries BC is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 Canada Licence.

Normally referred to as the "Supreme Court of British Columbia," this court hears most of the trials in this province. The Supreme Court is a court of inherent jurisdiction and has no limits on the sorts of claims it can hear or on the sorts of orders it can make. Decisions of the Provincial Court are appealed to the Supreme Court; decisions of the Supreme Court are appealed to the Court of Appeal. See "Court of Appeal," "jurisdiction," "Provincial Court" and "Supreme Court of Canada."

A court established and staffed by the provincial government, which includes Small Claims Court, Youth Court, and Family Court. The Provincial Court is the lowest level of court in British Columbia and is restricted in the sorts of matters it can deal with. It is, however, the most accessible of the two trial courts and no fees are charged to begin or defend a family law proceeding. The Family Court of the Provincial Court cannot deal with the division of family property or any claims under the Divorce Act. See "Divorce Act," "judge" and "jurisdiction."

The mandatory guidelines governing the court process and the conduct of litigation generally. Each court has its own rules of court.

A term under the Family Law Act which describes the various rights, duties, and responsibilities exercised by guardians in the care, upbringing, and management of the children in their care, including determining the child's education, diet, religious instruction or lack thereof, medical care, linguistic and cultural instruction, and so forth. See "decision-making responsibility" and "guardian."

Under the Family Law Act, a term which describes the time a guardian has with a child and during which is responsible for the day-to-day care of the child. Under the Divorce Act, a term which describes the time a spouse has with a child and during which is responsible for the day-to-day care of the child. See "guardian" and "spouse."

Under the Family Law Act, a term that describes the time a person who is not a guardian of a child, including a parent who is not a guardian, has with that child. Under the Divorce Act, a term that describes the time a person who is not a married spouse has with a child. See "guardian" and "parental responsibilities."

A person who is younger than the legal age of majority, 19 in British Columbia. See "age of majority."

Money paid by one parent or guardian to another parent or guardian as a contribution toward the cost of a child's living and other expenses.

A payment made by one spouse to the other spouse to help with the recipient's day-to-day living expenses or to compensate the recipient for the financial choices the spouses made during the relationship.

A mandatory direction of the court that is binding and enforceable upon the parties to a court proceeding. An "interim order" is a temporary order made following the hearing of an interim application. A "final order" is a permanent order, made following the trial of the court proceeding or the parties' settlement, following which the only recourse open to a dissatisfied party is to appeal. Failing to abide by the terms of an order may constitute contempt of court. See "appeal," "consent order," "contempt of court," "decision" and "declaration."

A legal proceeding in which one party sues another for a specific remedy or relief, also called an "action," a "lawsuit," or a "case." A court proceeding for divorce, for example, is a proceeding in which the claimant sues the respondent for the relief of a divorce order.

A central office, located in each judicial district, at which the court files for each court proceeding in that district are maintained, and at which legal documents can be filed, searched and reviewed.

In law, (1) the whole of the conduct of a court proceeding, from beginning to end, and the steps in between, may also be used to refer to (2) a specific hearing or trial. See "action."

A court proceeding in which one party sues another for a specific remedy or relief, also called a "lawsuit" or a "case." An action for divorce, for example, is a court proceeding in which the claimant sues the respondent for the relief of a divorce order.

A person appointed by the federal or provincial government to manage and decide court proceedings in an impartial manner, independent of influence by the parties, the government, or agents of the government. The decisions of a judge are binding upon the parties to the proceeding, subject to appeal.

The information at the top of all court forms in a proceeding, including the file number, the name of the registry the proceeding is filed in, the name of the court, and the parties' names.

The person who starts a court proceeding seeking an order for a specific remedy or relief against another person, the respondent. See "action" and "respondent."

The person against whom a claim has been brought by Notice of Family Claim. See “application” and “Notice of Family Claim."

In law, a person named as an applicant, claimant, respondent, or third party in a court proceeding; someone asserting a claim in a court proceeding or against whom a claim has been brought. See "action" and "litigant."