Difference between revisions of "Desk Order Divorce: The Do-It-Yourself Divorce Process"

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{{Dial-A-Law TOC|expanded = family}}
{{Dial-A-Law TOC|expanded = family}}
This script explains desk order divorce, the do-it-yourself court process that you can use if there are no disagreements between you and your spouse on the parenting of children, spousal support or child support, and dividing family property and family debt. But you may still want to hire a lawyer to handle your divorce.
If you and your spouse agree on the issues of parenting, support and property, there is a fast-track way to get a divorce. You can apply for a “desk-order divorce”.


This script only applies to married spouses. Unmarried spouses do not need to get a divorce.
=Understand your legal rights=


==How do I get a divorce?==
==You need a divorce order to end a marriage==
To get divorced, you need to get a divorce order from the BC Supreme Court. Only this court can divorce a married couple. To get a court order you have to start a court case, even if you and your spouse don’t need the court to make an order about anything but the divorce. The legal reasons or grounds for granting a divorce are discussed in script [[Requirements for Divorce and Annulment (Script 120)|120]] on “Requirements for Divorce and Annulment”.
To get divorced, you need to get a '''divorce order''' under the ''[http://canlii.ca/t/7vbw Divorce Act]''. In BC, only the Supreme Court can grant this order. To get a divorce order, you have to start a court case. This is so even if you and your spouse agree on everything and don’t need the court to make an order about anything other than the divorce.  


==Online Divorce Assistant==
To get a divorce, you must prove your marriage has broken down. You can show '''marriage breakdown''' in three ways. We explain these ways in our information on [[Requirements for Divorce and Annulment (Script 120)|the requirements for divorce (no. 120)]].
If you don’t have children and you and your spouse agree to get a divorce, you can try the BC government’s online divorce assistant. You and your spouse also have to agree on all family law issues that apply to you, such as spousal support and the division of family property and debts. Eventually, people with children may be able to use this tool.


==What is a desk order divorce?==
==A desk-order divorce allows you to avoid going to court==
It’s a do-it-yourself divorce. One spouse sues the other spouse and the spouse being sued doesn’t oppose the divorce order. Once the deadline for the spouse being sued to file a response to the court case has passed, the spouse who sued applies for the desk divorce order. This application is done by completing several court forms and filing them in court. No one has to appear before a judge.
A '''desk-order divorce''' is a process that lets you get a divorce order without going to court. It’s also called an “'''undefended'''” or “'''uncontested divorce'''”.  


Both spouses can start the court case together using special court forms. This is a bit cheaper and faster than if only one spouse starts the court case, because there’s no need to serve a spouse with the court forms that start the court case and there‘s no need to wait for response deadline.
Here’s how it works. One spouse starts a court case against the other spouse, who doesn’t oppose the divorce order. Once the deadline for a response passes, the spouse bringing the lawsuit can apply for the divorce order. This application involves completing several court forms and filing them in court. No one has to appear before a judge.


The process when one spouse starts the court case is called a '''sole divorce proceeding'''. The process when the spouses start the court case together is called a '''joint divorce proceeding'''. Both these processes are called '''undefended divorce proceedings'''. This script describes the process for the sole divorce proceeding.
===You can file jointly===
Alternatively, both spouses can start the court case together using special court forms. This is a bit cheaper and faster than if only one spouse starts the court case, because there’s no need to serve a spouse with the court forms and there‘s no need to wait for the response deadline.


===First, get your marriage certificate===
The process when one spouse starts the court case is called a '''sole divorce proceeding'''. The process when the spouses start the court case together is called a '''joint divorce proceeding'''.  
If you don’t have an original, government-issued marriage certificate, you have to get one. Photocopies won’t be accepted by the court registry, except in special cases and with special permission. But a copy of an original marriage certificate that is certified to be a true copy of the original by a lawyer, notary public, or a government official may be acceptable.


If you were married in British Columbia, you can get an original marriage certificate from the [https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/family-social-supports/seniors/health-safety/health-care-programs-and-services/vital-statistics Vital Statistics Agency]. Call 604.660.2937 in the lower mainland, 250.952.2681 in Greater Victoria, or toll-free 1.888.876.1633 elsewhere in BC for information on applying for a certified copy. If you were married outside of BC, you’ll need to contact the equivalent government agency where you were married to get an original marriage certificate or a certified copy. It’s not the certificate from the person who performed the marriage that’s needed, but the government-issued record of your marriage.
This information describes the process for the sole divorce proceeding.
 
===You give evidence without going to court===
The evidence the court needs to make an order will be given in '''affidavits''' you file in court. An affidavit is a legal document where a witness makes statements about facts they say are true.
 
Unless the court decides that further evidence or a full hearing is required, it will usually make the divorce order without requiring anyone to attend a court hearing.
 
