What is a judicial case conference?
A judicial case conference (JCC) is an early, private family-law conference with a Supreme Court judge or associate judge. Its purpose is broader than simply “trying to settle.” The court can help identify the real issues, explore settlement, give procedural directions, address disclosure and discovery, and make consent or other case-management orders allowed by Rule 7-1.
The Supreme Court’s current Litigants’ Guide describes a JCC as an informal meeting intended to help resolve issues without further litigation where possible and, if litigation must continue, to help create a just, on-time and cost-efficient plan for the case.
When is a JCC required before an application?
Rule 7-1(2) creates the general restriction: before a JCC has been conducted, a party must not serve another party with a notice of application or an affidavit in support. Important exceptions include certain applications under the Family Law Act or federal reserve-family-property legislation, consent applications, applications without notice, applications to change/suspend/terminate a final order, applications concerning filed agreements, and applications concerning parenting-coordinator determinations. The court can also relieve a party from the JCC requirement where the rule’s criteria are met, including urgency, impracticability, unfairness or safety concerns.
How do you request one?
- Obtain a JCC date through the registry or the court’s relevant booking process.
- File Form F19 — Notice of Judicial Case Conference.
- Serve the filed F19 on all parties at least 30 days before the JCC.
- If Rule 5-1 requires a Form F8 Financial Statement, serve the required F8 and income documents with the JCC notice.
- The party who served the JCC notice must file the required F8 and income documents, if relevant, at least 7 days before the JCC. Other parties who are required to provide an F8 must also file and serve it at least 7 days before the JCC.
What happens at the JCC?
The court may identify disputed and undisputed issues, mediate issues, make consent orders, direct parties toward dispute-resolution services, make directions about pleadings, disclosure and examinations for discovery, address experts and reports, give non-binding views, set procedural timelines and make other orders that further the object of the Rules. A JCC is not a trial and generally is not the place for contested affidavit applications.
Do you have to attend?
Unless the court orders otherwise, each party and their lawyer must attend. If a party is excused, that person must still be readily available and accessible for consultation during the JCC. Current court guidance also addresses remote attendance and conference booking, so check the specific registry and current practice directions rather than relying on an old scheduling checklist.
What should you prepare?
- A concise list of the issues actually in dispute.
- Any required Form F8 and income documents.
- A realistic list of information or disclosure still needed.
- Possible interim agreements or procedural steps that could reduce the dispute.
- Questions about next steps, timing, experts, discovery or trial planning.
Cost planning
A JCC can be a useful point for limited-scope legal help. A lawyer may be retained to review financial disclosure, identify realistic settlement ranges, help organize the disputed issues or prepare a client for the conference without necessarily being retained for the entire case. Because a JCC can shape later applications and trial preparation, the cheapest option is not always the one involving the least preparation.