Application

Application

File an Application About a Family Law Matter 

You will start your case by filing an Application about a family law matter and then complete any required early resolution steps. Be sure to read and follow the instructions on the forms. Provide all the information required in the forms to the best of your knowledge. You may need to also fill out additional documents such as a Financial Statement. 

Resources

For more information about when and how to complete and file a Financial Statement, see the Family Law Website's "Complete a Provincial Court Financial Statement".

File a Reply and Counterclaim  

You must file a Reply in Form F6 within 30 days of receiving the application. If you do not reply, you will not receive notice of further court proceedings and orders can be made without you being there. If you want to ask the court to make different orders than the ones the other party has applied for, fill out the Counterclaim section of the Reply.

Serving Documents in Provincial Court  

The court has very specific rules on how to give (serve) documents to the other side. Judges are very concerned about service being properly done. If you fail to serve according to the rules, the judge will deny your application until you have done so. Refer back Serving Documents

Applying for a Consent Order 

You can apply for a consent order without attending a court by filing:

  • Application for a Family Law Matter Consent Order (Form 17)
  • Draft Consent Order (Form 18) signed by the parties or their lawyers
  • Any additional documents required under rule 25 or 26 if applicable

The judge could do any of the following when considering a consent order:

  • Approve the order
  • Ask from more information
  • Ask the parties to come into court
  • Make changes to the draft order and have parties attend the registry to sign IF they consent to the changes
  • Reject the application with reasons

Apply for Case Management Orders 

Judges can make orders that involve managing and organizing the case. Case management orders can be made at any time during the life of a family law case. Most types of case management order will require you to file and serve the other parties with notice of the application at least 7 days notice. This type of application will use an Application for case management order (Form 10). Some kinds of case management orders do not require notice and can be made using an Application for case management order without notice or attendance (Form 11). See Form 10 and Form 11 for a list of types of case management orders you can ask for.

Case management orders include:

  • setting deadlines for an exchange of evidence, 
  • making orders with respect to the conduct of a party,
  • amending documents 
  • allowing a party to attend an appearance electronically
  • many others

You can get a case management order by consent and without a hearing, you just need to specify it in the form. 

Apply for Priority Parenting Matters 

Priority parenting matters are a distinct list of time sensitive matters that will be reviewed by a judge to assess urgency and may proceed directly to a hearing with a judge before the parties complete any of the applicable requirements for a related family matter. They generally involve urgent instances where guardians do not agree, there will be major consequences to the child’s relationship with a guardian or the child’s health and wellbeing, and a decision must be made quickly.

Priority parenting matters include:

  • A guardian giving or refusing medical treatment for a child and any delay puts the child at risk
  • A guardian needing to travel with a child and the other guardian’s consent has been wrongfully denied
  • A change in location of the child’s residence when there is no written agreement respecting parenting arrangements

To apply for an order for a priority parenting matter, file an Application about a priority parenting matter (Form 15).

Apply for Orders about Relocation 

If a guardian wants to change the location of their residence or the residence of the child and the change will likely have a significant impact on the relationship with the child’s other guardian or significant person in the child’s life

AND

If you have a written agreement or order respecting parenting arrangements or contact with a child…

You can make an Application for order prohibiting the relocation of a child (Form 16). If you do not have written agreement or order, you will use the Application about a priority parenting matter .

You must file an Application for an order prohibiting the relocation of a child within 30 days of receiving written notice that the guardian plans to relocate the child. You must serve the following on the other party at least 7 days before the court appearance date indicated on the application:

  • The application for an order prohibiting the relocation of a child (Form 16)
  • A copy of the written order or agreement in place with respect to parenting arrangements or contact with the child
  • A copy of, or details about, the notice of relocation 
Last Reviewed:March, 2024 Reviewed by:JES