Frequently Asked Questions

Jury duty

 
Q.I have just received a jury summons. Where can I find information about serving on a jury?
A. The Ministry of Attorney General has an informative website about jury duty.

About the courts

 
Q.I would like to watch a trial. Are the courts open to the public?
A. Yes, the courts are open to the public. Trials are generally scheduled from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday to Friday. The daily trial list is posted in the lobby of the courthouse and is also available online.

Q.I would like to attend court to watch a particular trial. How can I find out when the case is scheduled to be heard?
A. The Supreme Court posts a Daily Court List each morning with the proceedings scheduled for that day. You can access the list from the Hearing List page.
If you would like advance notice as to the scheduling of a particular trial, please contact the Manager, Supreme Court Scheduling at the courthouse where the proceeding will be heard.
The Court of Appeal posts a Weekly Hearing List which can be accessed from the website.
Q. I would like to bring a group of students to the courthouse in Vancouver. How is this done?
A. The Justice Education Society will be able to assist you in organizing this activity.

Q.What is the Assize System?
A. The word assize is defined as a “periodic judicial proceeding”. In British Columbia, most court locations operate on the Assize System. This means that hearings/trials are scheduled to be heard during a 1 or 2 week sitting of the court. The hearings/trials may be scheduled to start any day during that time frame. The Assize System is used in every court location in British Columbia with the exception of Vancouver and New Westminster.

Q.Can I bring a camera or a recording device to court with me?
A.Cameras and recording devices are not permitted in courtrooms. An exception is provided for members of the media who are accredited pursuant to the accreditation processes of the Supreme Court or the Court of Appeal. Accredited journalists are permitted to use recording devices in courtrooms in order to assist them to report accurately on proceedings.

Q.How do I get a transcript of my hearing?
A. Most court proceedings are recorded. If you would like to listen to a proceeding or obtain a transcript of a proceeding, contact the In Court Technology department at your courthouse.

Contacting the Court

 
Q.Can I send a letter to a judge?
A.Judges cannot enter into correspondence with persons regarding matters that are, have been, or may be before the courts. See this practice direction for further information.

Q.I would like to invite Justice X to speak at a conference. How can I contact him or her about this?
A.Justices may speak at not-for-profit events on subjects that will advance some aspect of the bar or the public’s understanding of legal issues or the judicial process. If you know which particular judge you wish to invite, please contact their judicial administrative assistant with your request. If you are looking for a speaker to volunteer, please forward your request by letter to the attention of a Law Officer of the court.

Q. How do I contact the court registry?
A.Contact information for the various registries around the Province is available by clicking on the Registries link on the Superior Courts main webpage.

Can I access the court registry system online?
A.Yes, Court Services Online is BC’s electronic court registry. It allows you to view Provincial Court and Supreme Court civil files and print documents (for a fee), and gives you access to daily court lists, and file civil court documents electronically. Court Services Online also provides access to Court of Appeal civil and criminal file information.

About court documents

 
Q.How can I get a particular form (e.g., appearance, statement of defence, notice of motion, etc.)?  Do I need to file it in person or can I mail it in?
A.Supreme Court forms can be downloaded from the following link: Supreme Court Forms
Forms can be filed in person, mailed to the appropriate registry accompanied by payment of the applicable fees, or, in the case of registries subject to Supreme Court Civil Rule 23-2 and Supreme Court Family Rule 22-3, faxed in accordance with the provisions of that Rule.  For the designated fax numbers for the registries to, please see this practice direction.
Forms may also be filed electronically. Court Services Online provides information about that service.

Q.What fees do I have to pay to file court documents?
A.Fees are listed in The Supreme Court Rules, Appendix C, Schedule 1.

Q.Where do I find the form to set down a Judicial Case Conference (JCC)?
A.The form is Form 145 in the Supreme Court Rules, and can be accessed from the Supreme Court Act, Rules and Forms section of this website. Information about JCCs is also available on this website.

Q.How do I obtain a copy of my divorce decree?
A.Contact the registry where your divorce documents were filed. Contact information for the various registries around the Province is available by clicking on the Registries link on the Superior Courts main web page. If you do not know where the divorce took place, you can contact the Central Registry in Ottawa (613-941-2520 or 613-957-4519).

Q.I want to get copies of documents in a court file. How do I do this?
A. You can obtain copies of some types of documents through Court Services Online or by attending at the registry and requesting copies. File search and photocopies fees will be charged. If you cannot attend at the registry in person, you can contact a court registry agent to obtain copies of court file documents. Please note that some types of court files such as family and criminal files have restricted access. Because fees are payable for file search and photocopying services, the registries cannot deal with telephone requests.

