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PARALEGAL LITIGATION USERS GROUP 5 (“PLUG 5”) THE GUIDE TO CIVIL LITIGATION FOR SELF-REPRESENTED LITIGANTS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

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PARALEGAL LITIGATION USERS GROUP 5

(“PLUG 5”)

THE GUIDE TO CIVIL LITIGATION FOR

SELF-REPRESENTED LITIGANTS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

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Table of Contents i. What  is  This  Guide  All  About?             i  

ii. Introduction                 ii  

1. Before  You  Start               1  

2. Telling  My  Story  (Pleadings)             5  

a. Notice  of  Civil  Claim             7  

b. Response  to  Civil  Claim           18  

c. Amendment  to  Pleadings           24  

d. Application  to  Waive  Fees           26  

3. Finding  the  Truth               37  

a. List  of  Documents             38  

b. Examinations  for  Discovery           43  

c. Case  Planning  Conferences             53  

4. What  Are  My  Other  Choices?             69  

a. Fast-­‐Track                 69  

b. Summary  Trial               73  

5. Moving  My  Action  Forward             86  

a. Applications               87  

b. Trial  Management  Conferences         107  

6. What  I  Should  Know  About  Trials           118  

7. What  To  Do  After  Settlement  or  Trial  Judgment       135  

a. Settlement               135  

b. After  the  Trial               136  

c. Settlement  Offers             158  

8. Appendix  A:  Glossary               163  

9. Appendix  B:  Cultural  Diversity  and  the  Canadian  Legal  Process   174  

10. Appendix  C:  Calculating  Time             176  

11. Appendix  D:  Further  Resources  and  References       178  

12. Appendix  E:  Jurisdiction  Guide:  Judge  or  Master       180  

13. Appendix  F:  Self-­‐Represented  Litigant’s  SCBC  Civil  Action  Checklist   182  

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What  is  this  guide  all  about?  7:15  PM  

Access  to  Information  is  Access  to  Justice  

The  Amici  Curiae  Pro  Bono  Paralegal  Program  is  a  clinic  staffed  with  volunteer  paralegals  to  assist  self-­‐represented  litigants  complete  civil  court  forms.    A  group  of  these  paralegals  banded  together  and  we  are  the  authors  of  this  guide.    For  the  last  three  and  a  half  years,  every  Wednesday  at  7:15  pm,  the  Amici  Curiae  Paralegals  saw  the  level  of  anxiety  of  the  self-­‐represented  litigants  rise.  With  15  minutes  left  in  their  session,  with  their  civil  Court  form  awaiting  the  duty  counsel's  review,  they  cannot  help  but  think:  now  what?    Soon  enough,  with  their  approved  document  in  hand,  their  paralegal  instructs  them:  provide  three  copies  to  the  registry  for  them  to  stamp,  the  registry  will  keep  one  copy,  you  keep  one  copy,  and  serve  one  to  the  other  party.  Do  this.  Do  that.  It  has  been  a  long  evening,  and  with  the  oral  instructions  coming  fast,  there  is  hardly  enough  time  to  remember  everything.  Some  self-­‐represented  litigants  can  be  seen  furiously  scribbling  notes.    Never  mind  trying  to  understand  what  is  going  on:  at  the  back  of  their  mind,  they  know  they  have  a  bigger  problem.  Now  what?  they  ask  silently.  Afraid.  Bewildered.  Anxious.    We  could  see  the  cumulative  hurdles  and  resulting  frustrations  that  our  self-­‐represented  litigant  clients  were  bearing.    So  we  decided  to  form  a  special  Amici  Curiae  group:  the  Paralegal  Litigation  Users  Group  5  (“PLUG  5”),  to  improve  access  to  justice  by  providing  access  to  information.  PLUG  5's  original  goal  was  modest,  but  by  no  means  simple:  to  provide  our  clients  with  tips  on  how  to  prepare  and  conduct  themselves  accordingly  when  they  appear  in  front  of  a  Judge,  Master  or  Registrar;  and  to  create  checklists  and  flowcharts  to  manage  their  Court  case.      What  was  supposed  to  be  a  few  sheets  turned  into  a  200-­‐page  guide  on  procedures  because  we  wanted  to  give  the  Amici  Curiae  clients  a  document  that  was  comprehensive  and  understandable.    Legal  principles  and  terms,  which  the  legal  profession  can  take  for  granted,  had  to  be  identified  and  re-­‐cast  in  plain  language  for  the  benefit  of  the  Amici  Curiae  clients.      The  guide  also  addresses  concepts  that  will  help  the  SRL:  why  it  is  important  to  think  about  costs;  the  many  ways  to  save  money;  what  the  implications  of  offers  to  settle  are;  why  signing  Orders  is  beneficial  to  them;  and  why  they  should  consider  bringing  a  Mckenzie  Friend  along  to  sit  with  them.    PLUG  5  also  did  something  innovative  -­‐  they  worked  closely  with  Ms.  Jennifer  Muller,  a  self-­‐represented  litigant,  who  reviewed  the  drafts  and  provided  us  with  her  perspective.    And  it  is  gratifying  to  see  how  Amici  Curiae,  which  is  Latin  for  “friends  of  the  Court”,  continues  to  acquire  more  friends.  Judges  from  the  Provincial  Court  of  British  Columbia;  Justices,  Masters,  Registrars,  Deputy  District  Registrars  from  the  Supreme  Court  of  BC;  lawyers  (one  of  whom  used  to  be  a  self-­‐represented  litigant)  have  all  had  a  hand  in  clarifying  technical  issues,  suggesting  novel  approaches,  sharing  their  perspectives  and  most  importantly,  providing  moral  support.    On  behalf  of  the  self-­‐represented  litigants  that  we  serve,  thank  you.  

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INTRODUCTION    

To  the  self-­‐represented  litigant,  this  guide  was  written  for  you.    It  is  designed  to  simplify  court  procedures  in  your  quest  for  a  legal  solution.  

Social  justice  means  the  law  applies  equally  to  all  persons.    In  the  judicial  system,  you  should  have  the  same  opportunity  to  present  a  legal  claim  as  a  person  who  can  afford  a  lawyer’s  services.    However,  more  often  than  not,  those  who  cannot  afford  a  lawyer  already  feel  defeated  and  the  gap  between  the  “haves”  and  the  “have-­‐nots”  becomes  wider  and  wider.    

This  project  attempts  to  bridge  the  widening  gap  by  offering  a  practical,  hands-­‐on  effort;  an  effort  which  involved  contributions  from  all  levels  of  process  and  perspective.  From  its  inception  in  response  to  an  Amici  Curiae  lecture  given  by  the  Honourable  Mr.  Justice  Walker,  to  numerous  paralegals  from  multiple  areas  of  law,  to  other  self-­‐represented  litigants  who  have  battled  a  Court  action,  the  completed  project  hopes  to  provide  a  comprehensive  and  realistic  picture  of  how  to  navigate  through  a  Court  file.    It  highlights  what  to  consider  and  practical  tips  which  would  otherwise  be  information  exclusive  to  the  legal  professionals  and  their  experiences.  

While  the  contributors  of  the  project  are  not  able  to  provide  legal  advice,  the  content  of  the  guide  focuses  specifically  on  procedure:  how  the  process  works,  why  certain  procedures  are  carried  out,  what  the  effect  of  each  turn  in  the  case  can  mean,  how  to  fill  out  the  proper  forms,  examples  of  how  much  filing  fees  are,  what  other  options  are  available,  and  useful  appendices  that  can  assist  for  further  explanation  or  references.    The  authors  have  specifically  designed  the  content  to  bear  in  mind  several  key  issues:  

1. The  guide  itself  may,  in  the  future,  become  accessible  as  an  online  tool,  and  so  the  hyperlinks  and  sectioning  of  information  can  be  condensed  for  readers  who  have  access  to  Internet  resources.    The  guide  envisions  being  adapted  for  a  wide-­‐reaching  audience;  and  

2. Each  section  explains  a  specific  portion  of  the  civil  litigation  process.    The  idea  is  that  you  would  be  able  to  simply  pull  out  the  section  about  your  current  place  within  the  litigation,  for  example,  preparing  for  and  attending  at  discoveries,  case  planning  conferences,  trials,  etc.    In  this  way,  the  guide  can  be  read  as  a  whole  for  the  broad  picture,  or  simply  referred  to  on  an  as-­‐needed  basis.  This  would  be  particularly  useful  for  organizations  that  help  self-­‐represented  litigants,  such  as  the  Amici  Curiae.  

Though  acutely  aware  that  a  project  with  a  scope  as  large  as  this  will  not  have  the  capacity  to  imagine  all  situations,  this  guide  is  attempting  to  at  least  be  a  resource  that  can  be  understood  by  those  without  any  legal  training.    As  there  is  an  overwhelming  amount  of  people  who  have  no  other  option  than  to  represent  themselves,  our  offering  of  procedural  explanations  and  definitions  of  legalese  can  optimistically  continue  the  dialogue  and  efforts  of  promoting  access  to  justice  and  maintaining  an  equal  approach  to  our  legal  system.  

This  work  by  the  paralegals  is  part  of  their  commitment  to  increasing  access  to  justice.  

