Starting a Court Proceeding in a Family Matter: Difference between revisions

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{{JP Boyd on Family Law TOC}}
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If you need the court to make an order about anything, from the care of children to the payment of spousal support to the division of assets, you must begin a court proceeding. There are certain steps you must take, certain fees you must pay and certain forms you must fill out before the court will hear your claim. Although the staff at the court registries are friendly and very helpful, it is your job to prepare these materials, gather your evidence and take the steps necessary to bring your case before a judge.
If you need the court to make an order about anything, from the care of children to the payment of spousal support to the division of property, or even just an order for your divorce, you must start a court proceeding. Your court proceeding will end with a trial, if you can't settle your legal problem first, after which the judge will make an order... hopefully the order you want the judge to make. There are certain steps you must take, certain fees you must pay, and certain forms you must fill out before you get to your trial. Although the staff at the court registries are friendly and do their best to be helpful, they cannot provide legal advice, fill out forms for you or tell you how to manage your court proceeding. It is ''your'' job to prepare these materials, gather the evidence you need, and take the other steps necessary to bring your proceeding to a judge at trial.


This page offers a brief caution about starting an action in haste and reviews the processes for starting a proceeding in the Supreme Court and the Provincial Court.
This section describes basic elements of the Provincial Court process, but please refer to the resources on Legal Aid BC's Family Law website and the links posted at the end of this section. This section deals with the processes for starting a proceeding in the Supreme Court. For a more complete picture of the court process, you should read this section together with the section on [[Responding to a Court Proceeding in a Family Matter]].  


'''JP finished. No glossary tags to be added. Links to be added, including to other pages in wiki. Downloadable documents to be added.'''


==Is litigation really necessary?==
==The Provincial Court==
The BC Provincial Court operates in approximately 84 locations around the province. Half of these locations operate part-time only, and are unstaffed the rest of the time. The other half operate in courthouses that are staffed and have their own court registries. (Registry staff are the people who deal with the paperwork, scheduling, etc.)
 
Before you start a proceeding in Provincial Court, you have to determine which registry to use. If an existing case has already been started involving the same parties, then you have to use the registry where that case is located. If there’s no existing case and kids are involved, then you have to use the registry closest to where the kids live most of the time; if no kids are involved, then you use the registry closest to the residence of the person who first files a court document under the Provincial Court Rules. 
 
After you’ve determined which registry to use, find out what kind of registry it is. In BC, we have three types of registries:
#The “Early Resolution” registries;
#*Surrey 
#*Victoria 
#“Family Justice” registries 
#*Kelowna 
#*Nanaimo
#*Vancouver (Robson Square) 
# All other BC Provincial Court registries are “Parenting Education Program” registries 
 
There are different steps involved in starting a Provincial Court proceeding depending on the registry. We’ll go through those now.
 
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===Early Resolution Registries===
 
''Early Resolution Registries'' offer a new process for handling family law disputes. These registries require different steps compared to traditional registries. So far, Surrey and Victoria are the only Early Resolution Registries, although the BC government has indicated they may add more locations.
 
The Early Resolution process, sometimes referred to as the ''Early Resolution and Case Management process'', is intended to encourage parties to resolve family disputes by agreement, or if that's not possible, to help them obtain fair decisions in Provincial Court in a timely manner. 


Sometimes, you really have no choice except to start a court proceeding. But please think twice before you do, and make certain that litigation is your only choice.
The Early Resolution process is unique in British Columbia, and different from the traditional approach laid out in the Provincial Court Family Rules. That said, the forms used in these registries are all from the same source. As of May 17, 2021, all Provincial Court Locations, including the Early Resolution Registries, use the [[Provincial Court Forms (Family Law)|forms listed in the Provincial Court Family Rules]].


The end of a relationship, especially a long relationship, is an emotionally charged, stressful moment. Litigation is not the only way there is to solve a problem, even though it might be really tempting to drop the bomb and hire the most aggressive lawyer you can find. Before you decide to go to court, think about these things first:
'''Use the Early Resolution registries in Victoria or Surrey if:''' 
* there is already a case started at that registry involving the same parties,
* your family law case involves a child-related issue, and the child lives closest to the Victoria or Surrey registry most of the time, or 
* your family law case does not involve a child-related issue, and you live closest to the Victoria or Surrey registry most of the time.


<blockquote>'''Your future relationship with your ex.''' Right now you might hate your ex and want to rip his or her eyes out. You might not feel that way in a year or two. If you don't have children, it might be entirely possible for you to simply walk out of each other's lives and into the sunset. If you do have children, you don't have that option. Your relationship as partners might be over, but your relationship as parents will continue forever.</blockquote>
The Early Resolution process is only for claims under the ''[[Family Law Act]]''. It is not for child protection matters, and it is not used for claims brought by the Ministry of Children and Family Development or a Delegated Aboriginal Agency.


<blockquote>'''Your children, and your relationship with your children.''' Your children will be aware that there is a conflict between you and your ex, an understanding that will differ depending on the children's ages. When parents are engaged in litigation, it can be tremendously difficult to shield the children from the litigation, and from your emotional reactions to the litigation. It can also be difficult to refrain from using the children as weapons in the litigation. This will always affect the children adversely and often in ways you don't expect.</blockquote>
====Starting a case in an Early Resolution Registry====
The Early Resolution process is designed to encourage parties to resolve family disputes by agreement or to help them move their case along to a quicker resolution. 


<blockquote>'''Your own worries and anxieties.''' Litigation is always an uncertain affair. No one, not even your lawyer, will guarantee that you will be successful about any issue. At the end of the day, fundamental decisions will be made by a complete stranger — the judge — about the things that matter the most to you, and his or her decision is not something you can predict with absolute certainty. On top of that, litigation, especially when you're doing it yourself, is extremely stressful. The documents and processes will be new to you, and each court appearance will be a fresh cause of anxiety and uncertainty.</blockquote>
If you have a dispute about a family law matter, including child support, spousal support, parenting arrangements, contact, or guardianship, you will start by filing a form called the [[PCFR Form 1 Notice to Resolve a Family Law Matter|Notice to Resolve a Family Law Matter]] at the Victoria or Surrey registry, and by giving the other party a copy.


<blockquote>'''Your pocket book.''' The only time litigation isn't expensive is when you do it yourself. If you opt to hire a lawyer, be prepared to pay and to pay a lot. Sometimes a lawyer can help you get things done quickly and with a minimum of fuss and bother, but if emotions are running high, you stand to pay a whopping legal bill, especially if you go all the way through to trial.</blockquote>
You will then be directed to the [https://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/helpmap/service/1019 Justice Access Centre (JAC)] to make an appointment for your individual needs assessment.


There are other ways of solving your problem than litigation. Going to court is only one of the ways to bring your dispute to an end. Other, less confrontational and less adversarial approaches include: negotiation, mediation and collaborative law. All of these other approaches generally cost a lot less, and, because they are cooperative in nature, they'll give you the best chance of maintaining a working relationship with your ex after the dust has settled. (These options are discussed in more detail in the Resolving Problems out of Court chapter.)
At the needs assessment, a family justice counsellor will provide you with information about your options, about the court process, and about how to access legal advice and other resources. They will make an assessment about whether consensual dispute resolution is appropriate for you. This means they will consider whether there are:
*power imbalances between you and your ex
*safety or family violence issues, or
*language barriers.
The family justice counsellor will also consider the nature of the issues to be resolved, your and your ex's ability to participate, and if accommodations can be made to facilitate participation. 


Now, in fairness, there are times when litigation is your only choice. It may be critical to start an action when:
If you have children, you will be required to complete the [https://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/question/commonquestion/1010 Parenting After Separation program], unless you have completed it within the last two years or meet one of the few exemptions. 


#there is a threat or a risk of child abduction;
If it is appropriate, you and the other party will participate in at least one consensual dispute resolution session to mediate your issues. 
#there has been physical, verbal or sexual abuse in the relationship, whether to you or to your children;
#threats have been made to your physical safety, or to the safety of your children;
#there is a threat or a risk that your ex will damage, hide or dispose of property;
#there is an urgent need to immediately secure some financial support; or,
#negotiations have failed and, despite your best efforts, you can't agree on how to solve your differences.


Absent these important factors, your dispute, no matter how ugly it might seem to you, can always be resolved by negotiation or mediation rather than litigation. Even an action for a divorce order, which is the only other time when litigation is required, can be done in a cooperative, non-confrontational manner.
When issues are resolved during early resolution, you can formalize your agreements by written agreement or consent order. 


