BC Family Law Updates
Court rules are only half the picture. Practice directions sit on top of them and change how a step actually has to be done, and they are easy to miss. This page lists what currently applies to family proceedings in British Columbia, in plain English, with a link to each court’s own page.
Current as of . Courts can issue or replace a direction at any time, so treat the court’s own page as authoritative and check it before you rely on anything here.
Supreme Court of BC: family practice directions
These apply to family proceedings in the Supreme Court of British Columbia. They sit on top of the Supreme Court Family Rules and change how a step must actually be done.
FPD-12Updated January 15, 2024
Judicial Case Conferences
How judicial case conferences are set down and conducted.
FPD-14February 5, 2018
Adoption Applications
Procedure for adoption applications.
FPD-16March 1, 2021
Return Applications pursuant to 1980 Hague Protocol - Procedural Requirements
Procedural requirements where a child has been wrongfully removed to or retained in another country.
FPD-17March 1, 2021
Divorce Applications
How desk order divorce applications are to be filed and presented.
FPD-19September 1, 2023
Applications made by Requisition, Supreme Court Family Rules 22-1(3) and (4) - Judicial Case Conferences
When a step can be dealt with by requisition rather than a full application.
FPD-20June 27, 2025
French Language and Bilingual Divorce Act Proceedings
Conduct of divorce proceedings in French or in both official languages.
Civil practice directions that also bind family proceedings
Easy to miss, because they are filed under civil rather than family. Each of these says on its face that it applies to family proceedings too.
PD-69September 8, 2025
Requirements for Written Submission in Civil and Family Proceedings
The most recent of these. Sets requirements for written submissions, including length and format.
PD-58Updated August 1, 2023
Sealing Orders in Civil and Family Proceedings
What is required to have a court file, or part of one, sealed.
PD-4Updated January 15, 2024
Judicial Management and Early Assignment of a Trial Judge or Hearing Judge in Civil and Family Proceedings
When one judge can be assigned to manage a file through to trial.
Provincial Court of BC: family practice directions
Most parenting and support matters that do not involve divorce or property are heard in Provincial Court, which issues its own FAM series of directions. Two come up constantly.
FAM 13
Family Affidavits and Documents
Guidance on the length, format and content of affidavits and exhibits. Worth reading before you swear anything long.
FAM 11
Default Method of Attendance for Court Appearances under the Provincial Court Family Rules
Whether an appearance is in person, by video, by phone, or hybrid, unless the court orders otherwise.
Legislation to watch
Protecting Victims Act (Bill C-16)
Royal assent June 18, 2026. The coercive control offence is not yet in force.
Creates a Criminal Code offence of coercive control. Royal assent is not the same as coming into force, and the offence cannot be charged until it is brought into force.
Divorce Act residency requirement
In force since March 1, 2021.
Section 3(1) requires that a spouse have been habitually resident in the province for at least one year. The older wording, ordinarily resident, no longer appears in the Act.
Reading the rest
Case law developments are covered as they happen on the firm’s blog. If you are trying to work out how a rule applies to your own situation, that is a question for a lawyer rather than a list.