Official guidance Government guide

Filing family court documents — Guide to procedures in family court

Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General

Source sectionFiling family-court documents; filing methods; court acceptance

Source checked2026-08-07

Related explanation

Process

Filing family court documents

Court: Ontario family courts — court-specific procedure may differ

Filing places a document before the court; it is not the same as serving another party or uploading a hearing copy to Case Center.

Family court documents may be filed through an online portal, at a court counter or by another method permitted for the court and document involved. A document can be properly served but not filed, or filed but not properly served. Both requirements have to be considered separately.

For SCJ matters, uploading material to Case Center is also a separate step from filing. The filing route can depend on the court, location and document type, and current practice directions can change portal or email procedures. The official filing instructions for the case should therefore be checked each time a significant document is filed.

Source summary

What this source covers

Ontario’s procedural guide explains the filing step in a family case and points users to the filing methods and court requirements that apply to their documents.

Key points

Filing is a court step

Filing means providing documents to the court for acceptance. It is different from serving the other party.

Use the current filing method

The available filing method can depend on the court, document and current court direction. Check the court’s current filing instructions before relying on an older workflow.

Acceptance matters

Uploading or submitting a document does not necessarily mean it has been accepted as filed. Court acceptance and any correction request still matter.

For exact wording, dates, exceptions and current requirements, read the original source. Binding law and court directions take priority over explanatory material.

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Law and rules

Related official provisions

Binding law / official textCentral South Region Practice Direction

Part 3 — : Filing Court Documents

Filing Court Documents shall be in accordance with the requirements set out in the Consolidated Provincial Practice Directions, including naming conventions of electronic material being filed, filing methods, timelines for filing, and maximum length of material being filed, except as outlined in this Practice Direction. A. Uploading to Case Center Parties must comply with the requirements regarding uploading material to Case Center as outlined in the appropriate Provincial Practice Direction. This includes timelines for uploading materials in advance of a hearing and material that should not be uploaded to Case Center. In addition to the requirements outlined in the Provincial Practice Directions, parties are encouraged to consult the material regarding Case Center on the Superior Court of Justice website, available here .

Ontario Superior Court of JusticeSuperior Court of Justice — Central South

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Binding law / official textCentral West Region Practice Direction

Rule 13 — (3.1) of the Family Law Rules sets out which documents MUST be included with a Financial Statement where child or spousal support has been sought. An updated Certificate of Financial Disclosure must be provided to the other party.

A party who has not made all reasonable efforts to comply with their disclosure obligations may be subject to a cost sanction, directions/terms imposed and/or the adjournment of any motion brought by that party until compliance. In egregious cases, upon motion, continued non-compliance may result in a party’s pleadings being struck or found in contempt of Court. C. Motions to Change The Family Law Rules direct the Court to determine the next steps in a Motion to Change, with a view to ensuring that these motions proceed in the most efficient manner appropriate in the circumstances. The Court is directed to determine the most appropriate process for reaching an expeditious and just conclusion of the case in the circumstances. A new Motion to Change Endorsement form is available here. Parties are encouraged to provide a draft Motion to Change Endorsement form with their materials for the first judicial conference to obtain early direction regarding the most appropriate process for the case.…

Ontario Superior Court of JusticeSuperior Court of Justice — Central West

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Binding law / official textConsolidated Provincial Practice Direction for Family Proceedings

Rule 13 — (3.1) of the Family Law Rules addresses the documents that must be included with a party’s financial statement where child or spousal support has been sought. A party should provide an updated Certificate of Financial Disclosure (Form 13A) to the other party with this documentation.

If disclosure cannot be resolved prior to the case conference, the party seeking disclosure must include in their materials a list of the outstanding disclosure in accordance with Rule 13(11.01) of the Family Law Rules . The court may award costs pursuant to Rules 17(18) or 24(7) where a party has failed to comply with their disclosure obligations. Counsel and parties should address all disclosure issues in advance of the settlement conference. Any motions for disclosure must be heard in advance of the settlement conference. More information about financial statements and the documents that shall be exchanged to support a financial statement is available here . 1. Automatic Disclosure Orders Under Rule 8.0.1

Ontario Superior Court of JusticeSuperior Court of Justice — province-wide

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Binding law / official textFamily Law Rules

Rule 1.1 — ELECTRONIC FILING AND ISSUANCE OF DOCUMENTS

1.1 Electronic filing and issuance of documents

Government of OntarioO. Reg. 114/99

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Binding law / official textCentral South Region Practice Direction

Part 9 — : Courthouse Specific Procedural Notices A. Hamilton Family Court

B. Kitchener C. St. Catharines D. Welland E. Hamilton Sopinka

Ontario Superior Court of JusticeSuperior Court of Justice — Central South

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Binding law / official textConsolidated Provincial Practice Direction for Family Proceedings

Rule 8.0 — .1 of the Family Law Rules directs the court to issue an automatic order when certain claims are made in an Application, Motion to Change or Answer. This order requires parties to comply with their financial disclosure responsibilities.

The party who receives automatic order from the court must serve the order on every other party in the case according to Rule 8.0.1(5). A party who has not made all reasonable efforts to comply with their disclosure obligations in advance of the case conference may be responsible for the other party’s costs. Upon filing the originating materials, parties will receive a reminder to attend a Mandatory Information Program (Rule 8.1) and to provide an updated email address on all court documents.

Ontario Superior Court of JusticeSuperior Court of Justice — province-wide

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Related subjects:Serve and file documents · Forms and documents · Courts, filing and court services