(LPRA)Get a first appearance date

Get a first appearance date

What you need to do to get notice of your first appearance date depends on where you filed your Reply (Form 3).

If you filed in one of the communities listed here and you don't fulfill these requirements, you'll need a court order excusing you from these requirements to get a court date.

Rule 21 registries

  • Abbotsford
  • Campbell River
  • Chilliwack
  • Courtenay
  • Kamloops
  • Kelowna
  • Nanaimo
  • New Westminster
  • North Vancouver
  • Penticton
  • Port Coquitlam
  • Prince George
  • Richmond
  • Surrey
  • Vancouver (Robson Square)
  • Vernon
  • Victoria

Rule 5 registries

  • Kelowna
  • Nanaimo
  • Surrey
  • Vancouver (Robson Square)
  1. You must take a Parenting After Separation class.
  2. You must file at the registry:
  3. The Family Court clerk will send out a Notice of Hearing (Form 3) that will tell you when you need to appear in court. This is called a first appearance.
If you don't take the Parenting After Separation class, you need a court order excusing you from this requirement to get a court date. If you don't file the certificate or have a court order, you won't get a court date.
  1. You must attend a Parenting After Separation class and meet with a family justice counsellor before you can have a court hearing.
  2. You must file at the registry:
  3. The Family Court clerk will send out a first appearance date, even if the other person hasn't filed a Reply (Form 3).
If you don't meet with a family justice counsellor and attend a Parenting After Separation class, you need a court order excusing you from these requirements to get a court date. If you don't file the certificate and confirmation or have a court order, you won't get a court date.

The court clerk will automatically mail you a Notice of Hearing that contains the first appearance date after the other person files their Reply (Form 3). You don't need to do anything further.

Updated on 4 October 2019