Family Docket Court

The purpose of Family Docket Court is to allow the Court to better assess what services and court processes will best serve a family’s needs and to better manage family law matters coming into the Court. The focus will be on reducing lead times and referring parties to processes that will reduce the amount of conflict to which any children are being exposed.

Want to know more about Family Docket Court?  View the following:
Family Docket Court Information Guide
Frequently Asked Questions About Family Docket Court 

Scheduling a Matter into Family Docket Court

To schedule a matter into Family Docket Court, the following steps are required:

1. Select a date from online availability:

Calgary and Edmonton Family Docket Availability

2. Complete both a Notice to Attend Family Docket and a filing request form.  File these in person or by email at QBfiling.Calgary@just.gov.ab.ca for Calgary and QBfiling.Edmonton@just.gov.ab.ca for Edmonton and serve the Notice To Attend on the opposing party and on any other parties involved with the matter (e.g. lawyer for children, Director of Maintenance Enforcement, Director of Child and Family Services). 

If you are submitting the form for filing by email, please refer to the updated announcement:  Email Filing Procedures and Naming Conventions.  You must copy the opposing party(ies) and please include in your subject line:
NOTICE TO ATTEND FAMILY DOCKET - FILE NUMBER (style of cause if originating) - LOCATION

3. The Notice to Attend Family Docket must be served on the other party(s) at least 5 days before the date the matter is scheduled to be heard in Family Docket Court. Service can be affected by personal service, or by email, text message or social media. Whichever method is used for service, the Applicant must be able to satisfy the Court that the party served received the document;

Note:

• It is not necessary for an action to have been started before a matter can be scheduled into Family Docket Court. If you are subsequently directed to file a Claim, Statement of Claim or Application, all of the usual filing fees will apply.
• It is recommended that the Applicant and Respondent take the online Parenting After Separation course and attempt to resolve their dispute using a process outside the Court before scheduling a Family Docket Court date.
• The Court anticipates that there will be access to Legal Aid Duty Counsel as well as other supporting services for Family Docket Court. These supporting services may be somewhat more limited until the Court is fully operational.
  
  

Connecting to the Virtual Courtroom

Family Docket Court will take place in the following Virtual Courtrooms. Please review the Remote Hearings Protocol and Troubleshooting documents prior to your appearance. 

What will occur in Family Docket?

In Family Docket Court, the following will occur:

a) The Court will first explore the possibility of a Consent Order on the issues before the Court;

b) Where no alternate dispute resolution has been attempted, the Court may, depending on the degree of urgency and after considering whether the matter is appropriate for alternate dispute resolution, refer the parties to mediation, Family Resolution Counsel, Early Intervention Case Conference, or other form of dispute resolution before scheduling a more formal Court process;

c) Where appropriate to do so, the Court will schedule the matter for a more formal Court process, including desk application, chambers, and special chambers. As  suspensions are lifted, more Court processes will be available for referral.

d) A Family Docket Court Endorsement will be completed by the Court and provided to the parties/Counsel.  Where required, a formal Order will also be prepared by the Court or by Counsel;

e) If a matter is not ready to proceed, the Court may adjourn the matter to another Family Docket Court date.

If a matter has been referred to a more formal court process from Family Docket Court, and unless that process resulted in a final order, the parties must return to Family Docket Court before any further formal Court processes are scheduled.

Resolution Counsel

(formerly Case Management Counsel)

Parties may be referred to Resolution Counsel from Docket Court. Resolution Counsel are trained lawyers employed by the Court to help parties with a family issue reach an agreement by consent or prepare a litigation plan for Court.

Parties who are being referred to Resolution Counsel will be provided a date in Docket Court for a 1-2.5 hour meeting with Resolution Counsel. The agreement may be turned into a binding Consent Order by the Court. At the end of the meeting, a report will be prepared by Resolution Counsel and available to the Justice sitting in Family Docket Court.

Referrals can be made to Resolution Counsel in cases where: one of the parties is self-represented; one of the parties earns less than $90,000; no other/limited other forms of alternative dispute resolution are available to the parties; prior efforts at resolution have not been successful; and/or the parties are experiencing high conflict or prolonged litigation. 

Require Assistance? 

Court and Justice Services (CJS) is a group of programs and services offered by the Government of Alberta, Justice and Solicitor General in collaboration with the courts of Alberta. These services include information services, assessment services, the Alberta Law Libraries and Dispute Resolution Services.

Court and Justice Services Pamphlet

If you have any questions or require information about safety supports for domestic violence, please call the Court and Justice Services Contact Centre at:

Toll Free: 1-855-738-4747
Edmonton: 780-638-4747

Or visit https://www.alberta.ca/contact-court-and-justice-services.aspx

If you have any questions or require information about safety supports for domestic violence, please call CJS