Think twice before deciding that litigation is your only option.
====Replying to a Family Law Matter in an Early Resolution Registry====


For more information about the emotions that surround the end of a long-term relationship, and how these emotions can affect the course of litigation, read the chapter <span style="color: red;">Marriage & Divorce > Separating Emotionally</span>. You should also track down and read a copy of Tug of War by Mr. Justice Brownstone from the Ontario Court of Justice. He gives a lot of practical advice about the family law court system, when it works best and when it doesn't work at all.
If you are served with a Notice to Resolve a Family Law Matter filed at the Victoria or Surrey registry, you'll have to complete three steps before you can file your Reply to an Application About a Family Law Matter. Those three steps are: 


==The Supreme Court==
If you are served with a Notice to Resolve a Family Law Matter filed at the Victoria or Surrey registry, you'll have to complete three steps before you can file your reply to an application about a family law matter. Those three steps are: 
# '''Needs Assessment''': You will participate in a needs assessment through the Justice Access Centre where a family justice counsellor will teach you about the court process, and about how to access legal advice and other resources. They will make an assessment about whether consensual dispute resolution is appropriate for you, taking into consideration whether there are power imbalances, issues of safety or family violence, or language barriers, and also taking into consideration the nature of the issues to be resolved and the ability of the parties to participate, or accommodations that can be made to facilitate participation.
# '''Parenting After Separation Course''': If you have children, you will be required to complete the [https://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/question/commonquestion/1010 Parenting After Separation program], unless you have completed it within the last two years or meet one of the few exemptions. 
# '''Consensual Dispute Resolution''': If it is appropriate, you and the other party will participate in at least one consensual dispute resolution session to mediate your issues. 
==== What happens when parties can't resolve issues during Early Resolution?====
If there are still some issues that need to be resolved and you need the Court's help, you then file a form called the [[PCFR Form 3 Application About a Family Law Matter|Application About a Family Law Matter]] with all your supporting documents and serve it on the other party or parties. 


The main document you will have to prepare is a Notice of Family Claim in form F3, a specical form prescribed by the Supreme Court Family Rules. (This document is one of the basic legal documents in a law suit collectively known as "pleadings".) The primary rules about Notices of Family Claim and the commencement of a law suit are:
When the other party has replied or the time for reply has passed, you can contact the Judicial Case Manager to schedule a Family Management Conference. At the Family Management Conference, you and the other party (or parties) will meet with a judge. The judge will work with you to see whether agreement can be reached on some or all of the issues. The judge can make an interim order or a final order by consent. 


Rule 1-1: definitions
If there are still issues to resolve, the judge can make case management orders to ensure the matter is ready for trial if one is needed. The usual process in Provincial Court for case conferences, trial preparation, trials, and enforcement of Family Maintenance matters still applies if your issues have not been fully resolved. 
Rule 3-1: commencing an action
Rule 4-1: Notices of Family Claim and service requirements
Rule 4-3: replying to an action
Rule 5-1: financial disclosure
Rule 6-3: personal service
Rule 7-1: Judicial Case Conferences
Part 9: disclosure and discovery of documents
Part 10: chambers procedure
Rule 11-4: discontinuing an action
Part 13: expert witnesses
Rule 11-3: summary trial procedure
Rule 14-7: trial procedure
A link to the Supreme Court Family Rules is provided in the section Resources & Links, and much more detailed information about the rules is available in New Rules 101.


Sample court forms and blank court forms for download are available in the Downloads segment below.
====What else do I need to know about the Early Resolution process?====
The Early Resolution process also includes rules for applications about: 
* protection orders
* enforcement of existing orders
* giving, refusing, or withdrawing consent to medical, dental, or other health-related treatments for a child, if delay will result in risk to the health of the child
* applying for a passport, licence, permit, benefit, privilege, or other thing for the child, if delay will result in risk of harm to the child's physical, psychological, or emotional safety, security, or well-being
* relocation of a child
* preventing the removal of a child from a certain location 
* determining matters relating to interjurisdictional issues 


===Notice of Family Claim===
Parties involved in these matters will file and serve an application and proceed to a hearing without having to participate in the early resolution processes. If the parties have one of these types of matters and an early resolution family law matter, they can go through court to get the one issue resolved and proceed through early resolution and case management on the other issues. The model recognizes that protection orders and some parenting matters are urgent and need to proceed directly to court. 
The Notice of Family Claim sets out: the name and address for service of the person bringing the claim, the Claimant; the name and address of the person against whom the claim is made, the Respondent; the basic history of the parties' relationship; and, the bare essentials of the Claimant's claims.


The form which must be used is Form F3, set out in Appendix A of the Supreme Court Family Rules. This is a special form of claim used only in family law cases. Additional schedules, which require a lot more detailed information, must be added to the Notice of Family Claim when the Claimant seeks orders about:
To read more about the Early Resolution process in Victoria and Surrey see the [https://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/resource/4843 BC Ministry of Attorney General's website], which also makes available a brochure with a simplified process map. 


divorce;
===Family Justice Registries===
children, including child support;
If your family law dispute is in Kelowna, Nanaimo, or Vancouver (Robson Square), the provincial court registries in those locations fall under the Family Justice registry model.
spousal support;
the division of property; and,
other related matters, such as restraining orders.
The Notice of Family Claim must be filed in the court registry and be personally served on the Respondent. (The Respondent has thirty days from the date of service to file a Response to Family Claim.) If you are asking for a divorce order, you'll have to fill out Registration of Divorce Proceeding form when you file your Notice of Family Claim.


It costs $200 to file Notice of Family Claim, or $210 if the claim includes a claim for a divorce.
To start a proceeding in a Family Justice registry, you file specific forms based on what you’re asking a judge to ultimately decide. Some of the most common things people ask for are:
*guardianship
*parenting responsibilities
*decision-making authority
*parenting time (sometimes called ''custody'', though Canadian courts don’t use that word anymore)
*contact (visitation rights of a person who is not a child's guardian)
*child support and special expenses, and
*spousal support
There are also conduct orders which can help parties set boundaries to assist them in working towards resolution, and there are protection orders, which follow a different process due to their often-urgent nature.  


The Divorce Act and Rule 6-3(2) of the Supreme Court Family Rules say that a Claimant cannot serve a Respondent him- or herself. You must either pay a process server to do it or enlist the help of a friend over the age of majority. Although this ought go without saying, do not use one of your children to effect service.
====What form do I file?====
=====Family Law Matters=====
If you're using a Family Justice Registry, the next step is to determine what you're asking a judge to decide, and see if it qualifies as a ''Family Law Matter''. The following are considered Family Law Matters:
*parenting arrangements
*child support
*contact with a child
*guardianship of a child, or
*spousal support
In these cases you will start by filing an [[PCFR Form 3 Application About a Family Law Matter|Application About a Family Law Matter]] in Form 3 and delivering it by ''personal service'' to the other party. This means that someone other than you who is over 19 years old must serve the other party in person with a copy of the application and instructions from the registry on how to reply.  


===Default===
=====Applying for other orders=====
If the Respondent fails to file and deliver his or her Response to Family Claim within 30 days, the Claimant may be able to obtain an order for the relief claimed in the Notice of Family Claim by way of a default judgment, using the desk order process described in the Marriage & Divorce > Divorce chapter. The idea here is that the Claimant can ask the court for a judgment in default of the Respondent's response by arguing that the Respondent either agrees with the Claimant's claim or has chosen not to oppose it since no Response to Family Claim.
Start by figuring out what kind of order you need. That will determine the form you’ll have to file with the court. If your matter isn't captured by the definition of a "Family Law Matter", then you’ll have to file another type of form for orders other than family law matters. These include applications for:
*a case management order
*a protection order
*an order about a priority parenting matter
*an order about relocation, or
*a consent order.  
The rules for these kinds of orders are the same no matter what kind of registry you are in.


You should be aware that in most cases the courts are fairly lenient towards litigants who miss filing deadlines. A Claimant should not expect to "win" on a technicality of this nature; if a Respondent files his or her Response to Family Claim late, the court will usually, depending on the circumstances, allow the Respondent an extension of time and overlook the missed due date.
:'''Case Management Orders''': Case management orders are orders about a range of issues to help manage a case. The list is set out at section 62 of the ''Provincial Court Family Rules'', but a few examples include:
:*transferring a court file to another registry
:*accessing a court file
:*correcting or amending a filed document
:*waiving or changing requirements about serving someone with court documents you filed
:*applying to attend court by phone or video
:*adjourning court appearances, or
:*correcting an order made under the Provincial Court Family Rules.  


