We wanted to highlight a few family law resources that your patrons may find helpful. These resources are available online, but many can be downloaded and printed for your patrons who prefer print.
When You Weren’t Expecting: A Legal Guide for People with Unexpected Pregnancies
This guide provides legal information for people in BC who become unexpectedly pregnant outside of a long-term relationship. The guide uses gender-neutral language and includes information on choosing to end or continue the pregnancy, immigration issues that may arise, parenting, child support, and more. The guide is available in PDF and can easily be downloaded or printed for patrons. CLBC also has copies available in print in our branches.
This guide helps people in BC who fear for their safety to seek an order from the court providing protection from a specific person or people. Peace bonds can help when the person you need protection from does not fall under the definition of “family member” in the Family Law Act (i.e. spouse or former spouse/common-law partner, child, your child’s parent/guardian, another person living with you who is related to you). This guide is available in multiple languages.
In cases where the person you need protection from is a family member as defined by the Family Law Act, it may be better to seek a Family Law Protection Order. Learn more about the difference between the two on the Family Law in BC website, as well as how to apply for a family law protection order. CLBC also has entries on our website that may help, and include links to resources in our own collection:
Write Your Own Separation Agreement
This guide on the Family Law in BC website helps people write their own separation agreement for free. The guide contains sample clauses, allowing people to select the ones that best suit their separation and edit them with their information. At the end of the guide, people can get a clean copy of the text and copy and paste it into Word. Their website also includes a completed sample of a separation agreement your patrons can use as an example when completing their own.
Does your patron need more information before they get started? Check out the following resources:
Family Law Agreements chapter of JP Boyd on Family Law includes information on separation agreements and is also available in print in most libraries.
Legal information for Indigenous People has a chapter on family law, which includes information on family homes on reserves, the rights of the child, child support, divorce, and child protection. This publication is available online and in print in most libraries.
If your patron is Indigenous and experiencing a child protection issue, you can also refer them to Indigenous Justice Centres (IJC) in BC for culturally appropriate legal help. IJCs are available both in-person in various locations around the province and virtually. These services are available for all Indigenous peoples, regardless of whether they qualify for legal aid.
Your go-to resources for BC family law information are the Family Law in BC website and the JP Boyd on Family Law wikibook. For your patrons that prefer print, the JP Boyd wikibook should be available in print in most of your libraries. Both resources have a lot of helpful information about all aspects of family law, including divorce, separation, children, child & spousal support, and family violence.
You can also find links to the resources highlighted here through Clicklaw, either by browsing through the Family legal topic tile on the home page or through the Resources page.