Info pages

Questions and answers about separation and divorce during COVID-19 and links to more information and help.

An overview of delegated Aboriginal agencies (a part of the Ministry of Children and Family Development who provide child welfare services) and their role in Aboriginal child protection matters.

Describes what behaviour counts as court-related abuse and harassment and suggests what you and the court can do about it.

When you have a protection order against your children's other parent, plan how to keep yourself and your children during parenting time and at handover, during COVID-19.

Describes what documents you need to take to prove you're allowed to take your children out of the country if you travel without the other parent.

Describes children's rights and parents' responsibilities. Defines abuse and neglect.

Explains the law about child protection. Describes what happens if a social worker investigates you for a child protection matter and decides your child needs protection or doesn't need protection.

Describes where parents can get legal help if they're being investigated for a child protection matter.

An overview of delegated Aboriginal agencies (a part of the Ministry of Children and Family Development who provide child welfare services) and their role in Aboriginal child protection matters.

Explains release of confidentiality, lawyer-client confidentiality, and your right to information in your ministry file in child protection matters.

How to make a complaint about the process or how you’re being treated when you're dealing with Ministry of Children and Family Development.

Describes how to work with the Ministry of Children and Family Development to make a plan or agreement about your child's care. Options include family case planning conferences, family group conferences, traditional decision making for Aboriginal families, and mediation to resolve issues instead of going to court.

Describes help you can get to care for your child and reduce the strain on your family, including from community services or government programs and by making family support agreements, voluntary care agreements, Extended Family Program agreements, or special needs agreements.

Explains what mediation is, how it works, and how it can help families with child protection issues. Also includes how to find a mediator.

Explains the court process if the Ministry of Children and Family Development removes your child for your home. Describes what happens at the presentation hearing and the protection hearing.

Describes the interim and temporary court orders that are part of the process for child protection cases.

Describes how your community and the Ministry of Children and Family Development can support you if you need help to look after your child at certain times.

Describes who can give you support and what you can do for yourself to cope with the stress of a child protection matter.

Table that describes the kinds of benefits caregivers raising children might get and under what circumstances, and links to other sites that explain how and where to apply for these benefits.

Find out how to get protection orders during COVID-19. Includes a helpful video.

Explains what a safety plan is, how you can make one, and who can help you make one to keep yourself and your children safe during COVID-19

When you have a protection order against your children's other parent, plan how to keep yourself and your children during parenting time and at handover, during COVID-19.

Explains the basic guidelines about dealing with debts after you separate if you were married or in a common-law relationship.

Describes family property, family debt, and excluded property, including when and how you need to settle how you'll divide shared property and debt after separation.

Describes family property, family debt, and excluded property, including when and how you need to settle how you'll divide shared property and debt after separation.

Questions and answers about welfare and benefits during COVID-19, including how to apply and where to get more help.

Provides basic information about how to divide employment benefits and pensions after separation or divorce. Includes information on survivor benefits, Canada Pension Plan, Old Age Security, and RRSPs.

Information about when the responsibility for paying child support ends.

Beginning May 13, 2019, Surrey and Victoria Provincial (Family) Courts have their own procedures in place including if you want to resolve a family dispute.

Provides options on how to ease financial burden during COVID-19

Beginning May 13, 2019, Surrey and Victoria Provincial (Family) Courts have their own procedures in place including if you want to resolve a family dispute.

Beginning May 13, 2019, Surrey and Victoria Provincial (Family) Courts have their own procedures in place including if you want to resolve a family dispute.

Provides options on how to ease financial burden during COVID-19

Provides options on how to ease financial burden during COVID-19

When you can apply to change an order and what changes you can make.

Explains when, and in which court, orders can be appealed.

Describes both final orders and interim orders, and touches on how to appeal and change orders and how to make an interim order into a final order.

Tips on what information to include in a Supreme Court order, who writes it, what form to use, when to write it, what happens after it's written or if the other party won't sign, and more.

Explains who writes a Provincial Court order, how to write one, and what information to put in it.

Step-by-step guide for how to apply for a final family consent order about parenting, support, or property. Use this guide if you and the other person agree on what you want the order to say or the other person won't contest your application.

Explains how to change a support order that was made in BC when one of you lives outside BC.

Explains how to change a support order that was made outside BC when one of you is in BC (an interjurisdictional issue).

Explains how to enforce a support order that was made in BC when one of you doesn't live in BC.

Explains how to enforce a support order that was made outside BC when one of you is in BC (an interjurisdictional issue).

Beginning May 13, 2019, Surrey and Victoria Provincial (Family) Courts have their own procedures in place including if you want to resolve a family dispute.

The difference between Provincial and Supreme Court for family law issues and when you might use each court.

Tips for handling the stress of going to court.

Explains what divorce is, including the difference between uncontested and contested divorce, what you need to get a divorce, and an overview of the process. Also lists several places to get help.