 

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1.  BEFORE  YOU  START    

 

 

 

 

Potential  Costs  of  Litigation  With  every  litigation  there  is  always  the  risk  that  you  could  end  up  paying  large  sums  of  money.    British  Columbia  has  a  ‘loser  pays’  system,  which  means  that  the  losing  party  is  usually  ordered  to  pay  costs  to  the  winning  party,  aside  from  your  time  and  your  own  expenses.    Costs  are  sums  of  money  ordered  by  the  Court  to  compensate  the  winning  party  the  expense  of  litigating  the  action.      Claiming  sympathetic  circumstances  or  financial  hardship  will  not  help  a  losing  party  to  avoid  paying  costs.    There  are  ways  to  enforce  a  Court  Order,  including  garnishing  someone’s  wages  to  recover  a  debt.  

You  may  want  to  consider  alternative  ways  to  resolve  your  dispute  to  reduce  the  costs.    Up  until  the  first  day  of  trial,  either  party  may  make  an  offer  to  settle  the  matter.  Please  refer  to  section  8(a)  on  “Settlement  Offers”.  

Which  Court  should  be  used?  Small  Claims  Court  vs.  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia  

In  order  to  determine  in  which  Court  you  should  start  your  action,  consider  these  factors:  

  Provincial  Court  (Small  Claims)   Supreme  Court  Filing  Fees    

The  Notice  of  Claim  starts  the  action  and  has  a  filing  fee  of  either  $100  or  $156  (subject  to  the  claim  amount).  The  Reply  to  Claim  responds  to  the  claim  and  has  a  filing  fee  of  either  $26  or  $50  (subject  to  the  claim  amount).  

The  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  starts  the  action  and  has  a  filing  fee  of  $200.  The  Response  to  Civil  Claim  responds  to  the  claim  and  has  a  filing  fee  of  $25.  

Amount  Claimable    

The  maximum  you  can  recover  from  the  Defendant(s)  is  $25,000.  

Unlimited    

Jurisdiction   Only  has  jurisdiction  over  claims  for:  • debt  or  damages,    • recovery  of  personal  

property,    • specific  performance  of  an  

agreement  relating  to  personal  property  or  services,  or    

• relief  from  opposing  claims  to  personal  property    

 

Can  hear  any  type  of  action,  whether  civil  or  criminal,  and  appeals  from  the  Provincial  Court  (civil  and  criminal  cases)  and  appeals  from  arbitrations.  

Consider  carefully  before  you  start  

1. What  are  the  potential  costs?  

2. Which  Court  should  be  used?  

3. Has  the  time  limit  passed?  

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The  Small  Claims  Court  does  not  have  jurisdiction  to  hear  claims  relating  to  libel,  slander  or  malicious  prosecution.    

For  the  most  current  filing  fees,  please  go  to:  

Provincial  Court  of  British  Columbia  (Small  Claims):  http://www.bclaws.ca/EPLibraries/bclaws_new/document/ID/freeside/261_93_05b    

Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia:  http://www.bclaws.ca/civix/document/LOC/complete/statreg/-­‐-­‐%20C%20-­‐-­‐/Court%20Rules%20Act%20%5BRSBC%201996%5D%20c.%2080/05_Regulations/17_168_2009%20-­‐%20Supreme%20Court%20Civil%20Rules/168_2009_08.xml    

Has  the  time  limit  passed?    Every  step  of  the  litigation  has  a  time  limit.    When  you  miss  your  deadlines,  there  are  consequences.    There  is  a  time  limit  even  before  you  start  your  action.    Before  you  spend  the  time  and  money,  confirm  that  you  are  still  legally  allowed  to  sue  the  other  party.      There  are  rules  that  set  out  the  time  period    and  deadlines  for  people  to  sue  one  another  in  Court  -­‐  this  is  called  a  limitation  period.    It  is  like  an  expiry  date.    Limitation  periods  are  governed  by  the  Limitation  Act,  SBC  2012,  c  13.  Your  claim  must  be  started  within  the  limitation  period  because  once  the  limitation  period  expires,  you  give  up  your  right  to  claim  anything  from  the  offending  party.     Limitation Act:

  Purpose:   to  set  the  time  periods  that  people  have  to  sue  one  another  in  Civil  Court.  

Applies  to:   all  civil  claims  unless  another  statute  has  its  own  specific  limitation  date.   There are two types of Limitation Periods:

1. Basic  Limitation  Period,  which  runs  for  2  years;  and  

2. Ultimate  Limitation  Period,  which  runs  for  15  years.    Each  limitation  period  has  a  different  trigger,  as  set  out  in  the  table  below:    Basic  Limitation  Period   Ultimate  Limitation  Period  Starts  on  the  day  you  discover  your  claim      To  discover  your  claim,  you  need  to  know  or  should  have  known  that  your  injury,  loss,  or  damage  happened  and  was  caused  by  another  person    

Starts  to  run  on  the  date  the  incident  occurred    

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Examples  

Example  of  the  Basic  Limitation  Period  

• You  hired  a  contractor  to  build  your  porch,  and  it  was  finished  on  January  1,  2015.    

• When  you  were  gardening  one  day,  you  noticed  the  porch  was  slanted.  You  walk  around  the  porch  and  discover  that  the  back  half  of  the  porch  is  rotting  and  decaying.  The  date  you  realized  this  was  happening  was  May  1,  2016.    

• Because  you  discovered  the  rot  and  decay  on  May  1,  2016,  you  have  until  May  1,  2018  to  start  your  action  against  your  contractor.  

Example  of  the  Ultimate  Limitation  Period  

• You  hired  a  contractor  to  build  your  porch  and  it  was  finished  on  January  1,  2015.    

• You  were  not  so  sharp  this  time  and  did  not  notice  that  your  porch  was  slanting.  However,  for  this  example,  the  rot  and  decay  began  on  May  1,  2016.    

• When  you  were  hosting  a  patio  party  on  January  1,  2029,  you  invited  everyone  to  the  porch  to  have  some  drinks,  and  the  porch  completely  collapsed.  From  this  event,  you  discovered  that  your  porch  was  not  properly  built.  

 

Date   What  is  this  date?  Type  of  Limitation  

Period  Limitation  Ends  

On  

January  1,  2015  act/omission  legal  claim  is  based  on  

Ultimate  Limitation  Period  (15  Years)  

January  1,  2030  

May  1,  2016   rot  and  decay  starts     n/a   n/a  

January  1,  2029  You  discovered  the  porch  was  not  properly  built  

Basic  Limitation  Period  (2  Years)  

January  1,  2030  

• Although  the  Basic  Limitation  Period  is  two  years  and  should  end  January  1,  2031,  we  have  to  think  about  the  Ultimate  Limitation  Period,  which  ended  on  January  1,  2030.  The  Ultimate  Limitation  Period  will  set  the  absolute  last  date  to  start  an  action  against  the  contractor  in  Court,  and  will  take  priority  over  the  Basic  Limitation  Period.        

• In  this  scenario,  you  would  only  have  until  January  1,  2030  to  start  your  claim  against  your  contractor.  

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On  June  1,  2013,  the  new  (and  current)  Limitation  Act,  SBC  2012,  c  13  replaced  the  old  Limitation  Act,  RSBC  1996,  c.  266,  so  claims  that  occurred  before  June  1,  2013,  fall  under  the  old  Limitation  Act.    

Did  Your  Act/Omission  Occur  Before  June  1,  2013?  

If  your  answer  is  no,  then  move  on  to  the  Pleadings  section.  

If  you  answer  yes,  go  to  http://www.ag.gov.bc.ca/legislation/limitation-­‐act/2012.htm  for  guidance  under  the  old  Limitation  Act,  RSBC  1996,  c.  266  .  

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2.  TELLING  MY  STORY  

 

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PLEADINGS  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  3-­‐1,  3-­‐2,  3-­‐3,  and  3-­‐7)  

 The  forms  are  found  at:      

http://www.ag.gov.bc.ca/courts/other/supreme/2010SupRules/info/index_civil.htm  

 

What  are  Pleadings?    Pleadings  are  structured  legal  forms  that  are  designed:  

1. to  start  your  legal  claim  or  to  respond  to  a  legal  claim,  

2. to  tell  the  facts  of  the  dispute,  

3. to  set  the  limits  of  what  the  case  is  about  for  the  Court  –  you  are  only  allowed  to  deal  with  the  issues  set  out  in  the  pleadings,    

4. to  provide  a  summary  of  why  you  are  entitled  to  the  award  you  are  seeking,  and    

5. to  set  out  the  proposed  place  of  trial.    Example:   Notice  of  Civil  Claim       the  first  pleading  that  initiates  the  action      

Response  to  Civil  Claim     the  second  pleading  that  responds  to  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  

 

Who  files  a  pleading?  If  you  are  starting  a  claim,  you  are  the  PLAINTIFF.    Go  to  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  (Supreme  Court  Civil Rule  3-­1.    If  you  have  been  served  with  a  Notice  of  Civil  Claim,  you  are  the  DEFENDANT.    Go  to  the  Response  to  Civil  Claim  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  3-­‐3.      

If  you  cannot  afford  to  pay  the  Court  filing  fees  Go  to  the  Application  to  Waive  Fees.  