===The Next Steps===
:To apply for a case management order, file an [[PCFR Form 10 Application for Case Management Order|Application for Case Management Order]] in Form 10, along with any supporting evidence or documents you have. You can also file an [[PCFR Form 11 Application for Case Management Order Without Notice or Attendance|Application for Case Management Order Without Notice or Attendance]] in Form 11 if no appearance before a judge is required. Check the instructions located in each of the forms, or see Provincial Court Family Rule 65 to determine whether an appearance is required, and which form you'll have to file. If a case management order is made without notice, you'll have to serve a copy of the order, the application, and any supporting evidence or documents, on the other party.
If the Respondent has chosen to file a Response to Family Claim, he or she has decided to oppose your claim. This doesn't mean that you're necessarily going to wind up in a trial, but it does mean that at least for now the Respondent disagrees with some or all of the relief you're seeking. One of three things are going to happen in your action:


you'll settle your disagreement out of court, and come up with either a separation agreement or an order that you both agree the court should make, called a consent order;
:'''Protection Orders''': If you’re applying for a protection order and an order about a family law matter, you don’t have to follow the special steps set out for the Early Resolution Registries, the Family Justice Registries, or the Parenting Education Program Registries.
you'll not be able to agree, and the intervention of the court at a trial will be required; or,
after some initial scuffles, neither you nor the Respondent will take any steps to further the litigation and the matter will languish.
Whether you're off to trial or a settlement can be reached, the steps until trial are usually these:


Exchange Financial Statements: Financial Statements are required whenever the division of property or the payment of support is at issue. Financial Statements must be exchanged before the first Judicial Case Conference, and updated statements will be required throughout the case and before trial.
:No matter the court registry you are in, if you have protection or safety concerns, you can apply to the court to go before a judge without letting the other party know first. It's up to the judge whether to hear your ''without notice'' application. Any without notice application will have to include reasons why the application should be heard without notice to the other side. File an [[PCFR Form 12 Application about a Protection Order|Application about a Protection Order]] in Form 12 to apply for a protection order along with an [[PCFR Form 11 Application for Case Management Order Without Notice or Attendance|Application for Case Management Order Without Notice or Attendance]] in Form 11 to apply without notice to the other party.
Have a Judicial Case Conference: A JCC is necessary before most interim applications can be brought. JCCs are informal, off-the-record meetings between the parties, their lawyers and a judge intended to canvas areas of agreement and disagreement, and set dates and deadlines for the remaining steps in the litigation. JCCs are discussed in more detail in the last part of this chapter.
:Once you speak to the judge about the protection order you’ve asked for and if the order is made, remember that a protection order expires either on the date the judge orders for it to end, or one year after the date it is made. You can apply for another protection order if you need to.
Interim Applications: In almost all cases, parties need the court to decide certain issues on a temporary basis until the trial can be heard. Typically, people need a set of rules to guide them in their conduct towards each other and the children until the issues can be finally determined. The most common interim applications in family law cases involve financial and personal restraining orders, the care and control of the children, and the payment of child support and spousal support. The process for bringing interim applications is discussed in detail in the chapter The Legal System > Interim Applications.
Document Disclosure and Production: The Rules require that each party produce to the other all documents in their possession that are relevant to the matters at issue in an action. This can include things like bank statements, report cards, medical records, school reports and so forth. Each party must list these documents in a formal List of Documents, and keep their Lists of Documents updated when new documents are found or become available.
Discovery: The parties may, if they wish, conduct a cross-examination of the other party under oath, outside of court. This is called an Examination for Discovery. Examinations for Discovery are helpful to get the other party's views of the evidence and the matters at issue on the record. Discoveries are almost always held after Financial Statements have been prepared and the documents have been exchanged.
Have a Settlement Conference: The Rules allow a party to set a Settlement Conference before a judge ahead of trial. At this hearing, the parties will explain their positions to the court and their areas of disagreement and hopefully negotiate a settlement. These conferences can be very helpful, as the judge will often function as mediator and help the parties work towards setttlement. The judge may also express his or her opinion about the stengths and weaknesses of each party's position, which also encourages settlement.
Have a Trial Management Conference: A TMC is a formal hearing before a judge designed to fix the schedule of events at the trial and resolve as many disputes about evidence before trial as possible. Among other things, the judge will ask about the witnesses each party intends to call, the completeness of the disclosure made to date, expert's reports and expert witnesses, and anything else that can dealt with to help make sure the trial will go ahead and be completed within the time available. A TMC is generally not an opportunity to engage in settlement discussions.
Trial: At the end of the day, if you can't agree you will wind up at trial. At the trial, each side will call their witnesses to give evidence, cross-examine the witnesses of the other party, and give their argument as to why the judge ought to decide the case in their favour. The judge will hear all the evidence and the arguments, and reach a decision in the form of Reasons for Judgment. The lawyers, or the court clerk in the absence of lawyers, will prepare a final order based on the Reasons for Judgment.
This is, of course, just a rough sketch of the lengthy process of bringing an action to a conclusion. Not every case will need to use all of these steps (some people may not need to have Examinations for Discovery and others won't see the point of holding a Settlement Conference, for example), and some steps may need to be repeated more than once. As well, the actual trial process is much, much more complex that my brief description.


===Financial Statements===
:If you have safety concerns about family violence, you may want to talk to a support worker. [https://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/helpmap/service/1055 VictimLinkBC] is a confidential, multilingual telephone service available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-563-0808. Victim services workers can provide crisis support, information and referrals to supports including safety planning, victim services, transition houses and counselling services.
If the case involves a claim for spousal support, child support or the division of assets, each party must prepare and file a Financial Statement. A Financial Statement sets out a person's income, expenses, assets and liabilities and is sworn on oath or affirmation, just like an Affidavit, by a lawyer, notary public or registry clerk.


Financial Statements are very important in family law cases. The portions about income are critical for determining child support and spousal support, and, unless there are appraisals or other documents that establish amount, the portions about assets and debts will sometimes be used to establish the value of an asset and the outstanding balance of a liability. As well, since Financial Statements are sworn statements, someone making a Financial Statment can find his or her credibility being challenged if the numbers don't make sense, if they are overblown or understated, if they omit critical information, or if they are outright fabrications.
:'''Priority Parenting Matter''': Orders about priority parenting matters are decisions where a delay in obtaining a court’s decision would pose a risk to a child. These applications should be filed in rare circumstances, and only in situations listed in Form 15, [[PCFR Form 15 Application About a Priority Parenting Matter|Application About a Priority Parenting Matter]].


Each party must attach to their Financial Statements a number of important documents:
:In addition to Form 15 you’ll also have to file a Form 11 if you’re applying to waive or change the requirement to give seven days’ notice of the application to the other party.


the last three years' worth of tax returns (what's required are the complete T1 income tax and benefit returns, not tax return "summaries" or "informations");
:'''Relocation''': If you have a written and signed agreement or a court order about parenting time or contact and you receive written notice from the other parent saying the plan to relocate with the child, then you can apply to the court for an order prohibiting the relocation of the child using Form 16, [[PCFR Form 16 Application for Order Prohibiting the Relocation of a Child|Application for Order Prohibiting the Relocation of a Child]]. At least seven days before the court date listed on the application form, you’ll have to serve the Form 16 on the other party, along with a copy of the written agreement or court order about parenting time, and a copy of (or details about) the notice of relocation that you received.
all Notices of Assessment and Reassessment received in connection with the last three tax years;
the party's most recent paystub, showing his or her earnings to date, or if the party isn't working, then his or her most recent WCB statement, social assistance statement or EI statement;
business and/or corporate records such as financial statements and corporate income tax returns, if the party has an incoporated or unincorporated business; and,
the most recent BC Assessments for all real property.
The form which must be used is Form F8, set out in Appendix A of the Supreme Court Family Rules.


===Judicial Case Conferences===
:If the other parent plans to relocate with your child and you do not have a written and signed agreement about parenting time or contact, you can apply for an order prohibiting relocation using the Application About a Priority Parenting Matter form, in Form 15, and you’ll have to serve that Form on the other parent at least seven days before the court date listed on the application form.
Judicial Case Conferences are relatively informal, off-the-record, private meetings between the parties, their lawyers and a judge in a courtroom. JCCs must be held in all contested family law actions, and, in most cases, they must be held before any interim applications can be heard.


