Family Law Fact Sheets
Family Break-Up
Steps of Separation: Where Am I in the Process?
This illustrated chart helps community workers identify where their clients are in the separation process.
This illustrated chart helps community workers identify where their clients are in the separation process.
Separation and Separation Agreements
This resource, available in text or audio format, is for legally married spouses only. It discusses divorce as well as child custody, property and debt issues. (Chinese, Punjabi)
This resource, available in text or audio format, is for legally married spouses only. It discusses divorce as well as child custody, property and debt issues. (Chinese, Punjabi)
Requirements for Divorce and Annulment
This resource, available in text or audio format, covers many topics related to divorces and annulments, including grounds for divorce, separation, and how to proceed. (Chinese, Punjabi)
This resource, available in text or audio format, covers many topics related to divorces and annulments, including grounds for divorce, separation, and how to proceed. (Chinese, Punjabi)
Mediation and Collaborative Family Law
This resource, available in text or audio format, discusses ways to resolve family law disputes without going to court. (Chinese, Punjabi)
Guide to Mediation in BC
This document provides an introduction to mediation as a process for resolving disputes. Information is provided in a question-and-answer format.
This document provides an introduction to mediation as a process for resolving disputes. Information is provided in a question-and-answer format.
Provincial (Family) Court:, Getting Initial Orders for Custody, Guardianship, Access and Support Flowchart
This poster provides a step-by-step overview of family court process, including which forms you need to file for getting initial orders for custody, guardianship, access, and support in Provincial (Family) Court.
This poster provides a step-by-step overview of family court process, including which forms you need to file for getting initial orders for custody, guardianship, access, and support in Provincial (Family) Court.
When Should I See a Family Justice Counsellor?
This webpage lets you know if you should see a counsellor as well as the services counsellors provide.
This webpage lets you know if you should see a counsellor as well as the services counsellors provide.
How Can I Prepare for my Meeting with a Family Justice Counsellor?
This webpage contains information and many links that will prepare you to meet with a counsellor.
This webpage contains information and many links that will prepare you to meet with a counsellor.
Legal Advice
Duty counsel are lawyers paid by the Legal Services Society to help lower income people with their family law problems. This webpage details how they can help you.
Duty counsel are lawyers paid by the Legal Services Society to help lower income people with their family law problems. This webpage details how they can help you.
If You Need to Choose a Court
Figuring out which court you should go to is an important first step in any family law case. This webpage, which features charts and text-based information, will help you decided if you need to go to court and, if so, which court to use.
Figuring out which court you should go to is an important first step in any family law case. This webpage, which features charts and text-based information, will help you decided if you need to go to court and, if so, which court to use.
Family Court
This resource, available in text or audio format, explains Family Court which is part of BC’s Provincial Court system. (Chinese, Punjabi)
This resource, available in text or audio format, explains Family Court which is part of BC’s Provincial Court system. (Chinese, Punjabi)
Family Case Conferences in Provincial Court
This webpage explains Family Case Conferences - private, informal, one-hour meetings with a Provincial Court judge and the other party (and your lawyer[s] if you have them), at which you'll try to settle some of the issues around custody, access, guardianship, and child support without going to court for a full hearing.
This webpage explains Family Case Conferences - private, informal, one-hour meetings with a Provincial Court judge and the other party (and your lawyer[s] if you have them), at which you'll try to settle some of the issues around custody, access, guardianship, and child support without going to court for a full hearing.
Family Case Conference Checklist
This webpage is a checklist of the information/facts you need when you go into a Family Case Conference.
This webpage is a checklist of the information/facts you need when you go into a Family Case Conference.
What Will Happen at my First Appearance Hearing, or Any Other Court Hearing?
This webpage prepares you for your first appearance hearing.
This webpage prepares you for your first appearance hearing.
How Do I Prepare for my First Appearance Hearing, or Any other Court Hearing?
This webpage will assist you in preparing for your first appearance or court hearing.
This webpage will assist you in preparing for your first appearance or court hearing.
What Should I Do Once I’m in Court?
