Browse official law, court directions, government information, family court forms, plain-language legal education and related videos.
Official Family Law Rules provisions governing case conferences, settlement conferences and trial management conferences, including briefs and confirmations.
Official Family Law Rules provisions governing offers to settle in family cases.
Current OCJ guidance explains the purpose and preparation requirements for settlement conferences, including Form 17C, financial updates, offers to settle, Form 17F and Rule 17 service/filing requirements.
A settlement conference is used to explore settlement, narrow disputed issues, ensure relevant disclosure and organize the case if a trial is still needed.
The OCJ guide identifies Form 17C as the Settlement Conference Brief and describes the information it covers.
Where a financial statement is required, the guide explains when an updated financial statement or affidavit of changes is needed and identifies Form 13A for the certificate of financial disclosure.
The OCJ guide says an Offer to Settle is required for the settlement conference and points to Rule 18. The offer is treated separately from the continuing record.
Form 17F is used to confirm attendance, with Rule 17(14) governing the confirmation requirement.
Rule 17(13) and 17(13.1) govern the conference documents and timing. The guide also explains which materials do and do not go into the continuing record.
Official Ontario family-law form or related court document: Binding Judicial Dispute Resolution Hearing Request and Consent. Its use depends on the governing rule, the issues in the case and any applicable court directions.
Ontario Court Services lists this as Form 43, “Binding Judicial Dispute Resolution Hearing Request and Consent”.
The current English version is version dated 2024-09-23 and effective 2025-01-21.
Read the form together with the current Family Law Rules and any applicable court orders, notices and practice directions. The governing rule determines when the form is required and how it is used.
Official Ontario family-law form or related court document: Binding Judicial Dispute Resolution Hearing Request and Consent – Office of the Children’s Lawyer. Its use depends on the governing rule, the issues in the case and any applicable court directions.
Ontario Court Services lists this as Form 43A, “Binding Judicial Dispute Resolution Hearing Request and Consent – Office of the Children’s Lawyer”.
The current English version is version dated 2024-09-23 and effective 2025-01-21.
Read the form together with the current Family Law Rules and any applicable court orders, notices and practice directions. The governing rule determines when the form is required and how it is used.
Official Ontario family-law form or related court document: Affidavit for Binding Judicial Dispute Resolution Hearing. Its use depends on the governing rule, the issues in the case and any applicable court directions.
Ontario Court Services lists this as Form 43B, “Affidavit for Binding Judicial Dispute Resolution Hearing”.
The current English version is version dated 2024-09-23 and effective 2025-01-21.
Read the form together with the current Family Law Rules and any applicable court orders, notices and practice directions. The governing rule determines when the form is required and how it is used.
Official Ontario family-law form or related court document: Confirmation of Binding Judicial Dispute Resolution Hearing. Its use depends on the governing rule, the issues in the case and any applicable court directions.
Ontario Court Services lists this as Form 43C, “Confirmation of Binding Judicial Dispute Resolution Hearing”.
The current English version is version dated 2024-09-23 and effective 2025-01-21.
Read the form together with the current Family Law Rules and any applicable court orders, notices and practice directions. The governing rule determines when the form is required and how it is used.
Official Ontario guidance describing common required steps in family court, including conferences and trial-management preparation.
The Superior Court guide explains Binding JDR, the consent/approval process, and Forms 43, 43A, 43B and 43C used for the process.
Rule 43 allows parties, with the court’s approval, to use a summary process in which the same judge helps with settlement and makes final orders on unresolved issues in one hearing.
The parties must request and consent to Binding JDR and obtain court approval. Forms 43, 43A, 43B and 43C are used for the request, OCL involvement where applicable, evidence and confirmation.
The Superior Court guide explains that DROs conduct certain conferences at participating Superior Court locations and help identify, narrow or resolve issues.
The Superior Court uses DROs at participating locations to conduct certain family conferences. Rule 17 applies to DRO case conferences.