Explains what a Family Case Conference in Provincial Court is and what might happen at one.

Describes how you can bring a person to sit beside you to help you quietly through the court process.

Explains how to apply for mediation if you have a Supreme Court family law case.

Tips for getting ready to go to court if you’re representing yourself (you don't have a lawyer).

Describes the Provincial Court trial process and how to prepare a trial book.

How to create a court file for your Provincial Court case by taking your signed agreement to the court registry.

How to create a court file for your Supreme Court case by taking your signed agreement to the court registry.

What happens at a Provincial Court trial and what to do to be well-prepared.

Explains what discovery means and how to share information as part of the discovery process in family law cases.

Describes the types of evidence you can use to support your case in a Supreme Court trial when you represent yourself (don't have a lawyer) and how to present them.

Explains how to use documents as evidence if you're going to Supreme Court without a lawyer

Explains who counts as an expert witness and how to use their opinion as evidence in Supreme Court if you don't have a lawyer.

Explains how to question witnesses in Supreme Court, what type of questions are allowed, and gives tips for being a witness.

Explains how to make a formal offer to settle your issues before going to trial.

Tips about how to behave in court if you're going to a Supreme Court trial without a lawyer.

What happens at a Supreme Court trial when you represent yourself (don't have a lawyer).

Information about cross-examining witnesses if you go to Supreme Court without a lawyer, plus sample questions to ask.

Tips about questioning witnesses if you go to Supreme Court without a lawyer, plus sample questions to ask.

Explains the basic things you need to know if you want to change or enforce a support order that was made in a different place than where you or the other person now live (an interjurisdictional issue).

What happens when you go to Supreme Court Chambers to make (or respond to) an application.

Beginning May 13, 2019, Surrey and Victoria Provincial (Family) Courts have their own procedures in place including if you want to resolve a family dispute.

Tips to help you prepare to attend a remote Provincial Court proceeding.

Explains what's happening in the Court of Appeal during COVID-19. This page will be updated as changes happen.

Explains how to rebook a trial that was adjourned because of COVID-19. Includes instructions for scheduling Trial Management Conferences and Judicial Management Conferences to be heard by phone.

Describes how to apply, respond, or reset an application for a Chambers hearing estimated to take two hours or less.

A list of people and organizations who can help with filling out court forms, explains where these organizations are located, and provides links to more information about them.

Technical tips on how to use the online Word versions of the Supreme Court forms.

Explains what divorce is, including the difference between uncontested and contested divorce, what you need to get a divorce, and an overview of the process. Also lists several places to get help.

Describes how to change an agreement that was made after separation to deal with issues of parenting, support, and/or property. Includes information on when to file a changed agreement with the court.

Describes agreements (often called separation agreements), how to make one, what to do with it once you've made it, how to change or enforce an agreement, and when to get a consent order instead.

Making a written agreement when you live together can reduce or prevent conflict about your property, savings, and debt if your relationship ever breaks up. This page describes what an agreement can and can't include and links to where to get help writing one.

Explains how to research case law to help you prepare for going to court without a lawyer.

Explains the types of laws used in family law cases in BC and when they’re used.

Tips for working well with a lawyer: how to prepare for meetings, keep records, help the lawyer work efficiently, follow through on your responsibilities. .

Explains what independent legal advice is and why you should get it before you sign a family law agreement.

Who can help you reach an agreement with your spouse about your family law issues. Describes family justice counsellors, mediators, and collaborative family lawyers and how to find them.

Explains what an advocate does and how they can help.

Explains what the Representative for Children and Youth and how they can help.

Information about non-family legal problems that Legal Aid doesn't cover, including motor vehicle injury claims, WorkSafeBC issues, medical care situations, residential tenancy, credit/debt issues, real estate transfers, wills or business disputes, and shoplifting. Also includes information on where you can get legal advice about these matters.

Explains where to get legal help if you don't have a lawyer or can't afford one.

Describes Legal Aid and which family legal issues it might be able to help you with.

Checklist of the information you need if you’re going to a Provincial Court Family Case Conference to try to settle some family law issues without going to court for a full hearing.

Tips for preparing to meet with a lawyer, including a checklist of what information to take to meetings. The checklist of information is also presented as a downloadable PDF.

Technical tips on how to use the online Word versions of the Supreme Court forms.

Checklist of the information you need to support an application for child or spousal support, guardianship or custody, or contact, parenting time, or access. Also contains a link to a downloadable PDF checklist.

A list of people and organizations who can help with filling out court forms, including where these organizations are located, and links to more information about them.

Beginning May 13, 2019, Surrey and Victoria Provincial (Family) Courts have their own procedures in place including if you want to resolve a family dispute.

Describes agreements (often called separation agreements), how to make one, what to do with it once you've made it, how to change or enforce an agreement, and when to get a consent order instead.