A  pleading  is  where  you  get  to  tell  your  side  of  the  story.    The  clearer  it  is,  the  better  other  people  will  understand  why  you  deserve  compensation  or  why  the  lawsuit  should  go  away.  

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Notice  of  Civil  Claim  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  3-­‐1)  

 The  forms  are  found  at:      

http://www.ag.gov.bc.ca/courts/other/supreme/2010SupRules/info/index_civil.htm  

         

What  is  a  Notice  of  Civil  Claim?  The  document  that  starts  a  legal  action.  

Who  files  a  Notice  of  Civil  Claim?  The  Plaintiff  is  the  party  (person  or  organization)  starting  a  legal  action,  and  who  files  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim.  

Why  file  a  Notice  of  Civil  Claim?  You  are  asking  for  the  Court’s  assistance  to  get  compensation  for  a  wrong  done  to  you,  or  to  make  another  party  do  something.    The  lawsuit  you  are  about  to  start  is  called  an  “action”.    The  subject  matter  your  action  is  based  on  is  called  a  “claim”.    For  example:    

Ms.  Doe  slips  and  falls  on  the  floor  at  XYZ  Restaurant.    She  suffers  from  injuries  caused  by  the  fall.    She  sues  XYZ  Restaurant.    She  says  that  XYZ  Restaurant  was  negligent  (i.e.  was  not  careful  enough  to  keep  the  floor  dry)  because  it  created  a  safety  hazard,  causing  her  to  fall  and  hurt  herself.    The  lawsuit  =  action  (when  speaking  generally)    The  claim  =  negligence  (what  the  lawsuit  is  about)  

 Each  claim  is  assigned  an  “action  number”  by  the  Registry.    You  will  see  this  action  number  and  the  location  of  the  Court  Registry  where  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  was  filed  on  the  top  right-­‐hand  corner  of  every  Court  document.    Examples  of  civil  actions  may  include:    

a) Debt  -­‐  you  provided  a  service  and  the  other  party  refuses  to  pay  for  it;  b) Personal  injury  claims  -­‐  car  accidents,  slipping  and  falling  on  someone’s  property,  etc.;  or  c) Wrongful  dismissal  -­‐  you  were  unjustly  fired  from  your  employment  and  the  employer  did  

not  give  you  any  or  enough  severance  pay.    

A  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  is  where  you  get  to  tell  your  side  of  the  story.    The  clearer  it  is,  the  better  other  people  will  understand  why  you  are  bringing  this  dispute  to  the  Court’s  attention  and  deserve  compensation.  

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If  you  have  to  call  to  inquire  about  your  action  at  the  courthouse,  the  Registry  will  almost  always  ask  you  for  the  “action  number”  as  that  is  the  fastest  way  for  them  to  find  the  Court  file  and  assist  you.        

Where  can  a  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  be  found?  If  you  have  a  computer:  http://www.ag.gov.bc.ca/courts/other/supreme/2010SupRules/info/index_civil.htm  

If  you  do  not  have  access  to  a  computer:  

a) At  the  courthouse  library;  

b) At  a  public  library,  which  usually  have  computers  and  printers  with  internet  access;  or  

c) The  Justice  Access  Centre  (in  Vancouver).  

Where  is  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  filed?  Choose  the  Registry  closest  to  your  location.    After  the  first  filing,  you  will  file  all  future  Court  documents  at  that  same  Registry.    A  list  of  courthouse  locations  are  found  at  this  website:  http://www.ag.gov.bc.ca/courts/overview/locations/index.htm    

Things  you  need  to  know  about  each  party  involved:  1. Full  legal  names  of  each  person/organization  

a) Person  –  Include  the  full  legal  names  of  the  parties.    If  “John  Smith”  also  goes  by  “John  Michael  Smith”  you  would  write,  “John  Smith  a.k.a.  John  Michael  Smith”.  

 b) Businesses  –  you  need  the  corporate  name  which  can  be  different  from  the  name  you  

see  on  a  sign.    For  example,  the  company  123456  B.C.  Ltd.  doing  business  as  Ronda’s  Store.    The  only  way  to  get  the  correct  corporate  name  is  to  do  a  corporate  search.    

 You  can  submit  your  request  in  person  with  any  of  the  following  service  providers:    i.          Service  BC  Centre    

 ii.      BC  Registry  Services    

2nd  Floor,  Room  200  940  Blanshard  Street  Victoria  BC  V8W  3E6  

                   iii.      Small  Business  BC    

82  -­‐  601  West  Cordova  Street  Vancouver  BC  V6B  1G1  

 iv.        A  title  search  company  

 2. Each  party’s  address  (you  cannot  use  PO  boxes).  

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PLEADINGS:  Forms  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules,  BC  Reg  168/2000:  Rules  2-­1,  3-­1,  3-­3,  3-­7,  4-­3,  4-­6,  and  20-­5)  

1. Form    1  -­‐  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  2. Form  15  –  Affidavit  of  Personal  Service  3. Form    2  -­‐  Response  to  Civil  Claim  4. Application  to  Waive  Fees  

a. Form  17  -­‐  Requisition  b. Form  79  –  Order  to  Waive  Fees  c. Form  80  –  Affidavit  in  Support  of  Order  to  Waive  Fees  

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HOW  TO  DO  THIS    The  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  is  broken  down  into  4  sections:  

1. Style  of  Proceedings;  2. Part  1:  Statement  of  Facts;  3. Part  2:  Relief  Sought;  and  4. Part  3:  Legal  Basis.  

 

1.  Style  of  Proceedings    

• At  the  top  of  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim,  you  will  see  this:  No.  ____________  

Vancouver  Registry  

In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia  

Between:  

Jane  Doe  

Plaintiff  

and:  

John  Smith  

                      Defendant      

• This  identifies  your  case.    It  is  called  a  ‘style  of  proceeding’,  which  you  will  use  on  all  of  your  Court  forms.      

• On  this  form,  leave  the  right-­‐corner  “No.  _____  “  blank  -­‐  the  Registry  will  provide  you  with  an  action  number  upon  filing,  which  you  and  the  Defendant  must  then  use  on  all  the  following  Court  forms  filed  in  the  Registry.    

• Insert  the  location  of  the  Registry  in  the  next  line.      

2.  “Part  1:  Statement  of  Facts”    This  is  where  you  get  to  tell  your  side  of  the  story.    Stick  to  the  facts.    In  this  section,  write  down,  in  chronological  order  and  numbered  paragraphs,  all  the  facts  that  led  to  the  dispute  or  incident.    

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 1. Start  off  by  stating  who  the  parties  are:  

“The  Parties:    1. The  Plaintiff,  Jane  Doe,  (the  “Plaintiff”),  [occupation,  if  known],  resides  at  1234  

Candylane  Crescent,  Vancouver,  British  Columbia.    2. The  Defendant,  John  Smith,  (the  “Defendant”)  [occupation,  if  known],  resides  at  

9909  Rocky  Road,  Victoria,  British  Columbia.    3. The  Defendant,  XYZ  Company,  is  a  corporate  body  registered  under  the  laws  of  

British  Columbia,  and  has  a  registered  and  records  office  at  5678  Caramel  Avenue,  New  Westminster,  British  Columbia.  

 2. Then,  begin  with  the  background  facts  leading  up  to  the  case  –  be  brief  and  specific.    Do  not  

include  your  feelings  or  the  feelings  of  others.    Pinpoint  the  facts  that  led  up  to  the  conflict  or  dispute.  

1. On  January  11,  2011,  it  was  a  snowy  afternoon  and  the  Plaintiff  was  driving  his  car,  traveling  west  on  41st  Avenue,  in  Vancouver,  and  the  Defendant  was  driving  and  travelling  the  same  direction  in  the  same  lane.  The  Defendant’s  car  was  behind  the  Plaintiff’s  car.    

2. At  around  4:00  p.m.,  the  Plaintiff  had  completely  stopped  at  a  red  light  on  41st  Avenue  and  Cambie  Street.  The  Defendant  failed  to  stop,  and  rear-­‐ended  the  Plaintiff’s  vehicle.  

   Important  Notes:  

• The  facts  do  not  include  the  feelings  you  have  towards  the  other  party.    If  someone  breached  a  contract,  you  state  that  there  was  a  breach  of  contract  and  how  the  breach  happened.    You  only  want  to  state  real  facts  and  not  what  you  believe  happened.    

• Evidence  is  information  that  can  prove  the  facts  that  you  say  happened.    Do  not  include  evidence,  if  any,  in  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim,  because  the  evidence  is  for  trial.  You  do  not  need  to  go  into  detail  about  the  evidence,  but  remember  that  whatever  you  state  in  your  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  will  have  to  be  proven  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  3-­7).    

• A  party  is  not  allowed,  in    a  later  pleading,  to  state  anything  that  is  inconsistent  from  a  previous  pleading  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  3-­7(6)).    Although  there  is  an  opportunity  to  change  your  pleading,  you  cannot  change  them  to  state  a  fact  that  is  contrary  or  different  from  what  you  said  before,  or  add  another  claim  that  you  have  not  previously  mentioned.    

