Family justice counsellors
Family justice counsellors can give you information about the law and about the Provincial (Family) Court process. Family justice counsellors are government employees who work at Family Justice Centres, which are located across the province (sometimes in the local courthouse). These centres offer a range of services, including:
- information and referral,
- help filling out Family Court forms,
- mediation and conciliation services, and
- help planning a separation agreement.
Family justice counsellors are not lawyers and they do not act for you. They cannot help you with getting a divorce or other Supreme Court matters. They work with both spouses or parents to try to resolve the matter at hand.
In some communities, where the Provincial Court is "designated" under Provincial Court (Family) Rule 5 to promote settling issues outside the courtroom, separating couples must meet with a family justice counsellor before the registry staff will set a first appearance date for their cases.
To contact a family justice counsellor, call Enquiry BC at:
- 604-660-2421 (from Vancouver),
- 250-387-6121 (from Victoria), or
- 1-800-663-7867 (from outside Vancouver and Victoria).
Ask for a transfer to a family justice counsellor near you. You will not need to pay for the call.
You can also visit the Ministry of Justice's Family Justice website for more information on family justice counsellors.
Note: You may have to take an income test if you require services from a family justice counsellor that require more than information and referral.