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Links and resources updates 2022
{{LSSbadge
|resourcetype = more information on
|link = [httphttps://wwwfamily.familylaw.lsslegalaid.bc.ca/legal_issues/legalSystem.php bc-legal-system the legal system]
}}In its broadest sense, ''the legal system'' refers to how laws and policies are made, how we decide which problems are legal problems, all of the ways that legal problems are addressed, all of the people involved in resolving legal problems — including politicians, government staff, judges, prosecutors, lawyers, court administrators, mediators, arbitrators, and mental health professionals — and all of the people experiencing legal problems. This chapter takes a narrow view of the legal system, but it's the view that we see in movies and on television, where all legal problems are resolved in court by a judge after listening to lawyers arguing about the law.
==Representing yourself==
{{Clicklawbadge| resourcetype = many helpful resources from the | link = [https://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/organization/solveproblems/1199 National Self-Represented Litigants Project (NSRLP)]
There is no rule that says that you must have a lawyer represent you in court. Although a court proceeding can be complicated to manage and the rules of court can be confusing, you have the right to represent yourself.
If you do decide to represent yourself in a court proceeding, you have a responsibility to the other parties and to the court to learn about the law that applies to your proceeding and the procedural rules that govern common court processes, like document disclosure, and common court processes, like making and replying to interim applications.
A good start would be to read through the other sections in this chapter on [[The Court System for Family Matters]], [[The Law for Family Matters]], and [[You & and Your Lawyer|the role of lawyers]], as well as the chapter on [[Resolving Family Law Problems in Court]]. You might also want to read a short note I've written for people who are representing themselves in a court proceeding, "[[Media:SRL_Bill_of_Rights_and_Responsibilities_-_November_2012_-_JP_Boyd.pdf|The Rights and Responsibilities of the Self-Represented Litigant]]" (PDF).
To find out what to expect in the courtroom, read
==Resources and links==
===Legislation===
*[https://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/resource/4900 Family Law Handbook] from the Canadian Judicial Council
*[https://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/resource/4039 Guide to Preparing for a Family Court Trial in Provincial Court] from the Provincial Court of BC
*[https://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/organization/solveproblems/1199 Resources from The National Self-Represented Litigants Project]
*Legal Aid BC's [https://family.legalaid.bc.ca/ Family Law in BC] website
===Links===
*[http://www.bccourts.ca/ Courts of British Columbia website]
*[https://www.scc-csc.ca/ Supreme Court of Canada website]