• When  you  state  unnecessary  facts,  or  make  scandalous,  or  frivolous  claims,  the  pleadings  may  be  disregarded  by  the  Court  (this  is  known  as  the  pleadings  being  “struck”  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  9-­5)).    Once  your  pleadings  are  struck,  your  case  is  over.  If  your  pleadings  do  not  show  that  you  have  a  reasonable  claim,  the  action  will  not  proceed.    It  is  very  important  to  remember  the  reason  behind  your  pleadings  –  your  claim  is  not  about  your  feelings.  

 After  giving  the  facts  of  the  incident/conflict,  state  what  happened  because  of  the  conflict.  You  should  think  about  how  you  have  suffered  and  in  what  way.    

   Here  is  a  list  of  items  you  might  say  resulted  from  the  conflict:  

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a) pain  and  suffering  (i.e.  emotional  distress);  b) loss  of  earnings,  both  past  and  future  (i.e.  you  lost  wages  because  you  were  not  or  are  not  

able  to  work);  c) loss  of  earning  capacity  –  (i.e.  are  you  able  to  find  employment  in  the  same  area  of  work  and  

make  the  same  amount?);  d) loss  of  home  maintenance  capacity  –  (i.e.  if  you  are  having  problems  doing  dishes,  laundry,  

and  other  home  care  tasks);  e) cost  of  future  care  and  treatments  (i.e.  how  much  longer  will  you  need  to  do  physiotherapy?,  

take  prescription  drugs?  etc.);  f) special  damages  –  these  are  actual  and  calculable  losses.    You  need  to  keep  your  receipts  for  

all  of  the  treatments  and  prescription  drugs  not  covered  by  MSP.      

3.  “Part  2:  Relief  Sought”    Relief  means  the  remedy  you  want  at  the  end  of  the  litigation.    In  this  section,  write  down,  using  numbered  paragraphs,  the  kind  of  remedy  you  are  asking  the  Court  to  give  you.    Here  is  a  list  of  possible  relief  sought:  

1. General  damages  against  the  Defendant  for  pain  and  suffering;  2. Special  damages  against  the  Defendant;  3. Costs  against  the  Defendant;  4. Interest  pursuant  to  the  Court  Order  Interest  Act  R.S.B.C.  1996,  c.  79.  

 You  may  end  this  section  with  the  following  statement:  

“Such  further  and  other  relief  as  to  this  Honourable  Court  may  deem  just  and  meet.  “    This  is  a  standard  “catch-­‐all”  phrase  commonly  used  to  basically  say  ‘whatever  else  the  Court  thinks  is  fair  to  grant’.  

 Important  Notes:  

• In  law,  the  amount  of  relief  you  get  is  partly  dependent  upon  past  cases  that  are  similar  in  situation  to  yours.    This  practice  is  called  “case  law”.    If  you  ask  for  money,  you  need  to  show  the  Court  why  you  deserve  that  amount.    To  do  that,  you  can  look  up  previous  cases  that  have  similar  facts  to  your  situation  and  see  how  much  the  Plaintiff  won  in  those  cases.    This  means  research  needs  to  be  done.  What  the  Court  can  reasonably  order  as  a  result  of  this  specific  dispute  is  dependent  on  your  research.    You  will  find  free  case  law  available  at  www.CanLii.org.    

• Do  not  specify  an  amount  for  general  damages  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  3-­7(14)).    

4.  “Part  3:  Legal  Basis”  In  this  section,  using  numbered  paragraphs,  summarize  and  list  the  details  of  what  the  Defendant  did  and  what  law  (Court  Rules,  legislation,  and/or  case  law)  that  you  will  be  relying  on.        Here  is  an  example  of  a  general  statement:  

1. The  negligence  of  the  Defendant  caused  injury  to  the  Plaintiff;  

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2. The  Defendant  violated  his  legal  duty  to  exercise  reasonable  care  and  caused  injury  to  the  Plaintiff.  

3. The  Plaintiff  relies  on  the  Motor  Vehicle  Act,  R.S.B.C.  1996,  c.  318.  4. The  Plaintiff  relies  on  the  Negligence  Act,  R.S.B.C.  1996,  c.  333.  

 

Plaintiff's  address  for  service:  1234  Candylane  Crescent,  Vancouver,  B.C.  [Set  out  the  street  address  

of  the  address  for  service.  One  or  both  of  a  fax  number  and  an  e-­mail  address  may  be  given  as  

additional  addresses  for  service.]  

Fax  number  address  for  service  (if  any):  N/A  

E-­‐mail  address  for  service  (if  any):  [email protected]    

Place  of  trial:  Vancouver  

The  address  of  the  registry  is:  800  Smithe  Street,  Vancouver,  B.C.  

   

Date:  ................[dd/mmm/yyyy].................   .................................................................................  

                           Signature  of  Jane  Doe                            Plaintiff  

[This  next  section  describes  your  duty  to  disclose  documents  relevant  to  the  litigation.    Go  to  List of Documents  to  learn  how  to  do  this.]  

Rule  7-­‐1  (1)  of  the  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  states:  

(1)  Unless  all  parties  of  record  consent  or  the  Court  otherwise  orders,  each  party  of  record  to  an  action  must,  within  35  days  after  the  end  of  the  pleading  period,  

(a)  prepare  a  list  of  documents  in  Form  22  that  lists  

(i)  all  documents  that  are  or  have  been  in  the  party's  possession  or  control  and  that  could,  if  available,  be  used  by  any  party  at  trial  to  prove  or  disprove  a  material  fact,  and  

(ii)  all  other  documents  to  which  the  party  intends  to  refer  at  trial,  and  

(b)  serve  the  list  on  all  parties  of  record.    

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Appendix  

[The  following  information  is  provided  for  data  collection  purposes  only  and  is  of  no  legal  effect.]  

Part  1:  CONCISE  SUMMARY  OF  NATURE  OF  CLAIM:      

Briefly  describe  your  claim.    You  might  say,  “Personal  injury  action”.  

Part  2:  THIS  CLAIM  ARISES  FROM  THE  FOLLOWING:  

[Check  one  box  below  for  the  case  type  that  best  describes  this  case.]  

A  personal  injury  arising  out  of:  

[X]  a  motor  vehicle  accident  

[    ]  medical  malpractice  

[    ]  another  cause  

A  dispute  concerning:  

[    ]  contaminated  sites  

[    ]  construction  defects  

[    ]  real  property  (real  estate)  

[    ]  personal  property  

[    ]  the  provision  of  goods  or  services  or  other  general  commercial  matters  

[    ]  investment  losses  

[    ]  the  lending  of  money  

[    ]  an  employment  relationship  

[    ]  a  will  or  other  issues  concerning  the  probate  of  an  estate  

[x]  a  matter  not  listed  here  

Part  3:  THIS  CLAIM  INVOLVES:  

[Check  all  boxes  below  that  apply  to  this  case]  

[    ]  a  class  action  

[    ]  maritime  law  

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[    ]  aboriginal  law  

[    ]  constitutional  law  

[    ]  conflict  of  laws  

[X]  none  of  the  above  

[    ]  do  not  know  

Part  4:  

[If  an  enactment  is  being  relied  on,  specify.  Do  not  list  more  than  3  enactments.]          Now  that  you  have  completed  filling  in  these  sections,  you  will  start  this  proceeding  by  bringing  your  claim  to  the  attention  of  the  Court.  

Bringing  Your  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  to  Court  • Make  3  copies  of  your  completed  Notice  of  Civil  Claim–  one  for  the  Court,  one  for  yourself,  

and  one  for  the  Defendant  (1  copy  per  Defendant).  

• Bring  your  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  to  the  Registry  and  find  the  desk  for  civil  litigation.  

o You  can  file  the  Notice  to  Civil  Claim  in  one  of  the  following  ways:   in  person  at  the  registry  –  Tell  the  Court  clerk  that  you  want  to  file  a  Notice  

of  Civil  Claim.    The  clerk  will  open  your  file,  provide  a  Registry  file  number  (which  will  be  stamped  at  the  top  of  your  document),  and  stamp  and  return  the  remaining  copies  of  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  to  you.    For  the  options  below,  the  stamped  copy  will  be  sent  to  you  using  the  contact  information  you  have  provided  on  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim;  

by  mail  to  the  appropriate  registry  with  payment;   electronically  through  Court  Services  Online  (this  method  requires  you  to  

set  up  an  online  account);  or   by  fax  for  certain  designated  fax  filing  registries  (you  provide  payment  

through  your  credit  card  on  a  fax  cover  sheet).    These  Registries  accept  fax  filing:  See  PD  9  at  http://www.courts.gov.bc.ca/supreme_court/practice_and_procedure/civil_practice_directions.aspx    

• It  costs  $200.00  to  file  a  Notice  of  Civil  Claim.    You  can  pay  by  cash,  cheque  (payable  to  the  ‘Minister  of  Finance’),  or  credit  card.  

If  you  cannot  afford  the  $200.00  filing  fee,  go  to  Application  to  Waive  Fees  

Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  20-­5.    Be  aware  that  if  you  proceed  with  this  Application  to  Waive  Fees,  you  need  to  attend  the  Registry  in  person  when  you  file  your  Notice  of  Civil  Claim.  