==If you have children together==
The court will need evidence that reasonable arrangements have been made for the financial support of the children. This is true even if the spouse who has the children most of the time is happy with the support arrangements. The court has a special duty to make sure the financial arrangements for the children are appropriate. It needs evidence about your income and your spouse’s income, the children’s living arrangements, and the amount of child support being paid (or an explanation why child support is not being paid). Without this information, the court will not make an order for divorce.
 
==When the divorce takes effect==
You are not divorced on the day the divorce order is made. Unless there are special circumstances, the divorce will take effect '''31 days after the divorce order is granted'''. You should not plan on remarrying within that 31-day period.
 
Once the 31 days have passed, if your spouse hasn’t filed an appeal of the divorce order, you can ask the court to issue a '''certificate of divorce''' confirming that the divorce order has taken effect. Once the 31 days have passed, you will be divorced whether you get the certificate of divorce or not.
 
==If you bring joint divorce proceedings==
If both of you agree to the divorce order, and to any other orders you want the court to make, you can start the divorce proceeding together by filing a '''joint divorce proceeding'''.
 
Service is not required in a joint divorce proceeding. Depending on whether the one-year period of separation has passed, you may be able to apply for the divorce order on the same day you file your joint claim. Both of you will sign the notice of joint claim. Both of you will file '''affidavits''' giving the court the information it needs to decide if the divorce order is justified. If you have children, you will also both have to file an affidavit dealing with child support. This affidavit gives the court more information about your income and the arrangements for child support.
 
==The steps involved==
 
===Step 1. Get your marriage certificate===
If you don’t have an original, government-issued '''marriage certificate''', you have to get one. Photocopies won’t be accepted by the court registry, except in special cases and with special permission. A copy of an original marriage certificate may be acceptable if it is certified to be a true copy of the original by a lawyer, notary public, or a government official.
 
If you were married in British Columbia, you can get an original marriage certificate from the [https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/family-social-supports/seniors/health-safety/health-care-programs-and-services/vital-statistics Vital Statistics Agency]. Call 604-660-2937 in the Lower Mainland, 250-952-2681 in Greater Victoria, or toll-free 1-888-876-1633 elsewhere in BC.  
 
If you were married outside of BC, you’ll need to contact the equivalent government agency where you were married to get an original marriage certificate or a certified copy. It’s not the certificate from the person who performed the marriage that’s needed, but the government-issued record of your marriage.


If you have a foreign marriage certificate not in English, you will also have to file a certified English translation of the foreign marriage certificate.
If you have a foreign marriage certificate not in English, you will also have to file a certified English translation of the foreign marriage certificate.


If you were married outside of Canada and can’t get an original, government-issued marriage certificate, you can’t do a desk order divorce. Instead, you will need to hire a lawyer to help you apply to do away with the need for a marriage certificate.
If you were married outside of Canada and can’t get an original, government-issued marriage certificate, you can’t get a desk-order divorce. Instead, you will need to apply to court to do away with the need for a marriage certificate.
 
==Step 2. Complete the form to start the court case==
A document called a '''notice''' starts the court case. Supreme Court Form F3 is the notice form for a sole divorce proceeding. The notice states the basis for the divorce and gives information about you, your spouse and any children, as well as the details of your marriage and separation. You can download the notice and other divorce forms from the [https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/justice/courthouse-services/documents-forms-records/court-forms/sup-family-forms BC government website].


===Second, prepare the Notice of Family Claim in Form F3===
The notice form also allows you to ask for other orders along with a divorce order. Other orders might be about the parenting arrangements for your children, child support, spousal support, or the division of property and debt.  
The Form 3 document starts the court case. It states the basis for the divorce and gives information about you, your spouse and any children, as well as the details about your marriage and separation. Form 3 and most of the other forms this script mentions are on the [https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/justice/courthouse-services/documents-forms-records/court-forms/sup-family-forms Supreme Court Family Rules Forms website].


The Notice of Family Claim also allows you to ask for other orders along with a divorce order. Other orders might be about the parenting arrangements for your children, child support, spousal support or the division of property and debt. If your spouse doesn’t agree to the claims you are making, they can file a defence to your case. Then you can’t proceed as an undefended divorce proceeding.
If your spouse doesn’t agree to the claims you are making, they can file a '''response'''. If they do so, you can’t get a desk-order divorce.  


When preparing your Notice of Family Claim and before filing it at the court, you should speak with a family law lawyer to make sure your Notice of Family Claim has all the claims you need to make to resolve all issues between you and your spouse.
==Step 3. File your documents in court==
Once you have filled out and signed the notice form, you must '''file''' it in court, along with your marriage certificate. You have to file the original notice form together with at least three photocopies. The court keeps the original and gives you the copies, stamped with the court’s official stamp.


