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→Okay, I'm going to court. Which court do I go to?
==Okay, I'm going to court. Which court do I go to?==
Before getting any deeper into this chapter, go review the chapter [[Introduction to Understanding the Legal System for Family Law Matters|Understanding the Legal System]], in particular, the section on [[The Court System for Family Matters|The Court System]]. What you'll learn there is that there are two courts that hear trials in British Columbia, the ''[https://www.provincialcourt.bc.ca/ Provincial Court]'' and the ''[https://www.bccourts.ca/supreme_court/ Supreme Court]'', and that these courts are very different from one another. {{Template:BCPCJPBOFL2022}}
The Provincial Court deals with issues relating to parenting children, child support, spousal support, and orders protecting people under the ''[[Family Law Act]]''. The Supreme Court has the authority to deal with all of those issues, but can also deal with issues about parentage, dividing property and debt, and orders protecting property under the act. Only the Supreme Court has the authority to make orders under the ''[[Divorce Act]]'', including orders for divorce. This chart shows which trial court can deal with which family law problem:
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The rules of the Supreme Court can be very complicated and fees are charged for many steps in the court process, including filing the paperwork that starts a court proceeding, making an application, or going to trial. The rules of the Provincial Court are shorter process is intended to be more affordable and easier to navigate without a lawyer's help. Visit Legal Aid BC's Family Law website for more straightforwardinformation, including ''[https://family.legalaid.bc.ca/bc-legal-system/if-you-have-go-court If you have to go to court]'' and the ''[https://family.legalaid.bc.ca/bc-legal-system/if-you-have-go-court/trials-provincial-court doesnTrials in Provincial Court].''t charge any fees.
It is possible to start a proceeding in the Provincial Court to deal with things like child support, and then start a proceeding in the Supreme Court to get a divorce and deal with things like property. It can be complicated to split your family law issues between two courts. A lot of people find it easier just to deal with everything in one court, but because of the limits of the authority of the Provincial Court, the Supreme Court is the only choice available.