Legal Resources

Trial courts hear evidence and decide cases. British Columbia has two levels of trial court, Provincial Court and Supreme Court. Learn which type of cases each of these courts handle.

At a trial, the parties present evidence and a judge decides the case. If you’re going to trial in small claims court, learn how to prepare and what to expect.

If you take someone to court and the judge decides in your favour, it’s up to you to collect the money. Learn your options for getting your court judgment paid.

If a notice of claim names you as a defendant in a small claims court lawsuit, learn what options you have, how to act on them, and what happens next.

In some situations, parties may be able to attend court by telephone. But they’ll need to get court approval — in advance. Telephone hearings are more available before tribunals.

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

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.

This “getting you started” primer will give you an overview of the process if you’re planning to be a self-represented litigant in family or civil court.

This primer helps you prepare and navigate the settlement processes you may encounter during your time as a self-represented litigant. Includes personal and strategic tips specific to the process.

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.