Civil matters in BC Supreme Court

Links to online fillable court forms for BC Supreme Court for civil matters.

Court Services Online is British Columbia’s electronic court registry. This interactive page allows you to e-search civil and criminal court documents, e-file your documents, use the filing assistant to fill out forms, and view daily court lists. You can also view tutorials and demonstrations.

Some court documents can be submitted (also referred to as “filing”) by fax. But not all courthouses are set up to accept faxes, and certain documents can’t be sent by fax. See what locations accept fax filings and find information on how to file by fax.

A package of forms for when you’re applying to waive court fees in Supreme Court, whether it’s for civil or family issues.

This self-help resource provides information and instructions for creating an affidavit. It also contains an example affidavit.

Brief instructions on how to order a transcript of a court hearing or a trial.

A 14-page memo from the court written for SRLs going to trial for a civil or family case. It outlines the court’s sitting schedule, courtroom etiquette, stages of a trial, what goes into an opening statement, how to present evidence, and how to question witnesses.

This guide contains information about the steps required when you’re starting an Action by Notice of Civil Claim, the parties involved in an action, and how to prepare your documents. This applies to the Supreme Court of BC.

This guidebook will help you defend a lawsuit started against you in BC Supreme Court. Defending a lawsuit is complicated and time consuming, and the consequences of doing things late or incorrectly may be serious. Features sample forms, including a response to civil claim and a counterclaim.

An introduction on how to schedule a trial, as well as an overview of jury trials, trial management conferences, the trial record and certificate, and trial deadlines.

Describes the procedure for chambers applications for civil, non-family claims in BC Supreme Court. It explains what chambers applications are, how to prepare for one, what documents are needed, and what happens after the chambers hearing. Includes sample forms with explanations.

If you are a party to a Supreme Court action and are successful on a chambers application or at trial, you may request that the other party pay your costs. This guidebook gives an overview of the procedure for assessing costs of civil, non-family claims in BC Supreme Court.

An introduction to legal research, including how to search for cases and where to find help.

This guide helps self-represented litigants (SRLs) with reading case reports. It gives advice on how to read and use case law in their legal research and is a companion to the CanLll primer. It includes a glossary of important terms and a list of court abbreviations.

BC Provincial Court judgments are located on CanLII (Canadian Legal Information Institute), a national legal information databank. This guide will help you find provincial court decisions, as well as those of federal courts and courts of other provinces.

This primer is designed to help self-represented litigants (SRLs) navigate CanLII in order to prepare for the presentation of their cases — in court, in chambers, or as part of a negotiation or mediation. CanLII (canlii.org) is a free legal service that can be accessed by anyone on the web.

It’s a familiar story: a business makes a defective product or does something that harms a group of people. Such a “mass wrong” can be met with a class action.

This guidebook gives an overview of how to start a proceeding by petition in BC Supreme Court and how to respond if you’ve been served with it. Topics include whether to start your proceeding with a petition or a notice of civil claim, and how to prepare, file, and serve your court documents.

An introduction to requisitions, which civil rules apply, and how to fill in a requisition using Form 17.

This guide is for self-represented litigants (SRLs) who are also people with disabilities (PWDs). It provides information on disability accommodations and resources in the justice system. It includes a sample letter of accommodation request and what to do if you’re still experiencing barriers.

A series of guidebooks on the Supreme Court of BC for cases involving a civil matter — claims exceeding $35,000, as well as bankruptcy, personal injury, and contract disputes. Explains everything from starting an action and serving documents to how trial works and how to enforce an order after trial.

This manual has three main parts: “Areas of Law Pathfinders,” “The Guide to Civil Procedure at the Supreme Court of British Columbia,” and “Annotations of the BC Supreme Court Civil Rules and Court of Appeal Rules.” The publication is written for a wide audience.

Provides info on what to expect on your day in court. For example, what does the courtroom look like? When do I stand and sit? How do I address the judge? Includes practical information on how to present your evidence, object, question witnesses, and make opening and closing statements.