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Serving  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  4-­3)  Mark  this  in  your  calendar:  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  must  be  served  within  12  months  of  the  filing  date  (the  date  stamped  by  the  Registry).    Each  Defendant  needs  to  be  served.  You  can  only  notify  the  other  parties  that  the  action  has  started  through  personal  service.  This  means  you  can  serve  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  yourself  or  have  someone  else  do  this  for  you,  but  it  must  be  personally  served  on  each  Defendant.    Process  servers  are  a  good  idea  if  you  anticipate  having  trouble  reaching  a  party.    

 *The  Defendant  will  have  21  days  to  file  and  serve  a  Response  from  the  date  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  is  served  upon  them.        Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  4-­‐3(2)  sets  out  how  you  serve  different  types  of  Defendants:  

• individuals  –  leave  a  copy  of  the  filed  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  with  them.  • corporations  –  leave  a  copy  with  the  president,  chair,  chief  officer,  or  manager,  cashier,  

superintendent,  treasurer,  secretary,  clerk,  or  agent  of  the  corporation  OR  serve  by  them  by  registered  mail.  

• cities/municipalities  –  leave  a  copy  with  the  city/municipal  clerk.  • trade  unions  –  leave  a  copy  with  any  officer  of  the  trade  union.  

 You  need  to  provide  proof  that  the  Defendant  received  your  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  4-­‐6);  otherwise,  a  party  can    say  they  did  not  know  about  the  claim  against  them.    

 

How  to  do  this  Proof  of  service  is  done  through  a  Form  15  –  Affidavit  of  Personal  Service.    If  you  personally  served  the  Defendant,  you  will  need  to  swear  this  Affidavit  in  front  of  a  Notary  or  a  Commissioner  for  taking  affidavits.    At  the  courthouse,  the  Deputy  District  Registrars  are  available  to  swear  Affidavits.    You  can  find  them  at  the  civil  Registry  desk.    No  appointment  is  necessary.    They  charge  $40.00.        Once  signed  and  stamped,  file  the  Affidavit  of  Service  in  the  Court  Registry.    You  do  not  need  to  provide  the  Defendant  with  a  copy  of  this  Affidavit.    See  attached  sample  Affidavit  of  Service.    

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Sample  Form  15:  Affidavit  Of  Personal  Service  

 (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  4-­6  (1))  

No.  S123456  Vancouver  Registry  

In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia  

Between:  

Jane  Doe  

Plaintiff  

and:  

John  Smith  

Defendant  

AFFIDAVIT  OF  PERSONAL  SERVICE  

I,  Jane  Doe  [or  name  of  process  server],  of  1234  Candylane  Crescent,  Vancouver,  British  Columbia,  [or  address  of  process  server],  Homemaker  [or  Process  Server]  SWEAR  (OR  AFFIRM)  THAT:  

On  [dd/mmm/yyyy],  at  [time  of  day],  I  served  John  Smith  with  the  filed  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  in  this  proceeding,  by  handing  it  to  and  leaving  it  with  that  person  at  [city  and  country].  

 

   

SWORN  (OR  AFFIRMED)  BEFORE     )  ME  at  Vancouver,  British  Columbia     )  on  July  11,  2014.         )                 )               )  ...............................................................       )  .................................................................  A  commissioner  for  taking       )  JANE  DOE  Affidavits  for  British  Columbia       )    [print  name  or  affix  stamp  of  commissioner]      

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Response  to  Civil  Claim  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  3-­‐3)  

The  forms  are  found  at:      

http://www.ag.gov.bc.ca/courts/other/supreme/2010SupRules/info/index_civil.htm  

 

 

What  is  a  Response  to  Civil  Claim?  The  document  that  responds  to  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim.  

Who  files  the  Response  to  Civil  Claim?  Each  Defendant  named  in  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim.  

Why  complete  a  Response  to  Civil  Claim?  You  are  the  Defendant.    Once  you  are  served,  if  you  disagree  with  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim,  you  must  reply.    If  you  do  not,  the  Plaintiff  can  go  to  Court  and  ask  for  a  Default  Judgment  requiring  you  to  pay  the  amount  the  Plaintiff  seeks  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  3-­8).    A  Default  Judgment  order  means  you  will  not  have  the  opportunity  to  tell  the  Court  your  side  of  the  story.  

 • Time  Limit  –  the  Response  to  Civil  Claim  must  be  filed,  and  then  served.    You  do  not  include  

the  day  you  were  served:  o if  you  were  served  anywhere  in  Canada,  you  must  file  your  Response  within  21  days  

after  receiving  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim;  o if  you  were  served  anywhere  in  the  United  States  of  America,  you  must  file  your  

Response  within  35  days  after  you  received  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim;  and  o if  you  were  served  anywhere  else  in  the  world,  you  must  file  your  Response  within  

49  days  after  you  received  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim.    

• Serve  the  Response  to  Civil  Claim  on  the  Plaintiff  -­‐  if  one  lawyer  represents  multiple  Plaintiffs,  you  serve  only  one  copy  of  the  filed  Response  to  Civil  Claim  to  that  lawyer.        

• IMPORTANT:  You  must  answer  every  paragraph/allegation  of  fact  that  is  set  out  in  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  -­‐  failure  to  do  so  means  that  allegation  could  be  seen  as  an  admission  of  that  fact  and  that  could  be  fatal  to  your  case.  

 

Where  can  a  Response  to  Civil  Claim  be  found?  If  you  have  a  computer:  http://www.ag.gov.bc.ca/courts/other/supreme/2010SupRules/info/index_civil.htm  

 

A  Response  to  Civil  Claim  is  where  you  get  to  tell  your  side  of  the  story  and  defend  yourself.    The  clearer  it  is,  the  better  other  people  will  understand  why  you  think  the  lawsuit  should  go  away.      

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If  you  do  not  have  access  to  a  computer:  

a) At  the  courthouse  library;  

b) At  a  public  libraries  that  has  computers  and  printers  with  internet  access;  or  

c) The  Justice  Access  Centre  (in  Vancouver).  

 

HOW  TO  DO  THIS  There  are  3  parts  to  the  Response  to  Civil  Claim:  

Part  1  –  Response  to  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  Facts  Part  2  –  Response  to  Relief  Sought  Part  3  –  Legal  Basis  

 

Sample  Form  2:  Response  to  Civil  claim  

(Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  3-­3  (1))    

No.  S123456  Vancouver  Registry  

In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia  

Between:  

Jane  Doe  

Plaintiff  

and:  

John  Smith  

Defendant  

RESPONSE  TO  CIVIL  CLAIM  

Filed  by:    John  Smith  (the  "Defendant")  

PART  1:  Response  to  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  Facts  

Division  1  —  Defendant's  Response  to  Facts  

In  responding  to  each  numbered  paragraph,  you  have  three  choices:  deny;  admit;  or  say  you  do  not  know  (i.e.  “outside  the  knowledge  of  the  Defendant”)  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  3-­3(2)).    For  example:    

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 1. The  facts  alleged  in  paragraphs  11,  12  and  60  of  Part  1  of  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  are  

admitted.  2. The  facts  alleged  in  paragraphs  2-­‐10,  13-­‐59,  and  61-­‐62  of  Part  1  of  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  

are  denied.  3. The  facts  alleged  in  paragraph  1  of  Part  1  of  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  are  outside  the  

knowledge  of  the  Defendant.  

Division  2  —  Defendant's  Version  of  Facts  

For  any  fact  of  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  that  you  think  is  not  true,  briefly  set  out  what  your  version  of  the  fact  is.        Evidence  is  information  that  can  prove  the  facts  that  you  claim  happened.  Do  not  include  evidence  in  your  Response  to  Civil  Claim,  if  you  have  any,  because  that  evidence  is  for  trial.  You  do  not  need  to  go  into  detail  about  the  evidence,  but  remember  that  whatever  you  state  in  your  Response  will  have  to  be  proven  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  3-­7).  

 For  example,  if  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  states  that  it  was  snowing  on  the  day  of  the  motor  vehicle  accident,  but  you  remember  it  was  not  snowing,  you  would  simply  deny  the  allegation  in  Part  1,  Division  1,  by  stating  the  corresponding  paragraph  number  noted  in  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim.    Then  in  Part  1,  Division  2,  you  would  state  that  the  weather  was  sunny  on  the  date  of  the  accident.    Do  not  attach  weather  reports  or  talk  about  who  can  testify  that  it  was  sunny.    For  example:      1. The  Defendant  denies  that  it  was  snowing  on  the  day  of  the  alleged  incident.    The  weather  

was  sunny.  

Division  3  —  Additional  Facts  

In  this  section,  you  state  any  additional  material  facts  that  you  believe  relate  to  the  matters  raised  by  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim.      For  example:    

 1. The  traffic  light  was  green  when  the  Plaintiff  suddenly  braked  to  avoid  hitting  a  dog.    By  the  

time  the  dog  had  crossed  the  street,  the  traffic  light  was  red.      

PART  2  –  Response  to  Relief  Sought  You  must  indicate  whether  you  consent  to,  oppose,  or  take  no  position  on  the  granting  of  the  relief  sought  against  you  in  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim.    Most  often,  a  Defendant  would  oppose  all  relief  sought  and  simply  say:    

“The  Defendant  opposes  the  granting  of  the  relief  sought  in  all  [or  name  the  specific  paragraph  number]  paragraphs  of  Part  2  of  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim.”    

