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#they can't agree and they have to ask someone else to come up with a solution, usually by going to court or to an arbitrator.
Going to court means that one or both people have started or will start a court proceeding. (Court proceedings are also known as ''lawsuits'', ''claims'' or ''actions''.) Going to court is called ''litigation''; trying to come up with an agreement without going to court is called ''negotiation''. Mediation is a kind of negotiation, and arbitration is like going to a private court where you get to pick the judge.
There are two courts that handle almost all family law litigation in British Columbia: the Provincial (Family) Court and the Supreme Court. Each court has its own rules, its own forms, and its own processes.