===Third, file your marriage certificate and the Notice of Family Claim in court===
==Step 4. Serve your spouse with the notice==
Once you have filled out and signed the Notice of Family Claim, you must file it in court, along with your marriage certificate. You have to file the original plus at least three photocopies of the Notice of Family Claim. The court keeps the original and gives you the copies, stamped with the court’s official stamp.
Someone who is being sued, even in an undefended divorce proceeding, must be given formal notice about the court case. Your spouse must be served by '''personal service''', which means arranging for the filed notice to be physically delivered to your spouse. You cannot serve the document yourself. You must get someone else, who is at least 19 years old, to leave the filed notice form with your spouse.  


===Fourth, serve your spouse with the Notice of Family Claim===
===You must prove the service===
Someone who is being sued, even in an undefended divorce proceeding, must be given formal notice about the court case. Your spouse must be served by personal service, which means arranging for the filed Notice of Family Claim to be physically delivered to your spouse. You cannot serve the Notice of Family Claim yourself. You must get someone else, who is at least 19 years old to leave the Notice of Family Claim with your spouse, and your server must swear an Affidavit of Personal Service in Form F15 describing how, when, and with what your spouse was served.
Your server must swear an affidavit of service in Form F15 describing how, when, and with what your spouse was served.


====What if you can’t personally serve your spouse?====
===If personal service is not possible===
If you can’t personally serve your spouse, for example, because you don’t know where they live, other ways of letting them know about the court action are available. This is called '''substitutional service''' or '''alternative service'''. You must have a court order to use this type of service.
If your spouse can’t be personally served — for example, because you don’t know where they live other ways are available to let them know about the court action. This is called '''substitutional service''' or '''alternative service'''. You must have a court order to use this type of service.


The court may, for example, allow notice to be served through a classified ad in a local newspaper, or it may order that the Notice of Family Claim be given to someone your spouse knows, such as their parents, a coworker or a roommate.
The court may, for example, allow notice to be served through a classified ad in a local newspaper. Or it may order that the notice be given to someone your spouse knows, such as their parents, a co-worker or a roommate.


===Fifth, wait for 30 days===
===Step 5. Wait for 30 days===
Your spouse has 30 days to defend the court case by filing a Response to Family Claim. If your spouse files a Response to Family Claim, your divorce can’t proceed as an undefended divorce.
Your spouse has 30 days to defend the court case by filing a '''response''' in Form F4. If your spouse files a response, you can’t get a desk-order divorce.


In addition to responding to your Notice of Family Claim, your spouse may also file a Counterclaim and make claims against you.
In addition to responding to your claim, your spouse may also file a '''counterclaim''' and make claims against you.


If you have been served with a Notice of Family Claim that includes claims for relief other than just a divorce, you should review the claim with a lawyer to see if you must file a Response and Counterclaim.
{| class="wikitable"
|align="left"|'''Tip'''
If you have been served with divorce papers, see our information on [[The Respondent in Divorce Proceedings (Script 122)|responding to divorce proceedings (no. 122)]].
|}


For more information on defending a divorce proceeding, see script [[The Respondent in Divorce Proceedings (Script 122)|122]] on “The Respondent in Divorce Proceedings”.
==Step 6. If your spouse does nothing, apply for a divorce order==


===Sixth, if your spouse does nothing, apply for a divorce order===
After the 30 days has run out, you can apply for the divorce order by filing in court:
After the 30 days has run out, you can apply for the divorce order by filing in court:
*a Requisition in Form F35 (a document asking for the divorce order)
•a requisition in Form F35; this is a document asking for the divorce order
*a Divorce Affidavit in Form F38 (a document giving your evidence in support of the divorce order)
 
*a draft of the order you want the court to make in Form F52 (the formal divorce order)
 
•the affidavit of service saying your spouse was personally served with the notice that started the court case
 
 
•your affidavit in Form F38 giving the court your evidence in support of the divorce order  
 
 
•a draft of the divorce order in Form F52 
 
 
 
If you have children, you will also have to file an affidavit dealing with child support in Form F37. This affidavit gives the court more information about your income and your spouse’s income, and the arrangements for child support.
 
If you are asking for a divorce based on separation, you can apply for the divorce order only after you and your spouse have lived separately and apart for one year. If you are asking for a divorce based on your spouse’s adultery or cruelty toward you, you must provide proof of the adultery or cruelty in your affidavit, plus supporting evidence from your spouse or a witness to the adultery or cruelty.
 
If you are asking for an order dividing family property and family debt other than equally, your affidavit should explain why the unequal division is fair (for more on this topic, see our information on dividing property and debts, no. 124).
 
Get help
 
 
With your divorce
 
The Legal Services Society Family LawLINE provides free legal advice over the telephone to people on a low income experiencing a family law issue.
 
