Introduction
About this guide
This step-by-step guide is for people who want to respond to an application for new orders about parenting or support.
This guide will give you step-by-step instructions to:
- fill out the forms you need to respond to an application for a new order,
- file them with the registry, and
- make sure the other person gets the documents.
At the end of the guide, you can choose the next guide to follow, depending on what you want to do.
What is a response to an application?
The other person has applied for a family order, and served you with:
- a copy of their Application to Obtain an Order (Form 1)
- a blank Reply (Form 3) for you to fill out,
- a blank Financial Statement (Form 4) for you to fill out, and
- the applicant's own Financial Statement if they filled one out.
These documents may be served by a process server, or by someone you or the other person knows. You must respond within 30 days. You do this by filling out the Reply (Form 3) and other forms and filing them at the court registry. This guide gives you step-by-step instructions for doing that.
What if I don't respond?
Do not ignore the application. If you don't respond as set out in this guide and within 30 days, the judge may make an order without hearing your side and without your input into the decision.
What the law says about parenting, support, and property when you separate
For more information, see:
Get legal help
It's a good idea to get some legal help before you use this guide. If you can't afford a lawyer, you can get legal help in other ways, including:
- Lawyer Referral Service
- free (pro bono) legal clinics
- family duty counsel
- family advice lawyers
- family justice counsellors
Staff at Justice Access Centres in Abbotsford, Nanaimo, Surrey, Victoria, and Vancouver can also answer your questions and help you fill out forms.
For information about legal aid, see the Legal Aid BC website.