British Columbia Family Practice Manual - Print

Your A to Z guide to family law practice and procedure

This publication is essential for: lawyers who need to understand family law practice and procedure

Current to: February 1, 2025

There are many decisions to make about how to proceed in a family law file—which Act applies, should you mediate or start an action, and which court should you proceed in? Let the British Columbia Family Practice Manual be your guide to the choices to make, the steps to follow in a process, the time limits that govern, and the forms you need to complete. With analysis of case law on procedural issues as well as specialized chapters on Indigenous family law issues, adoption, and child protection, this manual provides you with the direction you need to confidently advise and manage your family law clients' issues.  

With this resource, you will be able to:

• smoothly navigate family law processes such as settlement, obtaining interim relief, trial and trial alternatives, obtaining costs, drafting and enforcing orders, and appeals
  
• save time drafting court documents by accessing over 200 family law forms and precedents
  
• effectively maintain your family law files by using file management checklists

Buy today and have the support you need to run your family law practice! View a sample from this book!

Highlights of the 2025 Update include:

• updates to the client intake forms and precedents, including the retainer letter
• new precedent for a consent order appointing a parenting coordinator
• addition of commentary on treatment of settlement payments to an Indigenous parent with respect to determining income for child support purposes
• updates regarding new and amended statutory provisions and processes relevant to family practice, including expansion of the early resolution registries for Provincial court and new Rule 20-7 on official languages for Divorce Act proceedings under the Supreme Court Family Rules
• revised discussion and recent case law on, among other things, consequences for non-compliant disclosure; reapportionment of family property; multi-parent families; use of reproductive material after death; incarceration for failure to pay support; analysis of the factors under s. 93(3) of the Family Law Act; exclusive occupancy orders; and costs in family law proceedings
• commentary on the implementation of the Hague Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance, in Canada and BC, via amendments to the Divorce Act and Interjurisdictional Support Orders Act
• addition of new checklists covering procedure and drafting for donor and surrogacy agreements
• updated forms for the Supreme Court Family Rules and Provincial Court Family Rules

Discover all of our Family Law resources here

CLEBC Legal Editor
Edie Ryan
eryan@cle.bc.ca

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