JCCs are discussed in more detail below.
:'''Consent Orders''': If you and the other party in your Family Law Matter have reached an agreement, you can ask the court to make an order, usually without going to court and arguing before a judge. A judge will still have to review the draft consent order that you file and, as long as they don’t have any questions or concerns about the orders you're asking for, they can make the order. 


===Downloads===
:To obtain a consent order about a Family Law Matter, you’ll have to file an [[PCFR Form 17 Application for a Family Law Matter Consent Order|Application for a Family Law Matter Consent Order]] in Form 17, as well as a draft of the [[PCFR Form 18 Consent Order|Consent Order]] in Form 18 setting out what you have agreed on and the orders you’re asking the court to make. The draft Consent Order in Form 18 will have to be signed by all parties or their lawyers.
In this segment you can download blank court forms in Word format, samples of completed forms in PDF format and technical papers about the Supreme Court Family Rules. Additional court form templates can be found in the Resources & Links section of this website.


1. Sample Documents
:If a judge reviews your application and draft consent order and needs more information, they can ask for more evidence or information, which may mean that you must go to court and speak to a judge. It could also mean that a judge might make changes to the draft consent order and, if you and the other party agree to the changes, you can go to the registry at the courthouse and sign the changes. An application for a consent order can also be rejected. If that happens, the judge will provide their reasons for rejection.
The links below will open sample court documents in a new window. You will require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view these files, a free program available for download from Adobe Software.


In this sample, our fictitious Claimant, Jane Doe, is suing her husband, John Doe, for a divorce, orders relating to the care and control of the children, orders for the payment of spousal and child support, orders relating to the division of property, a common financial restraining order, and a declaration that the parties are unable to reconcile. Areas where the court form offers a choice or where you must supply information are indicated in burgundy text.
:In addition to applying for consent orders about a Family Law Matter, you can also file for a consent order related to one of the case management issues discussed above. This is done by by filing an [[PCFR Form 10 Application for Case Management Order|Application for Case Management Order]] in Form 10. If you specify in your Form 10 that you do not want a court appearance, you must also submit a draft of the [[PCFR Form 18 Consent Order|Consent Order]] in Form 18, signed by all concerned parties or their lawyers.


Also included is a sample of the form required when divorce proceedings are commenced, which notifies the central divorce registry in Ottawa, Ontario, of the commencement of the action for divorce.
===Parenting Education Program Registry===
Starting a Provincial Court action in one of the Parenting Education Program Registries is the same as in a Family Justice Registry, however you do not have to participate in a needs assessment before you can schedule a Family Management Conference.


Form F3: Notice of Family Claim (PDF)
You will still have to complete a parenting education program (such as Parenting After Separation) if children are involved, and you still have the option to participate in a needs assessment and consensual dispute resolution.
Registration of Divorce Proceeding (PDF)
Form F8: Financial Statement (PDF)
Form F19: Notice of Judicial Case Conference (PDF)
These sample documents are just that: samples. While they represent a more or less accurate picture of how Jane Doe might fill out her forms, they may not be applicable to your situation. Use them as a reference only together with the official court form.


2. Court Forms
===The Parenting After Separation Program===
Click the links below to open templates in Word format. Areas where you must supply information are indicated in green text.


Form F3: Notice of Family Claim (DOC)
In certain registries of the Provincial Court, the parties to a court proceeding must meet with a family justice counsellor and, if children are involved, attend a [https://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/resource/4884 Parenting After Separation Course] before they can take any further steps in their case. This rule may apply even if you're asking for a default judgment or an order everyone agrees to, called a ''consent order''. The registry will tell you what is needed. If necessary, the registry will refer you to a family justice counsellor and tell you where the Parenting After Separation Course is offered.
Form F8: Financial Statement (DOC)
Form F19: Notice of Judicial Case Conference (DOC)


==The Provincial Court==
Family justice counsellors can provide information that may help to resolve the court proceeding; they can also serve as mediators if all of the parties are prepared to try mediation.


The Provincial (Family) Court is designed for people who are not represented by a lawyer. There are no filing fees in this court; the forms are a lot easier to prepare; the Rules of Court are simpler; and, the court registry takes care of things like drafting court orders. The only downside of bringing your case to the Provincial Court is that the court has a limited jurisdiction and can only hear applications under the Family Relations Act dealing with certain issues, including:
The Parenting After Separation Program is very useful to take, and you should seriously consider taking the course even if it isn't required in your court registry. The program is available [https://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/resource/4884 online]. The online course does not replace the need to attend an in-person course if that's required. You will have to file a certificate that you've completed the program in court.


child support;
===Limitations of the Provincial Court===
spousal support;
the variation of previous Provincial Court orders about child and spousal support;
arrears of child support or spousal support;
custody and guardianship of children; and,
access to children.
The Provincial Court cannot hear your application if you are applying for orders under the federal Divorce Act or for orders relating to the division of property under the Family Relations Act.


A link to the Provincial (Family) Court Rules of Court is provided in the Resources & Links section.
The Provincial Court is built for people who are not represented by a lawyer. There are no filing fees in this court, in some ways the forms are easier to prepare, the rules of court are simplified, and the court registry will sometimes take care of things like drafting court orders. The main disadvantage of bringing your case to the Provincial Court is that the authority of the court is limited. The Provincial Court can only hear applications under the ''[[Family Law Act]]'' on certain subjects, including:


===Application to Obtain an Order===
#guardianship;
Most actions are started in the Provincial (Family) Court by filing an Application to Obtain an Order. (Actions can also be started with an Application to Change an Order or Agreement where there is already a court order or separation agreement.) The person beginning the action, the Applicant, fills out the form, providing: the Applicant's name and address for service; the name and address of the person against whom the application is being made, the Respondent; a list of the orders the Applicant is asking the court to make; and, a brief statement of the relevant facts. The Applicant then files the form in the court registry.
#parental responsibilities and parenting time;
#contact with a child;
#child support;
#spousal support;
#protection orders; and,
#payment of household bills such as mortgage and utilities until trial or settlement.


The form which must be used is Form 1, set out in the Provincial Court Family Court Manual. Applications to Change an Order or Agreement are prepared using Form 2.
The Provincial Court cannot hear any claims under the federal ''[[Divorce Act]]''. However, it also cannot hear claims for orders relating to the division of property and debt under the provincial ''Family Law Act''.


Once the application has been filed, the court registry may take care of serving the Respondent with a copy of the materials you filed. Most registries will require that you take care of serving the Respondent. Once the Respondent has been served, he or she must file a Reply within 30 days.
==The Supreme Court==


===Default===
To start a proceeding in the Supreme Court, the main document you'll have to prepare is a ''Notice of Family Claim'' in Form F3, a special form prescribed by the [http://canlii.ca/t/8mcr Supreme Court Family Rules]. (This document is one of the basic legal documents in a court proceeding known as "pleadings.") This document says who you are suing and what you're suing them for.


A Respondent who fails to file and deliver his or her Reply by 30 days is not entitled to be notified of any further steps taken in the action. This will change, of course, if the Respondent files a Reply down the road, but until that happens the Applicant is free to set a date for the hearing of the action, or for the hearing of an interim application, with no notice to the Respondent.
Family law proceedings in the Supreme Court are governed by the [http://canlii.ca/t/8mcr Supreme Court Family Rules]. It's important that you have a working knowledge of the rules about how court proceedings are started. As your proceeding progresses, you'll also need to learn the rules about judicial case conferences, disclosure, interim applications, and trials. The main rules about Notices of Family Claim and the management of court proceedings in Supreme Court are:


At the hearing, the Applicant can ask the court to make a default judgment in the Respondent's absence. You should not assume that you'll necessarily get what you want, especially if the action concerns the care and control of children. In a case like that, the court will also consider what is in the children's best interests, and despite the lack of a Reply from the Respondent, the court may not conclude that the children's best interests are served by allowing your claim.
*Rule 1-1: Definitions
*Rule 3-1: Starting a court proceeding
*Rule 4-1: Notices of Family Claim and service requirements
*Rule 4-3: Replying to a Notice of Family Claim
*Rule 5-1: Financial disclosure
*Rule 6-3: Personal service
*Rule 7-1: Judicial case conferences
*Part 9: Disclosure and discovery of documents
*Part 10: Interim applications and chambers procedure
*Rule 11-4: Discontinuing a court proceeding
*Part 13: Expert witnesses
*Rule 11-3: Summary trial procedure
*Rule 14-7: Trial procedure
*Rule 15-2.1: Guardianship orders


===The Next Steps===
Links to and examples of the Notice of Family Claim and other court forms can be found in [[Supreme Court Forms (Family Law)|Supreme Court Forms and Examples]]. For a quick introduction to how to start a proceeding, see [[How Do I Start a Family Law Action in the Supreme Court?]]. It's located in the Helpful Guides & Common Questions part of this resource.