About judgments

 
Q.Are all Supreme Court judgments on the website?
A. Most, but not all judgments are available on the website. More information is provided on the page About Judgments.

Q.Justice X gave an oral judgment last week. Why isn’t it on the website?
A.The court does not publish oral reasons for judgment on the website unless a transcript of the oral reasons has been prepared and the presiding judge directs that they be published on the website. A transcript may be ordered, for a fee, by submitting a written request to the registry from which the judgment was delivered. The request should be directed to the attention of In-Court Technologies, and should indicate your connection to the proceedings and your purpose in requesting the transcript. It should also indicate the action number, style of cause, date of judgment, and the name of the presiding judge or master.

Q.I think an oral judgment should be on the website. How do I request that this be added to the database?
A. Send your request and a copy of the judgment to:
Judgment Office
Supreme Court of British Columbia
800 Smithe Street, Vancouver BC, V6Z 2E1

About your case

 
Q. Can I go to court without a lawyer?
A.You can go to court without a lawyer, but it is strongly recommended that you obtain legal advice and assistance from a lawyer. You can find information about taking your own case to court in the Self-Help Information section of this website. There are links to guidebooks and other resources to help you find legal information and legal advice.

Q. I have been served with a writ and statement of claim.  What do I do?
A.The court cannot provide you with legal advice. If you wish to represent yourself, it is recommended that you review the information available from the Self-Help Information link on the Superior Courts’ main web page. One of the documents available from that site is a guidebook entitled Defending a Civil Proceeding in Supreme Court. However, it is recommended that you consult with a lawyer about your legal rights and possible outcomes of court proceedings. Information about how to find a lawyer can be found in the Self-Help Information section of this website.

Q.I would like to sue someone. What do I do?
A.The court cannot provide you with legal advice. If you wish to represent yourself, it is recommended that you review the information available from the Self-Help Information link on the Superior Courts’ main web page.  One of the documents available from that site is a guidebook entitled Starting a Civil Proceeding in Supreme Court. However, it is recommended that you consult with a lawyer about your rights and possible outcomes of court proceedings. Information about how to find a lawyer can be found in the Self-Help Information section of this website.

Q.I need legal advice about my legal problem. How can I find a lawyer with expertise in this area?
A.The BC Branch of the Canadian Bar Association operates the Lawyer Referral Service through which members of the public are able to speak to lawyers with expertise in various areas of law. For further information, please access their website.

Q.I need some special equipment for my trial/hearing. Who do I contact?
A. Court Services staff will be able to assist you. Please refer to Supreme Court contacts for contact information.

Q.A judge made an order that I think is wrong. How can I have him or her reconsider it?
A. If the judge has made a final decision in your case, your usual recourse is to appeal the decision to the Court of Appeal. In limited circumstances, and provided an order reflecting the decision in question has not been entered, a judge, master or registrar may entertain an application to reconsider a decision. To do this, complete the Request To Appear form.

Q.I would like to bring an application in my case. How do I do this?
A. You will have to make a chambers application. The following guidebook outlines the general procedure. The Self-Represented Litigant section of this website also provides useful information.

Q.I have been issued with a subpoena and I need to reschedule my appearance. How can I do that?
A.Contact the party who issued the subpoena and explain why you cannot make an appearance on that date. If you cannot reach an agreement with the other party, you will have to schedule a court appearance and ask the judge to make a decision on this issue.

Q. I have made a request to appear back before a judge and I want to amend the request/I am not sure that the request was received.
A. Contact the Supreme Court Scheduling at the courthouse where you filed your request.

Q.I cannot afford to travel to the courthouse where my hearing is being held. Is there an alternative?
A.An application can be made in writing to the court in advance of the hearing to request to appear by videoconferencing or telephone. You must pay the cost for that equipment. To do this, write to the Manager, Supreme Court Scheduling at the location where the hearing is scheduled to be heard

Appeals

 
Q.How do I appeal a decision to the Court of Appeal?
A.The following publications will provide you with some general information about appealing a Supreme Court decision to the Court of Appeal:
Q.How can I tell whether a judgment has been appealed?
A.Court Services Online, which is accessible from the courts main web page, will allow to you search whether a judgment has been appealed.

Q.Where do I file a summary conviction appeal and what rules do I follow?
A. A summary conviction appeal must be filed in the Supreme Court nearest to where the trial was held. See Rule 6 of the Criminal Rules for further details. An appeal from a Supreme Court summary conviction appeal decision is by leave of the Court of Appeal.

Probate

 
Q. I am the executor of my mother's estate. Where can I find information about probating her estate?
A.Clicklaw will provide you with information about the duties of executors and probating estates.

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