Courtrooms can be intimidating until you get used to them. This webpage explains what you should do upon entering a courtroom.
Courtrooms can be intimidating until you get used to them. This webpage explains what you should do upon entering a courtroom.
How Can I Change my Current Order or Agreement?
The process for changing a child custody, guardianship or access order or agreement depends on whether you and the other parent are in agreement about the change. This webpage explains both scenarios.
The process for changing a child custody, guardianship or access order or agreement depends on whether you and the other parent are in agreement about the change. This webpage explains both scenarios.
Enforcing Maintenance, Support Orders or Agreements
This resource, available in text or audio format, explains enforcing court orders and separation agreements that require spousal or child support to be paid. (Chinese, Punjabi)
This resource, available in text or audio format, explains enforcing court orders and separation agreements that require spousal or child support to be paid. (Chinese, Punjabi)
Do I Need a Lawyer?
If you are separated or thinking of separating, it is a good idea to speak to a lawyer so that you understand your rights and responsibilities. This webpage explains that speaking to a lawyer is a good option.
If you are separated or thinking of separating, it is a good idea to speak to a lawyer so that you understand your rights and responsibilities. This webpage explains that speaking to a lawyer is a good option.
How Do I Choose the Right Lawyer?
You may have to talk with several lawyers before you decide on the one you want to work with. This webpage will help you identify what you need to consider and ask when you are interviewing lawyers.
You may have to talk with several lawyers before you decide on the one you want to work with. This webpage will help you identify what you need to consider and ask when you are interviewing lawyers.
What do Lawyers Cost?
This webpage doesn't list laywer costs, but does note what they charge for and how you should confirm how you will be charged.
This webpage doesn't list laywer costs, but does note what they charge for and how you should confirm how you will be charged.
Sponsorship Breakdown
This booklet tells you what to do if the person who sponsored you for permanent resident status in Canada will not support you, and you cannot support yourself. It can be frightening when this happens, but there is help available. This booklet explains how to get help as quickly as possible. (Chinese, Punjabi, Spanish)
This booklet tells you what to do if the person who sponsored you for permanent resident status in Canada will not support you, and you cannot support yourself. It can be frightening when this happens, but there is help available. This booklet explains how to get help as quickly as possible. (Chinese, Punjabi, Spanish)
Leaving an Abusive Relationship: Information on Custody and Access for Women with Children
Are you a mother who is planning to leave an abusive partner or do you know a woman who is being abused and needs help? Navigating the complexities of family law and the court system can be extremely challenging, and many women don't know where to turn. This plain language guide offers information on legal processes and terminology, giving women the tools to make the best possible choices for themselves and their children. (Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Punjabi, Spanish, Vietnamese)
Are you a mother who is planning to leave an abusive partner or do you know a woman who is being abused and needs help? Navigating the complexities of family law and the court system can be extremely challenging, and many women don't know where to turn. This plain language guide offers information on legal processes and terminology, giving women the tools to make the best possible choices for themselves and their children. (Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Punjabi, Spanish, Vietnamese)
Children
Aboriginal Parenting After Separation Toolkit
The Toolkit includes a number of tools that community workers can use to help parents deal with a family break-up. Part 2 of the Toolkit involves children, and relevant topics include how to tell the children, how conflict affects children and how to help your children.
The Toolkit includes a number of tools that community workers can use to help parents deal with a family break-up. Part 2 of the Toolkit involves children, and relevant topics include how to tell the children, how conflict affects children and how to help your children.
What happens next?
This webpage provides information for children about separation and divorce and the processes that their parents may go through when they split up. It includes several activities for the children to do.
This webpage provides information for children about separation and divorce and the processes that their parents may go through when they split up. It includes several activities for the children to do.
Custody, Guardianship and Access
If you’re thinking about separating from your spouse or have already separated, the continued parenting of your children may be your biggest concern. This resource, available in text or audio format, discusses custody, guardianship and access for children of legally married parents. (Chinese, Punjabi)
If you’re thinking about separating from your spouse or have already separated, the continued parenting of your children may be your biggest concern. This resource, available in text or audio format, discusses custody, guardianship and access for children of legally married parents. (Chinese, Punjabi)
Guardianship
This webpage explains guardianship, which is the right (and the responsibility) to make major decisions for a child about such things as education, health care, and religious training, as well as how to manage anything the child may own, such as property or money.