In certain registries of the Provincial (Family) Court the parties must meet with a Family Justice Counsellor, and, if children are involved, attend a Parenting After Separation program before any further steps can be taken in a case. This will apply even if you are seeking a default judgment. The court clerk will refer you to the Family Justice Counsellor and tell you where the Parenting After Separation is offered. You will have to file a certificate that you've completed the program before any further steps can be taken in your case.
===Quick answers for common questions===


At court registries that do not have this requirement, an interim application can be brought at any time after the action has commenced by the filing of an Application to Obtain an Order or an Application to Change an Order or Agreement.
The following issues are addressed in the ''Starting an Action'' section in the Helpful Guides & Common Questions part of this resource:


The steps which follow the commencement of an action in Provincial (Family) Court are a simplified version of the Supreme Court process. There are less hoops to jump through, but also fewer means to extract information and documents from the other side.
* '''Can't pay your court fees:''' If you can't afford to pay court fees, you can apply to court to have those fees waived. This used to be called applying for ''indigent status'', but this term is no longer used. To find out more, see [[How Do I Waive Filing Fees in the Supreme Court?]]
* '''Personally serving someone:''' For a quick summary of what's involved in personal service, see [[How Do I Personally Serve Someone with Legal Documents?]]
* '''Can't personally serve the respondent:''' If it is impossible to personally serve the Notice of Family Claim on the respondent, you can ask the court to be allowed to use a substitute form of personal service. To find out what's involved, see [[How Do I Substitutionally Serve Someone with Legal Documents?]]
* '''Can't find your ex:''' If you're not sure where your ex lives in order to start a court proceeding, see [[How Do I Find My Ex?]]
* '''Need to change something in your Notice of Family Claim''': To find out what happens when you want to change something in your Notice of Family Claim, see [[How Do I Change Something in My Notice of Family Claim?]]
* '''Want to stop the court proceeding:''' To find out if you can stop a family law court proceeding in the Supreme Court once you've started it, see [[How Do I Stop a Family Law Action in the Supreme Court?]]


Interim Applications: In almost all cases, the parties need the court to decide certain issues on a temporary basis until the trial can be heard. Typically, people need a set of rules to guide them in their conduct towards each other and the children until the issues between them can be finally determined. The most common applications in family law involve restraining orders, issues relating to the care and control of the children, child support and spousal support. The process for bringing interim applications is discussed in detail in the chapter The Legal System > Interim Applications.
===Preparing, filing and serving the Notice of Family Claim===
Exchange Financial Statements: Financial Statements are required whenever the payment of support is at issue. Financial Statements are prepared using Form 4.
{{LSSbadge
Have a Family Case Conference: This is a hearing similar the the Judicial Case Conference required by the Supreme Court. It is an informal, off-the-record meeting between the parties, their lawyers and a judge intended to canvas areas of agreement and set dates and deadlines for the remaining steps in the litigation. Although FCCs are very helpful and often result in settlement, FCCs are not mandatory unless you have been referred to an FCC by a judge. If you think a FCC will help resolve your case, ask for one!
|resourcetype = guided pathway information on how to
Have a Settlement Conference: The Rules allow a party to have a Settlement Conference with a judge. At this hearing, the parties will explain their positions to the court and hopefully negotiate a settlement, with the judge acting as a kind of mediator. These conferences can be very helpful, as the judge will often express his or her opinion about each party's position and what the judge thinks the likely result of a trial will be.
|link        = [https://mylawbc.com/pathways/family-orders Get family orders]
Trial: At the end of the day, if you can't agree on an appropriate settlement, you will wind up at trial. At the trial, each side will call their witnesses to give evidence, cross-examine the witnesses of the other party, and give their argument as to why the judge ought to decide the case in their favour. The judge will hear all the evidence and the arguments and reach a decision in the form of Reasons for Judgment. Where neither party is represented by a lawyer, the court clerk will draft a final order based on the judge's Reasons for Judgment.
}}The ''claimant'', the person starting the court proceeding, must fill out a ''Notice of Family Claim'' in Form F3 and file the claim in court to start a court proceeding. The Notice of Family Claim provides certain information, including:


===Financial Statements===
#the claimant's name and address;
#the name and address of the person against whom the claim is made, the ''respondent'';
#the basic history of the parties' relationship;
#the names and birthdates of any children; and,
#a list of the orders the claimant would like the court to make.


If a case involves a claim for spousal support or child support, each party must prepare and file a Financial Statement. A Financial Statement sets out a party's income, expenses, assets and liabilities and is sworn on oath or affirmation, just like an Affidavit, by a lawyer, notary public or registry clerk. Each party must attach to their Financial Statements the following documents:
The court form that must be used is set out in the Supreme Court Family Rules. This is a special form of claim used only in family law cases. Additional pages that require more detailed information must be added to the Notice of Family Claim when the claimant seeks orders about:


their last three years' worth of tax returns;
#divorce;
their Notices of Assessment and Reassessment for the last three tax years;
#the care of children and child support;
their most recent paystub, showing their earnings-to-date, or if the party isn't working, then their most recent WCB statement, social assistance statement or EI statement; and,
#spousal support;
if the party is involved in a business, certain other business and/or corporate records.
#the division of property and debt; and,
The form which must be used is Form 4, set out in the provincial court Family Court Manual.
#orders about other subjects, like orders for the protection of people or orders for the change of a person's name.


===Family Case Conferences===
The Notice of Family Claim must be filed in the court registry and be personally served on the respondent. If you're asking for a divorce order, you'll have to fill out a Registration of Divorce Proceeding form when you file your Notice of Family Claim. It currently costs $200 to file a Notice of Family Claim, or $210 if the claim includes a claim for a divorce. When you file any document in Supreme Court, including the Notice of Family Claim, the registry will keep the original of the document. You will want to make and keep at least two additional copies, one for you to keep and one to give to the other party.


Family Case Conferences are relatively informal, off-the-record, private meetings between the parties, their lawyers and a judge in a courtroom to explore settlement options. FCCs are not mandatory and there is no requirement that an FCC must be heard before any interim applications.
''Personal service'' means physically handing the Notice of Family Claim to the respondent. The ''[[Divorce Act]]'' and Rule 6-3(2) of the Supreme Court Family Rules say that a claimant cannot serve a respondent themselves. You must either pay a process server to do it or enlist the help of a friend over the age of majority. ''Don't use one of your children to serve your ex.''


FCCs are discussed in more detail below.
===Deadline for reply===


F. Downloads
The respondent has 30 days to file a ''Response to Family Claim'' after being served with your Notice of Family Claim.  If the respondent doesn't do this, you may be able to get the orders you asked for in your Notice of Family Claim as a ''default judgment'', a final order the court makes when the respondent doesn't file a Response to Family Claim.
The links below will open a sample Application to Obtain an Order and a sample Application to Change an Order or Agreeement in a new window.


In the sample Application to Obtain an Order, our fictitious applicant, Simon Chang, is suing his common-law partner, Suzie Schwartz, for orders relating to the care and control of the children, an order for the payment child support, and a common restraining order stopping Suzie from removing the children from British Columbia. In the sample Application to Change an Order or Agreement, Simon is asking for an order that Suzie's child support obligation be increased because her income has increased.
You should be aware that judges can be fairly lenient towards people who miss filing deadlines. A claimant should not expect to win on a technicality like this. If a respondent files their Response to Family Claim late, the court will usually give the respondent an extension of time and overlook the missed due date. However, if the respondent just ignores you and ignores your claim, at some point the court will make the order you're asking for.


Form 1: Application to Obtain an Order
Sometimes a respondent will not reply to a Notice of Family Claim because they agree to the orders the claimant is asking for. This often happens when the claimant is just asking for a divorce. In a case like this, the court proceeding will qualify as an "undefended family law case" and you can apply for a default judgment under Rule 10-10 of the Supreme Court Rules. For more information about the do-it-yourself divorce process, see the [[Divorce and the Law on Getting Divorced]] section in the [[Separating and Getting Divorced]] chapter.
Form 2: Application to Change an Order or Agreeement
Form 4: Financial Statement
These sample documents are just that: samples. While they represent a more or less accurate picture of how Simon Chang might fill out his forms, they may not be applicable to your situation. Use them as a reference only together with the official court form.


