If you have to go to court

Coping with the court process

Tips to help you deal with the stress of going through the court process.

Costs and expenses

Explains the differences between costs and expenses, and in which cases a judge might decide to make one party pay the other's court costs.

Meeting with a judge

If you and the other party in your case can't agree on your family law issues, you might have to meet with a judge in an informal setting (for example, in a Family Management Conference or Judicial Case Conference) or attend a Chambers hearing.

You might have to attend or might choose to attend one of these to try to avoid taking your case to trial.

Provincial Court

Family Management Conferences

Learn about Family Management Conferences in Provincial Court and how they can help.

Tips for organizing your court documents

Be sure you have the documents you need, when you need them, when you're meeting with a judge. 

Supreme Court

Judicial Case Conferences

Learn about Judicial Case Conferences in Supreme Court, when they might be required, and how they can help.

Chambers hearings

You might have to go to Chambers if you want to change a final order, or if you're asking for an interim order. Learn all about what to expect, what to bring, and how to address the judge or master.

Preparing for trial

If you've been to a conference and still haven't been able to settle your case, the next option might involve going to trial. Our resources can help you prepare.

Researching other family law cases

It can help to research cases similar to yours if you're going to trial, especially if you don't have a lawyer. Find out where to search for other family law cases and the decisions that were made in them.

Going to trial in Provincial Court


I've done everything I can to try to settle my case outside of court and now have to schedule and prepare for a trial in Provincial Court.

Provincial Court

Going to trial in Supreme Court


I've done everything I can to try to settle my case outside of court and now have to schedule and prepare for a trial in the Supreme Court of BC.

Supreme Court