The process is intended to identify issues, encourage settlement and help determine next steps. The documents required for the conference still have to be prepared and filed.
The Superior Court guide explains case, settlement and trial-management conferences, preparation, materials, page limits and what may happen at the conference.
The Superior Court guide identifies three main conference types under Rule 17: case conferences, settlement conferences and trial management conferences.
A judge or Dispute Resolution Officer can discuss what is agreed, what remains disputed, whether issues can be resolved and how the case should move forward.
The Superior Court practice direction contains requirements for conference materials, including font, spacing, page limits and permitted attachments. Regional directions may add local requirements.
The Superior Court guide explains formal offers to settle and directs readers to Rule 18, including the connection between offers and possible costs.
The Superior Court guide points to Rule 18 for how offers to settle are made and accepted in family cases.
Offers to settle can later be relevant to costs, so the timing and terms of an offer can have procedural consequences.
The provincial practice direction sets court-specific requirements for Binding JDR and points parties to Rule 43 and the required forms.
The practice direction explains that Rule 43, effective January 22, 2025, provides the current Binding Judicial Dispute Resolution process in the Superior Court of Justice.
With consent and court approval, the same judge can assist with settlement and make final orders on unresolved issues. The Rule 43 forms set out the request, evidence and confirmation steps.
The provincial practice direction sets requirements for Superior Court family conference materials, page limits, advance discussions, confirmations, combined conferences and trial-management steps.
The Superior Court practice direction says conference material should address the outstanding issues and avoid irrelevant or excessive attachments.
The province-wide direction sets page limits for case conference and settlement conference briefs and identifies attachments that may be included outside those limits. Regional directions should also be checked.
The provincial practice direction describes the DRO program, Dispute Resolution Conferences, reports and local scheduling procedures.
The practice direction applies to Superior Court DRO programs and describes the role of DROs, dispute resolution conferences, reports and next steps.
A DRO dispute resolution conference is a Rule 17 conference. Parties must prepare the conference documents required by the Rule and the court directions.
Official SCJ self-represented guide to the main stages of a family case and related court tools.
The SCJ guide organizes the stages of a family case so self-represented parties can see how documents, conferences, motions and trial fit together.
The SCJ guide explains that endorsements and orders, along with court information, can be available through Case Center for matters using that system.
Use the SCJ family practice directions and regional directions for court-specific filing, confirmation and hearing requirements.
Official Ontario information explaining family arbitration, the role of an arbitrator, the types of family issues arbitration can address, and how family arbitration awards may be enforced.
Official Ontario information describing family mediation as an out-of-court dispute-resolution process and explaining when it can be used during separation, divorce, or a court case.
Ontario lists family mediation services and explains the kinds of family issues mediation can address.
Justice Canada describes family dispute-resolution processes that can be used outside court where appropriate.
The Superior Court guide describes negotiation, mediation and other family dispute-resolution options that may help resolve issues without a trial.
The Superior Court guide identifies negotiation, mediation and other family dispute-resolution processes as possible ways to work toward agreement without a trial.
Using dispute resolution does not automatically replace every court requirement. Existing court dates, orders and filing obligations still need to be followed unless they are changed.
Steps to Justice explains the steps involved in making a separation agreement and points users to related legal information.
Plain-language orientation to settlement conferences and the steps used to prepare for them.
Steps to Justice describes the goal of the settlement conference as trying to settle issues that remain in dispute.
The page links users to a Guided Pathway for the settlement conference brief and to Rule 17.
The guide explains that a settlement conference may be scheduled after unresolved issues remain following case conferencing.
The guide describes circumstances in which a case and settlement conference may be combined after mediation and other prerequisites are met.
Plain-language explanation of formal offers to settle and how they fit into a family court case.
Steps to Justice explains that a party can make more than one offer to settle while the family case is ongoing.
The Steps to Justice guide includes the potential cost consequences associated with offers that are not accepted, which should be read together with Rules 18 and 24.