This webpage explains guardianship, which is the right (and the responsibility) to make major decisions for a child about such things as education, health care, and religious training, as well as how to manage anything the child may own, such as property or money.
Access
This webpage explains guardianship, access generally means the time children spend with the parent they do not usually live with.
This webpage explains guardianship, access generally means the time children spend with the parent they do not usually live with.
If Your Child is Taken
This brochure explains what you can do if the Ministry of Children and Family Development removes your child or is planning to remove your child from your home. It describes what the law says, what you can do, and what happens in court. It also tells you where you can go to get the help you need. (French)
This brochure explains what you can do if the Ministry of Children and Family Development removes your child or is planning to remove your child from your home. It describes what the law says, what you can do, and what happens in court. It also tells you where you can go to get the help you need. (French)
Caring for Children: Parents’ Rights and Responsibilities
This booklet tells you what the law says about children and parents in BC. It answers questions like What are your rights and responsibilities as a parent? What are the rights of children? And what does the law say about abuse and neglect? (Chinese, French, Punjabi, Spanish)
This booklet tells you what the law says about children and parents in BC. It answers questions like What are your rights and responsibilities as a parent? What are the rights of children? And what does the law say about abuse and neglect? (Chinese, French, Punjabi, Spanish)
Do you need any legal documents to be able to leave Canada with your child?
When travelling out of the country with your children, you want to be as prepared as possible. Travelling with your child but without the other parent requires some important steps, which are explained on this webpage.
When travelling out of the country with your children, you want to be as prepared as possible. Travelling with your child but without the other parent requires some important steps, which are explained on this webpage.
Money Matters
Child Support
This resource, available in text or audio format, provides an in-depth explanation of child support. (Chinese, Punjabi)
This resource, available in text or audio format, provides an in-depth explanation of child support. (Chinese, Punjabi)
Child Support in BC: Information for Parents
This booklet contains basic information about child support in British Columbia. It explains many topics, including your duty as a parent to support your child or children, what child support is and who has to pay it, and who makes decisions about child support.
This booklet contains basic information about child support in British Columbia. It explains many topics, including your duty as a parent to support your child or children, what child support is and who has to pay it, and who makes decisions about child support.
Spousal Support
This script, available in text or audio format, discusses spousal support payments – sometimes called “maintenance” – and which used to be referred to as “alimony.” Note that this discussion applies equally to support orders for married people and for people living in a common-law relationship or with a gay or lesbian partner. (Chinese, Punjabi)
This script, available in text or audio format, discusses spousal support payments – sometimes called “maintenance” – and which used to be referred to as “alimony.” Note that this discussion applies equally to support orders for married people and for people living in a common-law relationship or with a gay or lesbian partner. (Chinese, Punjabi)
Dividing Up Family Assets
This script, available in text or audio format, discusses dividing up the family assets when a marriage breaks up. (Chinese, Punjabi)
This script, available in text or audio format, discusses dividing up the family assets when a marriage breaks up. (Chinese, Punjabi)
Second Stage Housing
Second-stage houses help women who have left abusive relationships make plans for independent living. Women and their children usually stay in a second-stage house for 6-18 months. This list contains locations and contact information for transition houses and safe homes across the province.
Second-stage houses help women who have left abusive relationships make plans for independent living. Women and their children usually stay in a second-stage house for 6-18 months. This list contains locations and contact information for transition houses and safe homes across the province.
Subsidized Housing in BC
Subsidized housing encompasses all types of housing whereby the provincial government provides some type of subsidy or rent assistance. Topics this webpage covers include types of subsidized housing, how to apply for it, and housing listings.
Subsidized housing encompasses all types of housing whereby the provincial government provides some type of subsidy or rent assistance. Topics this webpage covers include types of subsidized housing, how to apply for it, and housing listings.