The new Provincial Court Family Rules take effect on May 17th, 2021. At that point, we will see significant changes to court processes and forms; thankfully, changes meant to make the process easier to navigate and the forms easier to use.
If you have any questions from patrons about these changes, the quickest path to finding the information they need is through Clicklaw’s new Common Question: How do the new Provincial Court Family Rules affect my family law matter?
This plain language guide to the new rules explains what kinds of family matters will be affected, key points of the changes, how the transition from old to new rules will be handled, and links to other helpful sources that explain the changes in further detail in different online formats: webpages (printable), illustrated stories, and instructional videos. You'll also find links to where the rules can be found once they take effect.
If someone needs help figuring out whether their family matter would be handled by Provincial Family Court or Supreme Family Court, check out this handy flow chart on Clicklaw:
https://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/content/forms
This is a super helpful and practical resource that people can use to find out what jurisdiction their matter falls under, as well as links to guides, rules, and forms for the relevant court.