Areas where you must supply information are indicated in handwritten script.
===The next steps===


==Further Reading in this Chapter==
If the respondent has chosen to file a Response to Family Claim, they have decided to oppose some or all of the orders you are asking for in your claim. This doesn't mean that you're necessarily going to wind up in a trial, but it does mean that, at least for now, the respondent disagrees at least some of the orders you're asking for. One of three things is going to happen in your court proceeding:


Return to the <span style="color: red;">first page</span> in this chapter.
#you'll settle your disagreement out of court, and come up with either a ''separation agreement'' or an order that you both agree the court should make, called a ''consent order''.
#you'll not be able to agree, and the intervention of the court at a ''trial'' will be required; or,
#after some initial scuffles, neither you nor the respondent will take any further steps in the court proceeding and the proceeding will languish.


* <span style="color: red;">Mediation</span>
Hopefully, it'll be the first.
* <span style="color: red;">Arbitration</span>
* <span style="color: red;">Parenting Coordination</span>


==Page Resources, Links and Downloads==
==Resources and links==


===Legislation===
===Legislation===


* <span style="color: red;">bulleted list of legislation referred to in page</span>
* ''[http://canlii.ca/t/849w Provincial Court Act]''
* [http://canlii.ca/t/b8rn Provincial Court Family Rules]
* ''[http://canlii.ca/t/84d8 Supreme Court Act]''
* [http://canlii.ca/t/8mcr Supreme Court Family Rules]
* ''[http://canlii.ca/t/84h8 Court Rules Act]''


===Links===
===Resources===


* <span style="color: red;">bulleted list of linked external websites referred to in page</span>
* [https://www.provincialcourt.bc.ca/types-of-cases/family-matters/chief-judge-practice-directions Provincial Court Family Practice Directions]
* <span style="color: red;">Collab Roster</span>
* [https://www.bccourts.ca/supreme_court/practice_and_procedure/family_practice_directions.aspx Supreme Court Family Practice Directions]
* [https://www.bccourts.ca/supreme_court/practice_and_procedure/administrative_notices.aspx Supreme Court Administrative Notices]
* [https://www.bccourts.ca/supreme_court/scheduling/ Supreme Court Trial Scheduling]


===Downloads===
===Links===


The link below will open a sample collaborative process participation agreement in a new window. You may require a PDF reader to view this file; Adobe Acrobat Reader is a free PDF reader available for download from <span style="color: red;">Adobe Software</span>. In this sample, Jane Doe and John Doe are entering into a collaborative process agreement with their lawyers, Alice Smith and Sylvia Black.
* [https://www.provincialcourt.bc.ca/ Provincial Court website]
* [https://www.bccourts.ca/supreme_court/ Supreme Court website]
* [http://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/resource/2268 Justice Education Society website for BC Supreme Court]
* BC Ministry of Attorney General: [https://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/resource/4884 Parenting After Separation Course]
* [https://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/resource/4640 Legal Aid BC's ''Family Law in BC'' website]


:::: <span style="color: red;">Collaborative Process Agreement</span> (PDF)


This sample document is just that: a sample. While it represents a more or less accurate picture of how these sorts of agreements might look, it may not be applicable to your situation and may not reflect the terms of the agreement you will sign if you decide to use a collaborative settlement process. Use it as a reference only.


{{REVIEWED | reviewer = [[JP Boyd]], 4 April 2020}}


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[[Category:JP Boyd on Family Law]]

Latest revision as of 17:51, 26 June 2024

This page from JP Boyd on Family Law—and other pages from this Wikibook that discuss BC family law litigation topics—are under editorial review to provide more thorough, current, and practical guidance. Since 2020, procedures, forms, and laws have changed significantly. While gross inaccuracies have been corrected, some details may still be outdated. These pages were not included in the 2024 print edition, and have been highlighted in orange where they appear in the navigation menu on this website.
JP Boyd on Family Law
JP Boyd on Family Law
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from the Clicklaw Wikibook JP Boyd on Family Law. See the full contents

and the list of contributors.
Getting Started
Introduction · Family Law in BC
Definitions · Legislation
Divorce Act Basics · Family Law Act Basics
Chapters
Resolving Problems in Court
 · The Court System
Court Forms & Documents
Supreme Court: Forms & Examples
Provincial Court: Forms & Examples
Other Family Law Forms & Documents

Helpful Guides & Common Questions
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If you need the court to make an order about anything, from the care of children to the payment of spousal support to the division of property, or even just an order for your divorce, you must start a court proceeding. Your court proceeding will end with a trial, if you can't settle your legal problem first, after which the judge will make an order... hopefully the order you want the judge to make. There are certain steps you must take, certain fees you must pay, and certain forms you must fill out before you get to your trial. Although the staff at the court registries are friendly and do their best to be helpful, they cannot provide legal advice, fill out forms for you or tell you how to manage your court proceeding. It is your job to prepare these materials, gather the evidence you need, and take the other steps necessary to bring your proceeding to a judge at trial.

This section describes basic elements of the Provincial Court process, but please refer to the resources on Legal Aid BC's Family Law website and the links posted at the end of this section. This section deals with the processes for starting a proceeding in the Supreme Court. For a more complete picture of the court process, you should read this section together with the section on Responding to a Court Proceeding in a Family Matter.


The Provincial Court

The BC Provincial Court operates in approximately 84 locations around the province. Half of these locations operate part-time only, and are unstaffed the rest of the time. The other half operate in courthouses that are staffed and have their own court registries. (Registry staff are the people who deal with the paperwork, scheduling, etc.)

Before you start a proceeding in Provincial Court, you have to determine which registry to use. If an existing case has already been started involving the same parties, then you have to use the registry where that case is located. If there’s no existing case and kids are involved, then you have to use the registry closest to where the kids live most of the time; if no kids are involved, then you use the registry closest to the residence of the person who first files a court document under the Provincial Court Rules.

After you’ve determined which registry to use, find out what kind of registry it is. In BC, we have three types of registries:

  1. The “Early Resolution” registries;
    • Surrey
    • Victoria
  2. “Family Justice” registries
    • Kelowna
    • Nanaimo
    • Vancouver (Robson Square)
  3. All other BC Provincial Court registries are “Parenting Education Program” registries

There are different steps involved in starting a Provincial Court proceeding depending on the registry. We’ll go through those now.

Important Note on BC Provincial Court Process: The rules, forms and procedure have changed significantly since 2020. Procedure will depend on where you live. Clicklaw Wikibooks encourages JP Boyd on Family Law readers to check other up-to-date sources of information on Provincial Court process for family law matters. Visit:
  • Legal Aid BC's Family Law in BC website for information about Provincial (Family) Court]
  • The BC Provincial Court's website for a list of resources promoted by the Court itself

Early Resolution Registries

Early Resolution Registries offer a new process for handling family law disputes. These registries require different steps compared to traditional registries. So far, Surrey and Victoria are the only Early Resolution Registries, although the BC government has indicated they may add more locations.

The Early Resolution process, sometimes referred to as the Early Resolution and Case Management process, is intended to encourage parties to resolve family disputes by agreement, or if that's not possible, to help them obtain fair decisions in Provincial Court in a timely manner.

The Early Resolution process is unique in British Columbia, and different from the traditional approach laid out in the Provincial Court Family Rules. That said, the forms used in these registries are all from the same source. As of May 17, 2021, all Provincial Court Locations, including the Early Resolution Registries, use the forms listed in the Provincial Court Family Rules.

Use the Early Resolution registries in Victoria or Surrey if:

  • there is already a case started at that registry involving the same parties,
  • your family law case involves a child-related issue, and the child lives closest to the Victoria or Surrey registry most of the time, or
  • your family law case does not involve a child-related issue, and you live closest to the Victoria or Surrey registry most of the time.

The Early Resolution process is only for claims under the Family Law Act. It is not for child protection matters, and it is not used for claims brought by the Ministry of Children and Family Development or a Delegated Aboriginal Agency.

Starting a case in an Early Resolution Registry

The Early Resolution process is designed to encourage parties to resolve family disputes by agreement or to help them move their case along to a quicker resolution. 

