Early resolution in BC family court — what you actually have to do
If your case is in an Early Resolution Registry, you normally cannot jump straight to Form 3 for a regular family-law matter. The early-resolution process gives you free help first: a needs assessment, a parenting course when required, and usually a dispute-resolution session. Check the Province’s current Early Resolution Registry list because registry designations can change.
Check which process your registry uses
Since the May 1, 2026 expansion, Provincial Court family registries in the Vancouver Coastal, Vancouver Fraser, Vancouver Island and Interior regions use Early Resolution. Northern registries, including Prince George, use the Parenting Education Program process. Rule 6 and Appendix 1 of the Provincial Court Family Rules determine which process applies to a specific registry. The Province’s list also shows the filing location and family justice office for each listed registry.
Official BC Early Resolution page · Official step-by-step process · Official registry, filing location and family justice office list
How to start Early Resolution
Contact the Family Justice Centre or Justice Access Centre that serves your registry to ask how to start and book a needs assessment with a Family Justice Counsellor. You can also call 1-844-747-3963 for help finding the right office. BC Family Justice Services contact information.
File Form 1 — Notice to Resolve
Form 1 is the usual first court filing for a regular family-law matter at an Early Resolution Registry. File it at the correct court filing location and give a copy to each other party. The Province says the copy can be given by email or text; it does not require formal personal service at this stage.
Open Form 1 (official PDF) · Form 1 Notice to Resolve a Family Law Matter
Do a needs assessment
This is a private meeting with a Family Justice Counsellor. You explain what is happening. They help identify legal and non-legal needs, safety concerns, services that may help, and whether mediation/dispute resolution is appropriate. They can give legal information and referrals, but they are not your lawyer.
What Family Justice Counsellors do · Find a Family Justice Centre or Justice Access Centre
Complete Parenting After Separation (PAS), if required
PAS is a free online course. It explains how separation can affect children, communication, parenting arrangements, support and ways to resolve disputes. Some people are exempt—for example, depending on the issues and whether they recently completed it.
Try consensual dispute resolution, if appropriate
This usually means mediation or another guided process where you try to reach agreement instead of asking a judge to decide everything. It can be free through Family Justice Services. If there are safety concerns or serious power imbalances, a counsellor may decide it is not appropriate.
If issues are still unresolved, file Form 3
Form 3 is the actual application used to ask Provincial Court for many family-law orders such as parenting, support, contact or guardianship. You normally file it after completing the required early-resolution steps.
Questions that can change the process
What if the other person refuses to participate?
A family-law application does not have to wait forever because another party refuses to take part. Under Rule 21, once the person applying has met their own Rule 10 requirements, they may proceed with the appropriate application even if the other party is unable or unwilling to complete their Rule 11 requirements. Keep any directions or records from the needs assessor and ask the registry about the next step.
What if we started more than a year ago?
Rule 15 may require Form 2 — Notice of Intention to Proceed and a new needs assessment if no Form 3 has been filed and more than one year has passed since the latest listed early-resolution step. If Form 3 was already filed and there is no final order, Rule 42 may also require Form 2 after more than one year without a step in the case. That route requires service of Form 2, filing proof of service and attending a family management conference. Open official Form 2 (PDF) and check which rule fits your case.
What if Parenting After Separation or mediation is unsafe or unsuitable?
Rule 17 lets a needs assessor grant parenting-course exemptions for specified reasons, including a recently completed course, certain non-child disputes, access/language barriers and serious medical issues. Under Rule 18, an assessment may also establish that a dispute-resolution session is unavailable or not appropriate. Do not assume you personally have to attempt an unsafe joint session. Tell the needs assessor about safety concerns.
What if I have been served with Form 3?
The person replying has their own requirements under Rule 11. A response uses Form 6, and filing deadlines can depend on whether the application is new or changed. The Rule 11 steps do not automatically pause the ordinary 30-day Form 6 reply deadline under Rule 28. Contact the registry or Family Justice Centre immediately if you cannot finish the steps within the reply period; ask about the available court procedure rather than assuming an extension.
The correct early-resolution registry, filing location and family justice office are not always the same building. Verify your location in the Province’s current list.
Where do I go?
Family Justice Centre / Justice Access Centre: where you get the needs assessment, PAS guidance and free dispute-resolution help.
Court registry: where you submit (“file”) court forms and get procedural information. Registry staff do not give legal advice.
Important exceptions
Rule 12 lists six application categories that do not require the ordinary Rule 10/11 early-resolution steps when that is all the party is applying for: case-management orders, protection orders, priority-parenting matters, relocation, consent orders and enforcement orders. If your situation is urgent or safety-related, do not assume you must finish every step above before asking the court for help.