Judicial Case Conferences in Supreme Court

Note: Mouse over any of the terms in green type to see a definition.

What is a Judicial Case Conference?

Do I have to attend a Judicial Case Conference?

What if waiting for the Judicial Case Conference to happen will hurt my case?

What is a Judicial Case Conference?

A Judicial Case Conference (JCC) is a confidential meeting that each party involved in a support, custody, guardianship, or access order application in Supreme Court usually must have with a judge or master and the other party, before the court application is made. The purpose of the meeting is to:

  • clearly identify the issues to be decided,
  • review different ways to resolve the issues (such as settlement conferences and mediation), and
  • manage the flow of the case in court (for example, the timing of court hearings, exchanges of information, etc.)

Note: See Rule 60E, Common Questions and Answers (PDF), and the other links under "Judicial Case Conferences" on the "Family Practice Directions, Notices, and Guidelines" page of the Supreme Court website for more information about Judicial Case Conferences.

Do I have to attend a Judicial Case Conference?

The rule that people who are separating must attend a JCC does not apply to four kinds of court applications:

  • any application made with the other party's agreement ("by consent")
  • any application made without notice to the other party
  • an application for an order that spouses "have no reasonable prospect of reconciliation"
  • an application for an order that stops a spouse from dealing with (selling, mortgaging, etc.) property to which the other spouse may have a claim

Our self-help guides do not address these kinds of applications. If you have property issues, get legal advice as soon as possible.

You are not required to have a JCC if the Writ of Summons (Form 127) and Statement of Claim (Form 128) in your case were filed before July 1, 2002. In this case, you can go ahead with your court application. However, you can arrange for a JCC if you would like one before going to court. Having a JCC can save you time, money, and stress, especially if it helps you settle your case.

You must attend a JCC if the Writ of Summons (Form 127) and Statement of Claim (Form 128) in your case were filed with the court after July 1, 2002. Look for the date stamped on the first page of your copy of these documents. If you do not have copies of these documents, you can go to the court where your order was made and ask to see your court file. Take a copy of your order with you, because you will need to give the court file number to the registry clerk at the court.

Note: See the Supreme Court Scheduling page (under "JCC available dates") for a list of dates and times available for a JCC at your local Supreme Court.

What if waiting for the Judicial Case Conference to happen will hurt my case?

In certain circumstances, you may be able to get a court order allowing you to postpone the JCC and have your interim application heard before attending the JCC. See the relevant self-help guide for your situation on this website for more information.

Money paid by one party to the other party as financial support. Support can be paid for a former spouse or for any or all children.
Can refer to where and with whom a child lives, or where a child lives and the rights and responsibilities of a parent regarding the child in his or her care.
The responsibility for making major decisions for children about such things as what kind of education, health care, or religious training they will receive, and how to manage anything the children may own, such as property or money.
Generally means the time children spend with the parent they do not usually live with. However, access is not limited to the parent who does not have custody — any person can apply for access to a child (including grandparents, aunts and uncles, and other relatives).
An approach to solving problems in which a third party intervenes to help two opposing parties settle a problem. Usually mediators are individuals who are specially qualified to help people reach agreements. They may specialize in particular areas, such as custody and access or property division. Some mediators are also lawyers.
A document that tells the court who you are and gives a summary of what you want. In a divorce or family proceeding, the Writ of Summons (Form 127) includes information for the other party. It explains what his or her rights are after being served with these documents, and what he or she needs to do to defend (fight) the divorce or family action. If you are applying jointly with your spouse, you would use a Joint Writ of Summons (Form 127A).
In a Supreme Court family proceeding, a document that tells the court more about you and the other party, such as the details of your marriage and separation, and exactly what you are asking for. This form is used for both divorce and family orders applications. If you are applying for divorce or family order jointly with your spouse, you would use a Joint Statement of Claim (Form 128A).

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