If you have a dispute about a family law matter, including child support, spousal support, parenting arrangements, contact, or guardianship, you will start by filing a form called the Notice to Resolve a Family Law Matter at the Victoria or Surrey registry, and by giving the other party a copy.

You will then be directed to the Justice Access Centre (JAC) to make an appointment for your individual needs assessment.

At the needs assessment, a family justice counsellor will provide you with information about your options, about the court process, and about how to access legal advice and other resources. They will make an assessment about whether consensual dispute resolution is appropriate for you. This means they will consider whether there are:

  • power imbalances between you and your ex
  • safety or family violence issues, or
  • language barriers.

The family justice counsellor will also consider the nature of the issues to be resolved, your and your ex's ability to participate, and if accommodations can be made to facilitate participation. 

If you have children, you will be required to complete the Parenting After Separation program, unless you have completed it within the last two years or meet one of the few exemptions. 

If it is appropriate, you and the other party will participate in at least one consensual dispute resolution session to mediate your issues. 

When issues are resolved during early resolution, you can formalize your agreements by written agreement or consent order. 

Replying to a Family Law Matter in an Early Resolution Registry

If you are served with a Notice to Resolve a Family Law Matter filed at the Victoria or Surrey registry, you'll have to complete three steps before you can file your Reply to an Application About a Family Law Matter. Those three steps are:

If you are served with a Notice to Resolve a Family Law Matter filed at the Victoria or Surrey registry, you'll have to complete three steps before you can file your reply to an application about a family law matter. Those three steps are:

  1. Needs Assessment: You will participate in a needs assessment through the Justice Access Centre where a family justice counsellor will teach you about the court process, and about how to access legal advice and other resources. They will make an assessment about whether consensual dispute resolution is appropriate for you, taking into consideration whether there are power imbalances, issues of safety or family violence, or language barriers, and also taking into consideration the nature of the issues to be resolved and the ability of the parties to participate, or accommodations that can be made to facilitate participation.
  2. Parenting After Separation Course: If you have children, you will be required to complete the Parenting After Separation program, unless you have completed it within the last two years or meet one of the few exemptions. 
  3. Consensual Dispute Resolution: If it is appropriate, you and the other party will participate in at least one consensual dispute resolution session to mediate your issues. 

What happens when parties can't resolve issues during Early Resolution?

If there are still some issues that need to be resolved and you need the Court's help, you then file a form called the Application About a Family Law Matter with all your supporting documents and serve it on the other party or parties. 

When the other party has replied or the time for reply has passed, you can contact the Judicial Case Manager to schedule a Family Management Conference. At the Family Management Conference, you and the other party (or parties) will meet with a judge. The judge will work with you to see whether agreement can be reached on some or all of the issues. The judge can make an interim order or a final order by consent. 

If there are still issues to resolve, the judge can make case management orders to ensure the matter is ready for trial if one is needed. The usual process in Provincial Court for case conferences, trial preparation, trials, and enforcement of Family Maintenance matters still applies if your issues have not been fully resolved. 

What else do I need to know about the Early Resolution process?

The Early Resolution process also includes rules for applications about: 

  • protection orders
  • enforcement of existing orders
  • giving, refusing, or withdrawing consent to medical, dental, or other health-related treatments for a child, if delay will result in risk to the health of the child
  • applying for a passport, licence, permit, benefit, privilege, or other thing for the child, if delay will result in risk of harm to the child's physical, psychological, or emotional safety, security, or well-being
  • relocation of a child
  • preventing the removal of a child from a certain location 
  • determining matters relating to interjurisdictional issues 

Parties involved in these matters will file and serve an application and proceed to a hearing without having to participate in the early resolution processes. If the parties have one of these types of matters and an early resolution family law matter, they can go through court to get the one issue resolved and proceed through early resolution and case management on the other issues. The model recognizes that protection orders and some parenting matters are urgent and need to proceed directly to court. 

To read more about the Early Resolution process in Victoria and Surrey see the BC Ministry of Attorney General's website, which also makes available a brochure with a simplified process map. 

Family Justice Registries

If your family law dispute is in Kelowna, Nanaimo, or Vancouver (Robson Square), the provincial court registries in those locations fall under the Family Justice registry model.

To start a proceeding in a Family Justice registry, you file specific forms based on what you’re asking a judge to ultimately decide. Some of the most common things people ask for are:

  • guardianship
  • parenting responsibilities
  • decision-making authority
  • parenting time (sometimes called custody, though Canadian courts don’t use that word anymore)
  • contact (visitation rights of a person who is not a child's guardian)
  • child support and special expenses, and
  • spousal support

There are also conduct orders which can help parties set boundaries to assist them in working towards resolution, and there are protection orders, which follow a different process due to their often-urgent nature.  

What form do I file?

Family Law Matters

If you're using a Family Justice Registry, the next step is to determine what you're asking a judge to decide, and see if it qualifies as a Family Law Matter. The following are considered Family Law Matters:

  • parenting arrangements
  • child support
  • contact with a child
  • guardianship of a child, or
  • spousal support

In these cases you will start by filing an Application About a Family Law Matter in Form 3 and delivering it by personal service to the other party. This means that someone other than you who is over 19 years old must serve the other party in person with a copy of the application and instructions from the registry on how to reply.

Applying for other orders

Start by figuring out what kind of order you need. That will determine the form you’ll have to file with the court. If your matter isn't captured by the definition of a "Family Law Matter", then you’ll have to file another type of form for orders other than family law matters. These include applications for:

  • a case management order
  • a protection order
  • an order about a priority parenting matter
  • an order about relocation, or
  • a consent order.

The rules for these kinds of orders are the same no matter what kind of registry you are in.

Case Management Orders: Case management orders are orders about a range of issues to help manage a case. The list is set out at section 62 of the Provincial Court Family Rules, but a few examples include:
  • transferring a court file to another registry
  • accessing a court file
  • correcting or amending a filed document
  • waiving or changing requirements about serving someone with court documents you filed
  • applying to attend court by phone or video
  • adjourning court appearances, or
  • correcting an order made under the Provincial Court Family Rules.
To apply for a case management order, file an Application for Case Management Order in Form 10, along with any supporting evidence or documents you have. You can also file an Application for Case Management Order Without Notice or Attendance in Form 11 if no appearance before a judge is required. Check the instructions located in each of the forms, or see Provincial Court Family Rule 65 to determine whether an appearance is required, and which form you'll have to file. If a case management order is made without notice, you'll have to serve a copy of the order, the application, and any supporting evidence or documents, on the other party.
Protection Orders: If you’re applying for a protection order and an order about a family law matter, you don’t have to follow the special steps set out for the Early Resolution Registries, the Family Justice Registries, or the Parenting Education Program Registries.
No matter the court registry you are in, if you have protection or safety concerns, you can apply to the court to go before a judge without letting the other party know first. It's up to the judge whether to hear your without notice application. Any without notice application will have to include reasons why the application should be heard without notice to the other side. File an Application about a Protection Order in Form 12 to apply for a protection order along with an Application for Case Management Order Without Notice or Attendance in Form 11 to apply without notice to the other party.
Once you speak to the judge about the protection order you’ve asked for and if the order is made, remember that a protection order expires either on the date the judge orders for it to end, or one year after the date it is made. You can apply for another protection order if you need to.
If you have safety concerns about family violence, you may want to talk to a support worker. VictimLinkBC is a confidential, multilingual telephone service available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-563-0808. Victim services workers can provide crisis support, information and referrals to supports including safety planning, victim services, transition houses and counselling services.
Priority Parenting Matter: Orders about priority parenting matters are decisions where a delay in obtaining a court’s decision would pose a risk to a child. These applications should be filed in rare circumstances, and only in situations listed in Form 15, Application About a Priority Parenting Matter.
In addition to Form 15 you’ll also have to file a Form 11 if you’re applying to waive or change the requirement to give seven days’ notice of the application to the other party.
Relocation: If you have a written and signed agreement or a court order about parenting time or contact and you receive written notice from the other parent saying the plan to relocate with the child, then you can apply to the court for an order prohibiting the relocation of the child using Form 16, Application for Order Prohibiting the Relocation of a Child. At least seven days before the court date listed on the application form, you’ll have to serve the Form 16 on the other party, along with a copy of the written agreement or court order about parenting time, and a copy of (or details about) the notice of relocation that you received.
If the other parent plans to relocate with your child and you do not have a written and signed agreement about parenting time or contact, you can apply for an order prohibiting relocation using the Application About a Priority Parenting Matter form, in Form 15, and you’ll have to serve that Form on the other parent at least seven days before the court date listed on the application form.
Consent Orders: If you and the other party in your Family Law Matter have reached an agreement, you can ask the court to make an order, usually without going to court and arguing before a judge. A judge will still have to review the draft consent order that you file and, as long as they don’t have any questions or concerns about the orders you're asking for, they can make the order.
To obtain a consent order about a Family Law Matter, you’ll have to file an Application for a Family Law Matter Consent Order in Form 17, as well as a draft of the Consent Order in Form 18 setting out what you have agreed on and the orders you’re asking the court to make. The draft Consent Order in Form 18 will have to be signed by all parties or their lawyers.
If a judge reviews your application and draft consent order and needs more information, they can ask for more evidence or information, which may mean that you must go to court and speak to a judge. It could also mean that a judge might make changes to the draft consent order and, if you and the other party agree to the changes, you can go to the registry at the courthouse and sign the changes. An application for a consent order can also be rejected. If that happens, the judge will provide their reasons for rejection.
In addition to applying for consent orders about a Family Law Matter, you can also file for a consent order related to one of the case management issues discussed above. This is done by by filing an Application for Case Management Order in Form 10. If you specify in your Form 10 that you do not want a court appearance, you must also submit a draft of the Consent Order in Form 18, signed by all concerned parties or their lawyers.

