Who these guides are for and how they work

Important: Information for people with family law cases in Kelowna Provincial Court

These do-it-yourself guides are for people who:

• can't agree with the other party about how to change (sometimes called a variation) an order about custody, access, guardianship, and/or support,

AND

• want to change an order that was originally made in the Provincial Court of British Columbia (Family Court),

OR

• want to respond to an application to change an order that was made in this court.

These guides are also for people who can agree on some issues but not on others, such as what the terms of access should be (for example: how often, or on what day or at what times access should be) or how much spousal or child support should be paid.

These guides won't tell you how to apply for a divorce or divide property. For more information about doing your own divorce, see our online divorce guide.

Note: If either party lives outside BC, you won't be able to use these guides. Contact a lawyer for advice. For more information about getting support and to get the forms you need, see Interjurisdictional Support Orders, a Ministry of Attorney General website.

You may want to watch Making Your Case: The Family Court Process, a 22-minute video (available online) designed for people who have to go to Family Court without a lawyer.

It's a good idea to get some legal help before you begin a guide. You need to know if an application to vary an order is the right choice, or if you need to appeal. To appeal a court order, important time limits must be met. If you have an interim order, you may require a longer trial or a hearing to get a final order. When you go to get legal advice, take a copy of your court order with you.

If you can't afford a lawyer, there are other ways to get legal help, including the Lawyer Referral Service, pro bono (free) clinics, family duty counsel, or advice lawyers. See Who can help for more information.

These guides include:

• a list of steps explaining what to do,
• links to blank copies of the court forms you will need and instructions for filling out these forms,
• information about what happens when you go to court, and
• tips on how to represent yourself if you don't have a lawyer.

Click on the correct guide (see links below) to see a list of step-by-step instructions. Be sure to select the appropriate guide for your situation. Then read the instructions. Once you're familiar with the instructions, print out, download, or open the forms you need and fill them out.

Note: If you're applying to change custody, guardianship, and/or access (that is, support is not involved), you can choose either of the two links below on the left (you're the applicant). If you're responding to an application to change custody, guardianship, and/or access only, you can choose either of the two links below on the right (you're the respondent).