PART  3  –  Legal  Basis  If  you  oppose  any  of  the  relief  sought,  you  must  set  out  a  concise  summary  of  the  legal  basis  for  why  you  do  not  agree  with  the  Plaintiff’s  request  for  relief.    

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Using  numbered  paragraphs  summarize  what  law  (Court  Rules,  legislation,  and/or  case  law)  you  will  be  relying  on.        Here  is  an  example:  

1. The  Defendant  relies  on  the  Motor  Vehicle  Act,  R.S.B.C.  1996,  c.  318.  2. The  Defendant  relies  on  the  Negligence  Act,  R.S.B.C.  1996,  c.  333  

Defendant's  address  for  service:  [Set  out  the  street  address  of  the  address  for  service.  One  or  both  of  a  fax  number  and  an  e-­mail  address  may  be  given  as  additional  addresses  for  service.]  

Fax  number  address  for  service  (if  any):  

E-­‐mail  address  for  service  (if  any):  

   

Date:  ................[dd/mmm/yyyy].................   .................................................................................  

                                     Signature  of  John  Smith                                    Defendant  

 [This  next  section  describes  your  duty  to  list  documents  related  to  the  litigation.    Go  to  List of Documents  to  learn  how  to  do  this.]  

Rule  7-­‐1  (1)  of  the  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  states:  

(1)    Unless  all  parties  of  record  consent  or  the  Court  otherwise  orders,  each  party  of  record  

to  an  action  must,  within  35  days  after  the  end  of  the  pleading  period,  

(a)    prepare  a  list  of  documents  in  Form  22  that  lists  

(i)    all  documents  that  are  or  have  been  in  the  party's  

possession  or  control  and  that  could,  if  available,  be  used  

by  any  party  at  trial  to  prove  or  disprove  a  material  fact,  

and  

(ii)    all  other  documents  to  which  the  party  intends  to  refer  

at  trial,  and  

(b)    serve  the  list  on  all  parties  of  record.  

   

 Now  that  you  have  completed  filling  in  these  sections,  file  the  Response  to  Civil  Claim  at  the  Registry.      

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Bring  Your  Response  to  Civil  Claim  to  the  Registry    

• Make  at  least  three  copies  of  the  Response  to  Civil  Claim  -­‐  one  copy  for  the  Court,  one  copy  for  yourself,  and  one  copy  for  the  Plaintiff.      

• Bring  your  copies  of  the  Response  to  Civil  Claim  to  the  same  Registry  where  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  was  filed  (the  location  of  the  Registry  is  on  the  top  right  hand  corner  of  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim).    You  will  file  all  of  your  future  Court  documents  at  this  Registry  location.    

o You  can  file  the  Response  to  Civil  Claim  in  one  of  the  following  ways:   in  person  at  the  Registry;   by  mail  to  the  appropriate  Registry  accompanied  by  payment  of  the  

applicable  fees;   electronically  through  Court  Services  Online  at  

https://eservice.ag.gov.bc.ca/cso/index.do;   by  fax  for  certain  designated  fax  filing  registries  (you  provide  payment  

through  your  credit  card  on  a  fax  cover  sheet).    These  Registries  accept  fax  filing:  See  PD-­‐9  at  http://courts.gov.bc.ca/supreme_court/practice_and_procedure/civil_practice_directions.aspx  .  

 • The  Court  filing  fee  is  $25.00.  

 If  you  cannot  afford  the  $25.00  filing  fee,  go  to  Application  to  Waive  Fees  

Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  20-­5.    Be  aware  that  if  you  proceed  with  this  Application  to  Waive  Fees,  you  need  to  attend  the  Registry  in  person  when  you  file  your  Response  to  Civil  Claim.  

Service  The  Response  to  Civil  Claim  does  not  need  to  be  served  by  you  personally  or  by  a  process  server.          You  may  serve  it  in  accordance  with  the  information  provided  in  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim:  

• by  regular  mail  to  the  address  for  service  listed;  • by  fax,  if  a  fax  number  is  listed;  or  • by  e-­‐mail,  if  an  e-­‐mail  address  is  listed.  

 If  there  are  multiple  Plaintiffs  represented  by  one  lawyer,  then  you  only  send  one  copy  of  the  Response  to  Civil  Claim  to  that  lawyer.    When  sending  your  stamped  copy  of  the  Response  to  Civil  Claim  to  the  Plaintiff,  send  it  with  a  cover  letter.    You  might  say  in  your  letter  the  following:    

“The  Defendant’s  filed  Response  to  Civil  Claim  is  attached.  Kindly  acknowledge  delivery  by  signing  the  enclosed  copy  of  this  letter  and  returning  it  to  me.”      

 

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  And  include  the  following:                        When  the  Plaintiff  has  signed  and  returned  the  letter,  that  will  be  your  proof  that  the  Plaintiff  received  your  Response  to  Civil  Claim.  

Service of a copy of the document(s) described in this letter is admitted this _______________________[date].

Plaintiff or Solicitor for the Plaintiff

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Amendment  to  Pleadings  

Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  6-­1    Pleadings  are  designed  to  limit  the  issues  in  dispute  between  a  Plaintiff  and  Defendant.    Sometimes  after  the  initial  pleadings  (Notice  of  Civil  Claim;  Response  to  Civil  Claim)  are  filed,  it  becomes  clear  to  a  Plaintiff  or  a  Defendant  that  an  issue,  fact,  or  point  of  law  not  previously  disclosed  in  the  pleadings  is  now  a  significant  factor  and  needs  to  be  addressed  by  amending  their  pleadings.    Either  party  can  amend  their  pleadings:    

• once  without  leave  of  the  Court  (i.e.  the  Court’s  permission),  at  any  time  before  the  earlier  of  the  following:  

(i)         the  date  of  service  of  the  Notice  of  Trial,  and  (ii)         the  date  a  Case  Planning  Conference  is  held,  or  

 • after  the  earlier  of  the  dates  referred  to  above,  only  with  

(i)         the  Court’s  permission,  or  (ii)         written  consent  of  the  parties  of  record  (ie.  the  parties  that  have  filed  a  

pleading  in  the  action).    When  you  amend  your  pleadings,  you  will  be  taking  your  old  pleading  and  showing  the  Court  and  other  party  all  the  changes  you  are  making.    If  you  are  adding  new  content,  use  underlines  to  show  that  they  are  additions.    If  deleting  old  content,  use  strikethroughs  to  show  that  they  are  being  taken  out.    For  example:    Amended  pursuant  to  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  6-­‐1(a)  [if  filing  before  the  notice  of  trial  or  case  

planning  conference]  OR  

Amended  pursuant  to  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  6-­‐1(b)  [if  filing  with  the  leave  of  the  court  or  consent  of  the  parties  of  record]  Original  filed  June  1,  2014  

No.  S123456  Vancouver  Registry  

In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia  

Between:  

Jane  Doe  

Plaintiff  

and:  

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John  Smith  

Defendant  AMENDED  NOTICE  OF  CIVIL  CLAIM  

   [Part  1  –  Statement  of  Facts]  1. On  January  11,  2011,  it  was  a  snowy  sunny  afternoon  and  the  Plaintiff  driving  his  car,  traveling  west  on  41st  Avenue  in  Vancouver,  and  the  Defendant  was  driving  and  traveling  in  the  same  direction  in  the  same  lane.  The  Defendant’s  car  was  behind  the  Plaintiff’s  car.  

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If  you  cannot  afford  to  pay  the  filing  fees  

Application  to  Waive  Fees  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  20-­‐5  

 

Background  Starting  an  action  can  be  expensive,  even  without  a  lawyer,  because  there  are  court  filing  fees  involved  in  every  step.  If  you  are  unable  to  pay  the  filing  fees,  you  may  make  an  Application  to  Waive  Fees.    However,  you  must  demonstrate  to  the  Court  that  you  cannot  afford  to  to  pay  the  filing  fees.        Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  20-­‐5,  titled  "Persons  who  are  impoverished"  is  designed  to  help  those  who  are  unable  to  pay  the  Court  filing  fees.    An  Application  to  Waive  Fees  is  a  package  prepared  for  the  Court  to  request  an  Order  to  Waive  Fees  (i.e.  an  exemption  from  paying  the  filing  fees).    An  Order  to  Waive  Fees  can  be  approved  for:  

a) a  one-­‐time  only  filing,  

b) a  specific  time  period,  or  

c) an  exemption  for  the  course  of  an  entire  Court  action,  

and  are  all  dependent  on  the  Judge/Master/Registrar’s  decision.      

One  Order,  One  Action  An  Order  is  only  valid  for  one  action,  regardless  of  the  time  period.    You  must  prove  your  personal  financial  status,  regardless  of  whether  you  are  on  any  type  of  disability.    Being  on  Government  Assistance  or  Disability  does  not  mean  you  will  automatically  be  granted  approval  for  an  exemption.    If  you  are  approved  for  an  exemption,  you  will  not  have  to  pay  for  certain  or  all  of  the  Court  fees.    An  Order  to  Waive  Fees,  however,  does  not  protect  you  from  the  costs  charged  by  private  companies,  such  as  process  servers  and  court  reporters.  