Parenting Education Program Registry

Starting a Provincial Court action in one of the Parenting Education Program Registries is the same as in a Family Justice Registry, however you do not have to participate in a needs assessment before you can schedule a Family Management Conference.

You will still have to complete a parenting education program (such as Parenting After Separation) if children are involved, and you still have the option to participate in a needs assessment and consensual dispute resolution.

The Parenting After Separation Program

In certain registries of the Provincial Court, the parties to a court proceeding must meet with a family justice counsellor and, if children are involved, attend a Parenting After Separation Course before they can take any further steps in their case. This rule may apply even if you're asking for a default judgment or an order everyone agrees to, called a consent order. The registry will tell you what is needed. If necessary, the registry will refer you to a family justice counsellor and tell you where the Parenting After Separation Course is offered.

Family justice counsellors can provide information that may help to resolve the court proceeding; they can also serve as mediators if all of the parties are prepared to try mediation.

The Parenting After Separation Program is very useful to take, and you should seriously consider taking the course even if it isn't required in your court registry. The program is available online. The online course does not replace the need to attend an in-person course if that's required. You will have to file a certificate that you've completed the program in court.

Limitations of the Provincial Court

The Provincial Court is built for people who are not represented by a lawyer. There are no filing fees in this court, in some ways the forms are easier to prepare, the rules of court are simplified, and the court registry will sometimes take care of things like drafting court orders. The main disadvantage of bringing your case to the Provincial Court is that the authority of the court is limited. The Provincial Court can only hear applications under the Family Law Act on certain subjects, including:

  1. guardianship;
  2. parental responsibilities and parenting time;
  3. contact with a child;
  4. child support;
  5. spousal support;
  6. protection orders; and,
  7. payment of household bills such as mortgage and utilities until trial or settlement.

The Provincial Court cannot hear any claims under the federal Divorce Act. However, it also cannot hear claims for orders relating to the division of property and debt under the provincial Family Law Act.

The Supreme Court

To start a proceeding in the Supreme Court, the main document you'll have to prepare is a Notice of Family Claim in Form F3, a special form prescribed by the Supreme Court Family Rules. (This document is one of the basic legal documents in a court proceeding known as "pleadings.") This document says who you are suing and what you're suing them for.

Family law proceedings in the Supreme Court are governed by the Supreme Court Family Rules. It's important that you have a working knowledge of the rules about how court proceedings are started. As your proceeding progresses, you'll also need to learn the rules about judicial case conferences, disclosure, interim applications, and trials. The main rules about Notices of Family Claim and the management of court proceedings in Supreme Court are:

  • Rule 1-1: Definitions
  • Rule 3-1: Starting a court proceeding
  • Rule 4-1: Notices of Family Claim and service requirements
  • Rule 4-3: Replying to a Notice of Family Claim
  • Rule 5-1: Financial disclosure
  • Rule 6-3: Personal service
  • Rule 7-1: Judicial case conferences
  • Part 9: Disclosure and discovery of documents
  • Part 10: Interim applications and chambers procedure
  • Rule 11-4: Discontinuing a court proceeding
  • Part 13: Expert witnesses
  • Rule 11-3: Summary trial procedure
  • Rule 14-7: Trial procedure
  • Rule 15-2.1: Guardianship orders

Links to and examples of the Notice of Family Claim and other court forms can be found in Supreme Court Forms and Examples. For a quick introduction to how to start a proceeding, see How Do I Start a Family Law Action in the Supreme Court?. It's located in the Helpful Guides & Common Questions part of this resource.

Quick answers for common questions

The following issues are addressed in the Starting an Action section in the Helpful Guides & Common Questions part of this resource:

Preparing, filing and serving the Notice of Family Claim

Legal Aid BC's
Family Law in BC website
has guided pathway information on how to
Get family orders.

The claimant, the person starting the court proceeding, must fill out a Notice of Family Claim in Form F3 and file the claim in court to start a court proceeding. The Notice of Family Claim provides certain information, including:

  1. the claimant's name and address;
  2. the name and address of the person against whom the claim is made, the respondent;
  3. the basic history of the parties' relationship;
  4. the names and birthdates of any children; and,
  5. a list of the orders the claimant would like the court to make.

The court form that must be used is set out in the Supreme Court Family Rules. This is a special form of claim used only in family law cases. Additional pages that require more detailed information must be added to the Notice of Family Claim when the claimant seeks orders about:

  1. divorce;
  2. the care of children and child support;
  3. spousal support;
  4. the division of property and debt; and,
  5. orders about other subjects, like orders for the protection of people or orders for the change of a person's name.

The Notice of Family Claim must be filed in the court registry and be personally served on the respondent. If you're asking for a divorce order, you'll have to fill out a Registration of Divorce Proceeding form when you file your Notice of Family Claim. It currently costs $200 to file a Notice of Family Claim, or $210 if the claim includes a claim for a divorce. When you file any document in Supreme Court, including the Notice of Family Claim, the registry will keep the original of the document. You will want to make and keep at least two additional copies, one for you to keep and one to give to the other party.

Personal service means physically handing the Notice of Family Claim to the respondent. The Divorce Act and Rule 6-3(2) of the Supreme Court Family Rules say that a claimant cannot serve a respondent themselves. You must either pay a process server to do it or enlist the help of a friend over the age of majority. Don't use one of your children to serve your ex.

Deadline for reply

The respondent has 30 days to file a Response to Family Claim after being served with your Notice of Family Claim. If the respondent doesn't do this, you may be able to get the orders you asked for in your Notice of Family Claim as a default judgment, a final order the court makes when the respondent doesn't file a Response to Family Claim.

You should be aware that judges can be fairly lenient towards people who miss filing deadlines. A claimant should not expect to win on a technicality like this. If a respondent files their Response to Family Claim late, the court will usually give the respondent an extension of time and overlook the missed due date. However, if the respondent just ignores you and ignores your claim, at some point the court will make the order you're asking for.

Sometimes a respondent will not reply to a Notice of Family Claim because they agree to the orders the claimant is asking for. This often happens when the claimant is just asking for a divorce. In a case like this, the court proceeding will qualify as an "undefended family law case" and you can apply for a default judgment under Rule 10-10 of the Supreme Court Rules. For more information about the do-it-yourself divorce process, see the Divorce and the Law on Getting Divorced section in the Separating and Getting Divorced chapter.

The next steps

If the respondent has chosen to file a Response to Family Claim, they have decided to oppose some or all of the orders you are asking for in your claim. This doesn't mean that you're necessarily going to wind up in a trial, but it does mean that, at least for now, the respondent disagrees at least some of the orders you're asking for. One of three things is going to happen in your court proceeding:

  1. you'll settle your disagreement out of court, and come up with either a separation agreement or an order that you both agree the court should make, called a consent order.
  2. you'll not be able to agree, and the intervention of the court at a trial will be required; or,
  3. after some initial scuffles, neither you nor the respondent will take any further steps in the court proceeding and the proceeding will languish.

Hopefully, it'll be the first.

Resources and links

Legislation

Resources

Links


This information applies to British Columbia, Canada. Last reviewed for legal accuracy by JP Boyd, 4 April 2020.


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