Form 12: Application About a Protection Order
Use Form 12 to ask Provincial Court for a family-law protection order. This is different from an ordinary parenting or support application because the focus is protection from family violence.
Think: “I need a court order for protection from family violence.”
This page explains the form in everyday language and links back to the official BC source.
Why this guide exists: I went through BC family court myself and found the forms harder to understand than they needed to be.
What Form 12 is for
Form 12 asks a judge for a protection order under the Family Law Act. The form includes an affidavit section because you are giving evidence about the facts supporting the request.
Can it be heard without telling the other person first?
Sometimes. The Provincial Court says that where immediate protection is necessary and telling the other person first could create a real risk of harm, a judge can allow the application to be heard without advance notice. The judge decides whether notice is required.
Does it need to be sworn?
The application includes affidavit evidence. Follow the signing instructions carefully and do not sign a sworn section before the commissioner tells you to. Registry staff who are commissioners can generally swear or affirm Provincial Court affidavits for free.
What happens after filing?
The registry processes the application and arranges the court step. If you asked to proceed without notice, the court may deal with that request quickly. Depending on the circumstances, the judge may decide the protection-order application at the first appearance or set another hearing.
BC Provincial Court protection-order guide
Where do I file it?
File it with the Provincial Court registry handling your case, unless the official form or a court order tells you otherwise. A registry is the court office that accepts and processes documents. Registry staff can explain filing procedure, but they cannot give legal advice.