Where  to  file  the  Application  At  the  same  Registry  you  intend  to  file  your  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  or  Response  to  Civil  Claim.  

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When  you  file  the  Application  By  this  time,  you  must  also  have  a  draft  of  your  initial  pleading  for  the  action  (whether  it  is  a  Notice  of  Civil  Claim,  a  Response  to  Civil  Claim,  and  this  unfiled,  unsigned  pleading  is  included  with  the  Application  to  Waive  Fees  to  show  the  Court  which  action  they  wish  to  have  the  Fees  Waived.    Once  the  Application  is  filed  and  approved  by  the  Registry,  every  time  you  file  a  pleading,  take  this  Order  with  you.    No  Court  hearing  is  needed;  it  is  all  done  through  a  paper  application.    

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How  to  do  this  The  Application  to  Waive  Fees  are  made  up  of  three  forms:  

1. Form  17  –  Requisition  2. Form  79  –  Order  (draft)  3. Form  80  –  Affidavit  

 

Sample  Form  17:  Requisition  

This  Requisition  acts  as  a  cover  sheet  for  your  Application.    It  sets  out  exactly  what  you  are  asking  for  from  the  Court.    At  the  top  of  this  form,  you  will  see  a  blank  format  of  the  style  of  proceeding  that  has  been  on  your  Notice  of  Civil  Claim.  Fill  it  in  the  exact  same  way  as  you  did  for  your  pleading  (Notice  of  Civil  Claim;  Response  to  Civil  Claim).          

No.  [insert  if  known]  Vancouver  Registry  

In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia  

Between:  

Jane  Doe  

Plaintiff  

and:  

John  Smith  

Defendant    

REQUISITION  –  GENERAL    Filed  by:    The  Plaintiff,  Jane  Doe  OR  The  Defendant,  John  Smith                                                                  

Required:   Order  to  Waive  Fees  

This  requisition  is  supported  by  the  following:  

1.   Form  79  –  Order  to  Waive  Fees  

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2.   Form  80  –  Affidavit  in  Support  of  Order  to  Waive  Fees    

Date:    31/Jul/2014           .....................................  

          Signature  of  Jane  Doe  [or  John  Smith],  filing  party  

2.  Form  79  –  Order  (Draft)  

Sample  Form  79:  Order  To  Waive  Fees  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  20-­5  (3))  

Prepare  a  draft  Order  for  the  Judge  to  consider.    This  order  is  a  draft  because  it  will  only  be  used  if  you  get  approved  for  this  application.      

Take  this  draft  Order  and  the  Affidavit  (see  document  below)  to  the  Registrar  and  have  it  submitted.    

Once  the  Court  approves  the  Order,  you  will  pick  it  up  and  then  file  your  pleading  (Notice  of  Civil  Claim;  Response  to  Civil  Claim).    You  must  check  in  with  the  Registry  on  the  status  of  the  Order  being  approved;  you  will  not  receive  a  phone  call  or  letter  regarding  the  approval  and  you  cannot  call  the  Registry  to  check  either.        Important  Note:  Once  the  Order  is  approved,  you  must  bring  a  copy  of  the  approved  Order  to  Waive  Fees  each  time  you  want  to  file  a  court  document  at  the  Registry.    It  is  not  noted  anywhere  in  the  Court  file  that  you  can  file  "for  free"  and  the  Registry  will  not/cannot  look  into  the  file  to  check  if  it  is.    It  is  up  to  you  to  bring  your  approved  Order  with  you  for  each  and  every  filing  of  Court  documents  for  that  specific  action.    The  approved  Orders  are  not  for  any  other  Court  action  or  filing.      

No.  [insert  if  known]  Vancouver  Registry  

In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia  

Between:  

Jane  Doe  

Plaintiff  

and:  

John  Smith  

Defendant  ORDER  TO  WAIVE  FEES  

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BEFORE   )  )    )    

THE  HONOURABLE  JUSTICE  ..........................)  or  MASTER  ...........................................................   )  

Monday,  the  19th  day  of  August,  2014  

                   

ON  THE  APPLICATION  of  Jane  Doe  coming  on  before  me  on  19/Aug/2014  and  on  hearing  Jane  Doe;  

[Select  whichever  one  of  the  4  following  provisions  is  correct,  complete  the  selected  provision  and  remove  the  

provisions  that  have  not  been  selected  so  that  they  do  not  appear  in  the  form  when  the  form  is  filed.]  

[Use  this  paragraph  if  you  do  not  need  to  pay  for  any  Court  fee  at  all]  

THIS  COURT  ORDERS  that  no  fee  is  payable  by  Jane  Doe  to  the  government  under  Schedule  1  of  Appendix  C  of  the  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  in  relation  to  this  proceeding  [add  the  following  if  applicable:  subject  to  the  following:  [set  out  any  conditions  on  this  Order]  .  

a) ….  

b) …..  

[Use  this  paragraph  if  the  Court  has  granted  you  an  exemption  only  from  certain  parts  of  the  case]  

THIS  COURT  ORDERS  that  no  fee  is  payable  by  Jane  Doe  to  the  government  under  Schedule  1  of  Appendix  C  of  the  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  in  relation  to  the  following  part(s)  of  this  proceeding:  [describe  part(s)]  [add  the  following  if  applicable:  subject  to  the  following:  [set  out  any  conditions  on  this  order]  

a) ….  

b) …..  

[Use  this  paragraph  if  the  Court  has  granted  you  an  exemption  only  for  a  specific  amount  of  time]  

THIS  COURT  ORDERS  that  no  fee  is  payable  by  Jane  Doe  to  the  government  under  Schedule  1  of  Appendix  C  of  the  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  in  relation  to  this  proceeding  during  the  following  period(s):  [describe  period(s)]  [add  the  following  if  applicable:  subject  to  the  following:  [set  out  any  conditions  on  this  order]    

a) ….  

b) …..  

[Use  this  paragraph  if  the  Court  has  granted  you  an  exemption  with  respect  to  certain  steps  of  the  case]  

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THIS  COURT  ORDERS  that  no  fee  is  payable  by  Jane  Doe  to  the  government  under  Schedule  1  of  Appendix  C  of  the  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  in  relation  to  the  following  steps  in  this  proceeding:  [describe  step(s)]  [add  the  following  if  applicable:  subject  to  the  following:  [set  out  any  conditions  on  this  order]                 By  the  court  

 

              .............................................................                 Registrar  

Sample  Form  80:  Affidavit  In  Support  Of  Order  To  Waive  Fees  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  20-­5  (3))  

Fill  it  in  as  shown  below.    This  Affidavit  will  need  to  be  submitted  at  the  same  time  as  your  draft  Order  to  Waive  Fees.    You  will  need  to  find  the  supporting  documents  (the  “exhibits”)  to  attach  to  the  affidavit.      The  following  are  the  exhibits  to  attach  to  the  affidavit:    

1)  any  documents  showing  your  assets;  

2)  your  financial  information  (income/expenses/proof  of  any  income  by  any  other  member  of  your  household  who  contributes  to  the  household);  

3)  your  job  skills  (resume);  

4)  employment  history  (resume  again);  and  

5)  the  draft  of  your  pleading  (Notice  of  Civil  Claim;  Response  to  Civil  Claim).    

This  is  the  1st  affidavit  of  JANE  DOE  in  this  case  

and  was  made  on  July  11,  2014    

No.  [insert  if  known]  Vancouver  Registry  

 

In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia  

Between:  

Jane  Doe  

Plaintiff  

and:  

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John  Smith  

Defendant    

AFFIDAVIT  IN  SUPPORT  OF  ORDER  TO  WAIVE  FEES  

 

I,  Jane  Doe,  of  1234  Candylane  Crescent,  Vancouver,  British  Columbia,  Homemaker,  SWEAR  (OR  AFFIRM)  THAT:  

  1.   I  am  the  Plaintiff  in  this  proceeding.  

  2.   I  make  this  affidavit  in  support  of  my  application  for  an  Order  that  I  be  declared         indigent  with  respect  to  the  payment  of  fees  set  out  in  Schedule  1  of  Appendix  C         of  the  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules.  

  3.   I  am  38  years  old.  

  4.   I  have  the  following  dependants:    [List  all  the  dependants  in  the  household.]  

      Susan  Moe,  born  November  21,  2004  –  daughter  

      Jason  Moe,  born  January  15,  2003  –  son    

  5.   The  following  persons  contribute  to  my  household  expenses:    [List  all  in  the           household  who  contribute  to  expenses.]  

    None    

  6.   I  am        employed        unemployed.  

  7.   Attached  as  Exhibit  A  is  [Check  whichever  one  of  the  following  boxes  is  correct         and  attach  the  required  exhibit.]  

      a  financial  statement  that  accurately  sets  out  the  monthly  income,             expenses  and  assets  of  my  household.  

  proof  that  I  receive  benefits  under  the  Employment  and  Assistance  Act  or  the  Employment  and  Assistance  for  Persons  with  Disabilities  Act.  

