B.C. Supreme Court application procedures overhauled: serve first, file later, with new timelines

Plain-language summary · AI-assisted · not legal advice

The rules governing how applications are made in B.C. Supreme Court civil and family proceedings have been significantly restructured. The core change is a shift from a "file then serve" model to a "serve then file" model: parties must now serve an unfiled notice of application and supporting evidence on all affected parties before setting the matter down for hearing. New mandatory timelines apply — respondents generally have 5 business days to serve a response (14–21 days for certain family applications), and applicants have 3–5 business days to serve reply affidavits. A new "notice of hearing of application" form must be filed and served at least 4 business days before the hearing (14 days for lengthy applications requiring a registrar to fix a date). Applications estimated to take more than 2 hours must have their hearing date and time set by a registrar. Parties involved in civil or family litigation, and their legal counsel, should review their workflow and calendaring practices to ensure compliance with the new sequence and deadlines.

Who this affects: litigants in B.C. Supreme Court civil proceedings · litigants in B.C. Supreme Court family proceedings · legal counsel and law firms · self-represented litigants · court registrars