Legal Resources

The case planning conference (CPC) brings the parties together early in the litigation to talk about how the case will proceed. These conferences, held by a judge or associate judge, will ensure that cases keep moving forward in a way that is consistent with the proportionality principle.

This guidebook explains how you can resolve your case before it goes to trial. Most disputes are resolved before reaching that stage. It’s important to think about settling your case; lawsuits are time-consuming and expensive, and costs increase at every stage of the proceeding.

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.

Discovery is the process that you (and the other party) use to determine what happened in your case. This guidebook describes the discovery process for civil, non-family claims in the BC Supreme Court. Topics include discovery of documents, examinations for discovery, and interrogatories.

An affidavit is a written statement used to present evidence. This guidebook describes how to prepare an affidavit if you’re representing yourself in Supreme Court. It explains what to put in an affidavit, the structure, and how to fill in the main and technical parts. Includes a sample affidavit.

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.

In general, when a judge makes an order, the parties must do what the judge has decided. Enforcing an order means making sure that what the court ordered is done, or executed. Usually you want to collect money that is owing to you.

An order needs to be prepared when the court hearing is complete and the court has made an order. The order is the document, filed in the court registry, which sets out the decision of the judge or associate judge. The parties, not the judge, are usually responsible for preparing the order.

Discovery is the process that you (and the other party) use to determine what happened in your case. This guidebook describes the discovery process for family claims in BC Supreme Court. Topics include discovery of documents, examinations for discovery, and interrogatories.

The final stage in a court case is the trial. This guidebook gives an overview of trial procedures in civil, non-family claims in the Supreme Court in BC. Topics include deciding if you should have a jury, scheduling the trial, what you can use as evidence at trial, and what happens at trial.