Making a written agreement when you live together can reduce or prevent conflict about your property, savings, and debt if your relationship ever breaks up. This page describes what an agreement can and can't include and links to where to get help writing one.

Explains the laws about wills, inheritances, and other rights for people who weren't married but lived together in a marriage-like relationship if one of them dies.

Describes legal issues to think about before you move in with someone (for example, property, debt, children, benefits, and wills).

Describes agreements (often called separation agreements), how to make one, what to do with it once you've made it, how to change or enforce an agreement, and when to get a consent order instead.

Links to questions answered about mortgage and rent during COVID-19.

A review of some early Canadian court decisions about parenting time during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Describes what documents you need to take to prove you're allowed to take your children out of the country if you travel without the other parent.

Describes how professional parenting coordinators can help parents resolve day-to-day conflicts about parenting agreements or orders, where to find parenting coordinators, and how parenting coordinators can get involved.

Describes guardianship under the Family Law Act, and includes who is a guardian, who can apply to become one, what being a guardian means, what happens when you separate, what you need to put into an agreement about guardianship, and whether guardianship issues can be settled in court.

Describes the different legal terms about parenting after separation in the BC Family Law Act and Divorce Act.

Beginning May 13, 2019, Surrey and Victoria Provincial (Family) Courts have their own procedures in place including if you want to resolve a family dispute.

Describes what documents you need to take to prove you're allowed to take your children out of the country if you travel without the other parent.

Describes what a parent or guardian must do (give notice) before moving to another city with children, and what might happen if the other parent/guardian doesn't agree with the move.

Beginning May 13, 2019, Surrey and Victoria Provincial (Family) Courts have their own procedures in place including if you want to resolve a family dispute.

Information for grandparents who want to apply for access to or contact with their grandchild.

The rights of children under the age of 19 when their parents separate and what the courts consider when making decisions.

Describes the "best interests of the child," which the law says parents and judges must consider in making decisions about parenting.

Contact with a child is what the BC Family Law Act calls the time that someone who's not a guardian (for example, a non-guardian parent or grandparent) spends with a child.

Explains the rights of children and youth to get medical treatment without permission from their parents or without their parents knowing about it.

Information for young people 12 to 18 who've been asked to agree (in writing) to a plan of care by a social worker for the Director of Child Welfare. Explains how it's important to see a lawyer to get answers to your questions, and how to get a lawyer.

Information for grandparents who want to apply for access to or contact with their grandchild.

Information for grandparents who want to apply for access to or contact with their grandchild.

Defines who is a guardian, who can become a guardian, who can apply for a court order to become a guardian, and how to apply. Includes links to resources and help.

Describes guardianship under the Family Law Act, and includes who is a guardian, who can apply to become one, what being a guardian means, what happens when you separate, what you need to put into an agreement about guardianship, and whether guardianship issues can be settled in court.

Explains when someone 19 or over can apply to court for guardianship of their younger siblings and the things the court considers when making its decision.

Beginning May 13, 2019, Surrey and Victoria Provincial (Family) Courts have their own procedures in place including if you want to resolve a family dispute.

Describes how professional parenting coordinators can help parents resolve day-to-day conflicts about parenting agreements or orders, where to find parenting coordinators, and how parenting coordinators can get involved.

Describes agreements (often called separation agreements), how to make one, what to do with it once you've made it, how to change or enforce an agreement, and when to get a consent order instead.

Describes guardianship under the Family Law Act, and includes who is a guardian, who can apply to become one, what being a guardian means, what happens when you separate, what you need to put into an agreement about guardianship, and whether guardianship issues can be settled in court.

Explains what happens if you don't follow an order or agreement that's about parenting or support.

Beginning May 13, 2019, Surrey and Victoria Provincial (Family) Courts have their own procedures in place including if you want to resolve a family dispute.

Contact with a child is what the BC Family Law Act calls the time that someone who's not a guardian (for example, a non-guardian parent or grandparent) spends with a child.

Describes guardianship under the Family Law Act, and includes who is a guardian, who can apply to become one, what being a guardian means, what happens when you separate, what you need to put into an agreement about guardianship, and whether guardianship issues can be settled in court.

Beginning May 13, 2019, Surrey and Victoria Provincial (Family) Courts have their own procedures in place including if you want to resolve a family dispute.

Questions and answers about separation and divorce during COVID-19 and links to more information and help.

Explains what divorce is, including the difference between uncontested and contested divorce, what you need to get a divorce, and an overview of the process. Also lists several places to get help.

Describes how you can get a divorce if your same-sex marriage isn't recognized in your home country.

Explains the Online Divorce Assistant and how you can use it to fill out the court forms for a joint divorce.

Describes agreements (often called separation agreements), how to make one, what to do with it once you've made it, how to change or enforce an agreement, and when to get a consent order instead.

Provides options on how to ease financial burden during COVID-19

Explains the Online Divorce Assistant and how you can use it to fill out the court forms for a joint divorce.