Telephone: 604-408-2172 in Greater Vancouver
 
Toll-free: 1-866-577-2525
 
Web: legalaid.bc.ca
 
The BC Family Law Unbundling Roster features family lawyers and paralegals who offer “unbundled legal services”, where you hire them to help with part of a legal matter.


If you have children, you will also have to file a Child Support Affidavit in Form F37 (a document describing the arrangements for the financial support of the children).
Web: unbundlinglaw.ca


If you are asking for a divorce based on separation, you can apply for the divorce order only after you and your spouse have lived separately and apart for one year. If you are asking for a divorce based on your spouse’s adultery or cruelty toward you, you must provide proof of the adultery or cruelty in your Divorce Affidavit, plus supporting evidence from your spouse or a witness to the adultery or cruelty.
More information


==When divorce proceedings are undefended, a court hearing usually isn’t required==
The Legal Services Society’s Family Law in BC website features uncontested divorce guides that include step-by-step instructions and blank forms you'll need.
The evidence the court needs to make an order will be given in the affidavits you have filed in court. Unless the court decides that further evidence or a full hearing is required, it will usually make the divorce order without requiring anyone to attend a court hearing.


==The court may review a divorce order that includes division of property or debt==
Web: familylaw.lss.bc.ca
If you are asking for an order dividing family property and family debt other than equally, your affidavit should explain why the unequal division is fair. See script [[Dividing Property and Debts (Script 124)|124]] on “Dividing Property and Debts”.


==The court will review a divorce order if there are children==
The wikibook JP Boyd on Family Law includes how-to information on starting a divorce action together with sample forms.  
The court will need evidence that reasonable arrangements have been made for the financial support of the children. This is true even if the spouse who has the children most of the time is happy with the support arrangements. The court has a special duty to make sure that the financial arrangements for the children are appropriate. It needs evidence about your income and your spouse’s income, the children’s living arrangements and the amount of child support being paid or an explanation why child support is not being paid. Without this information, the court will not make an order for divorce.


==When does the divorce take effect?==
Web: wiki.clicklaw.bc.ca
You are not divorced on the day that the divorce order is made. Unless there are special circumstances, the divorce will take effect 31 days after the divorce order is granted, so you should not plan on remarrying within that 31-day period.


Once the 31 days have passed, if your spouse hasn’t filed an appeal of the divorce order, you can ask the court to issue a Certificate of Divorce confirming that the divorce order has taken effect. Once the 31 days have passed, you will be divorced whether you get the Certificate of Divorce or not.
The Online Divorce Assistant is a free online tool from the BC government that can help you fill out the forms for a joint divorce under certain circumstances.


==What about joint divorce proceedings?==
Web: justice.gov.bc.ca/divorce
If both of you agree to the divorce order, and to any other orders you want the court to make, you can start the divorce proceeding together by filing a Notice of Joint Family Claim in Form F1.


Service is not required in a joint divorce proceeding and, depending on whether the one-year period of separation has passed, you may be able to apply for the divorce order on the same day that you file your Notice of Joint Family Claim. Both of you will sign the Notice of Joint Family Claim and both of you will have to file Divorce Affidavits and, if you have children, Child Support Affidavits.


==More information==
*Contact the Legal Services Society (LSS) [https://lss.bc.ca/legal_aid/FamilyLawLINE.php Family LawLINE]: If you have a low income and a family law issue, you may be eligible for free legal advice over the telephone from a family lawyer. Contact the LSS Call Centre at 604.408.2172 (Greater Vancouver) or 1.866.577.2525 (call no charge, elsewhere in BC) between 9:30 am and 12:00 pm on weekdays.
*See the Legal Services Society’s [http://www.familylaw.lss.bc.ca/ Family Law in BC website] and [http://www.familylaw.lss.bc.ca/guides/divorce choose the correct guide] (either [https://familylaw.lss.bc.ca/guides/divorce/divSole_index.php Sole application] or [https://familylaw.lss.bc.ca/guides/divorce/divJoint_index.php Joint application]).
*See [https://familylaw.lss.bc.ca/guides/start/cantAgree/supreme/apply/index.php How to start a family law case] on the LSS website.
*Check the [https://sites.google.com/view/bfur BC Family Law Unbundling Roster] for family lawyers and paralegals who can provide unbundled legal services.
*Visit the [http://wiki.clicklaw.bc.ca/index.php?title=Divorce Divorce page] of ''JP Boyd on Family Law''.




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[updated October 2018]
[updated October 2018]


'''The above was last reviewed for legal accuracy by Samantha de Wit of Brown Henderson Melbye, and edited by John Blois.'''  
'''The above was last reviewed for legal accuracy by phttp://bhmlawyers.ca/team-2/samantha-de-wit/ Samantha De Wit], Brown Henderson Melbye, and [http://jimalelawcorp.com/about-zahra/ Zahra H. Jimale, Jimale Law Corporation].'''  


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