  8.   Attached  as  Exhibit  B  is  an  accurate  description  of  my  educational  and         employment  history.  

  9.   Attached  as  Exhibit  C  is  an  accurate  description  of  my  workplace  skills.  

 

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10.   Attached  as  Exhibit  D  is  a  copy  of  the  document  I  wish  to  file  or  with  which  I  wish  to  proceed.  

SWORN  (OR  AFFIRMED)  BEFORE     )  ME  at  Vancouver,  British  Columbia     )  on  July  11,  2014.         )                 )               )  ...............................................................       )  .................................................................  A  commissioner  for  taking       )  JANE  DOE  Affidavits  for  British  Columbia       )    [print  name  or  affix  stamp  of  commissioner]  

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              This  is  Exhibit  A  referred  to  in  the  affidavit                   of  Jane  Doe  sworn  (or  affirmed)                 before  me  on  [date]                   ......................................................................                   A  commissioner  for  taking  affidavits  for                   British  Columbia    

FINANCIAL  STATEMENT  

ESTIMATE  NET  MONTHLY  INCOME  

 [Attach  proof  –  i.e.  most  recent  pay  stubs  or  payment  advice,  etc.,  if  available.]  Estimated  net  monthly  income  from  all  sources:  

  Employment                 $....................  

  Pension                   $....................  

  Dividends                   $....................  

  Interest                   $....................  

  Other                   $....................  

        TOTAL  (Estimated  net  monthly  income)   $....................  

ESTIMATED  MONTHLY  EXPENSES  

 [Attach  receipts  for  the  following,  if  available.]  

  Estimated  monthly  expenses  related  to  housing         $....................  

  Estimated  monthly  expenses  related  to  transportation       $....................  

  Estimated  monthly  expenses  related  to  household  expenses     $....................  

  Estimated  monthly  expenses  related  to  medical  and  dental  expenses   $....................  

  Estimated  monthly  expenses  related  not  included  in  above,  related  

  To  dependent  children               $....................  

  Estimated  monthly  debt  payment  [specify]....................................     $....................  

  Estimate  of  other  monthly  expenses  [specify]...............................     $....................  

          TOTAL  (Estimated  monthly  expenses)     $....................  

ASSETS  

 [Specify  assets  and  set  out  their  estimated  value.]  

..............................................................................................................   $....................  

..............................................................................................................   $....................  

..............................................................................................................   $....................  

          TOTAL  (Estimated  asset  values)     $....................  

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              This  is  Exhibit  B  referred  to  in  the  affidavit                   of  Jane  Doe  sworn  (or  affirmed)  

              before  me  on  [date]                   ......................................................................                   A  commissioner  for  taking  affidavits  for                   British  Columbia    

EDUCATIONAL  AND  EMPLOYMENT  HISTORY  

 [Set  out  details  of  education  and  employment  history.]  

1.   Highest  level  of  education  attained  and  date  completed:  

  ............................................................................................................................................  

  ............................................................................................................................................  

  ............................................................................................................................................  

2.   Employment  history:  

Employer         Dates         Position  

................................................   ..................................     .............................................  

................................................   ..................................     .............................................  

................................................   ..................................     .............................................  

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                This  is  Exhibit  C  referred  to  in  the  affidavit                   of  Jane  Doe  sworn  (or  affirmed)                 before  me  on  [date]                   ......................................................................                   A  commissioner  for  taking  affidavits  for                   British  Columbia    

WORKPLACE  SKILLS  

 [specify]  

  .........................................................................................................................................................  

  .........................................................................................................................................................  

  .........................................................................................................................................................  

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3.  FINDING  THE  TRUTH  

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List  of  Documents  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  7-­‐1(1)  

 

The  forms  are  found  at:      

http://www.ag.gov.bc.ca/courts/other/supreme/2010SupRules/info/index_civil.htm  

 

 

 

 

 

What  is  it?  A  form  that  lists  the  following:  

• all  documents  that  support  your  case  or  disproves  the  opposing  party’s  case;  • all  documents  that  you  intend  to  rely  on  at  Trial;    • all  documents  that  are  being  produced  in  response  to  a  demand  or  a  Court  Order;    • all  documents  that  you  want  to  withhold  or  keep  private  because  of  its  privileged  nature.  

Some  examples  of  documents  include  letters,  e-­‐mails,  receipts,  contracts,  photographs,  video,  and  physical  objects.  

Who  needs  to  complete  this?  All  parties  named  in  the  proceeding  –  including  the  Plaintiff  and  Defendant.  

Why  is  it  necessary?  To  ensure  a  case  is  fair,  all  parties  to  the  action  need  to  reveal  and  show  the  documents  they  have  in  their  possession  to  the  other  parties.    There  should  be  no  surprises  at  Trial  which  documents  will  be  shown.    Sometimes,  when  all  parties  disclose  the  information  they  have,  a  settlement  can  be  reached  because  you  will  then  know  where  the  strengths  and  weaknesses  are  in  each  party’s  case.  

When  is  this  prepared?  The  Lists  of  Documents  are  exchanged  35  days  after  the  last  pleading  is  served  (in  most  cases  that  would  be  the  Response  to  Civil  Claim)  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  7-­1(1)).  

**In  reality,  there  are  times  when  it  is  appropriate  to  extend  the  35-­‐day  deadline  because  of  the  time  it  takes  to  gather  documents.    For  example,  it  can  take  months  to  obtain  an  MSP  record  or  a  doctor’s  clinical  records.  

By  this  time,  each  side  has  explained  their  version  of  how  things  happened.    Now  it  is  time  to  discover  the  truth.    A  List  of  Documents  is  a  catalogue  of  documents  that  each  party  prepares  which  will  help  figure  out  which  facts  in  the  pleadings  (ie.  Notice  of  Civil  Claim;  Response  to  Civil  Claim)  are  supported.    As  a  party  to  the  action,  you  have  a  duty  to  reveal  your  documents  even  if  you  think  it  will  not  help  your  case.

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The  duty  to  disclose  documents  is  an  ongoing  obligation.    This  means  that  even  when  you  have  completed  and  sent  your  List  of  Documents  to  the  opposing  side,  if  you  find  another  document  relevant  to  the  action,  you  must  do  an  amended  List  of  Documents  with  the  new  document  added  at  the  end  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  7-­1(9)).  

How  to  do  this  Complete  Form  22.      You  do  not  need  to  file  this  at  the  Registry.    You  only  provide  it  to  the  other  party.  

For  Form  22  -­‐  Parts  1,  2,  and  3,  please  see  further  instructions  in  the  example  provided  below.  

For  Form  22  -­‐  Part  4  (Privilege):  

What  is  “privilege”?  –It  is  a  special  category  of  documents  that  are  not  shown  to  anyone  and  it  releases  you  from  your  duty  to  show  it  to  the  opposing  party.      

Examples  of  privilege:  

Solicitor-­client  privilege  -­‐  Any  document,  or  portion  of  the  document,  where  legal  advice  about  the  litigation  was  given.  

  Eg.    You  have  an  e-­‐mail  from  a  lawyer  advising  you  how  to  negotiate  a  settlement.  

Under  Description,  write:    “E-­‐mail  from  lawyer”.      

Under  “Grounds  for  protection”,  write:  “Solicitor-­‐client”.  

No  need  to  put  the  date  of  when  that  e-­‐mail  was  sent.    You  do,  however,  insert  the  date  you  listed  the  document  if  you  are  preparing  an  amended  List  of  Documents.      

Litigation  privilege  –  documents  created  in  preparation  for  litigation.  

Eg.    Your  aggravating  neighbour  serves  you  with  a  Notice  of  Civil  Claim.    You  start  keeping  a  journal  of  every  time  your  neighbour  calls  you  or  demands  something  from  you.  

Under  Description,  write:  “Notes”.      

Under  “Grounds  for  protection”  write:  “litigation”  

 Important  Note:  Do  not  be  overly  descriptive  in  your  description  of  privilege  documents.    Keep  in  mind  that  unless  the  Court  orders  you  to  do  otherwise,  the  documents  you  list  in  Part  4  stay  out  of  sight  during  the  litigation  and  are  not  seen  by  the  opposing  party  or  the  Judge/Master.    

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LIST  OF  DOCUMENTS:  FORM  22    

(Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules,  BC  Reg  168/2009,  Rule.  7-­1)          

1. Form  22  –  List  of  Documents  

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Sample Form 22: List Of Documents

(Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  7-­1  (1))  

No.  S123456  Vancouver  Registry  

 In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia  

 Between    

Jane  Doe  Plaintiff  

and    

John  Smith  Defendant  

   [include  “AMENDED”  if  preparing  an  Amended  List  Documents]  LIST  OF  DOCUMENTS  

 Prepared  by:  [The  Plaintiff,  Jane  Doe  OR  The  Defendant,  John  Smith]  (the  “Listing  Party”)    Part  1:  DOCUMENTS  THAT  ARE  OR  HAVE  BEEN  IN  THE  LISTING  PARTY’S  POSSESSION  OR  

CONTROL  AND  THAT  COULD  BE  USED  BY  ANY  PARTY  AT  TRIAL  TO  PROVE  OR  DISPROVE  A  MATERIAL  FACT  

 [List  all  documents  relevant  to  the  court  action]  No.   Date  of  

document    Description  of  document   Indicate  by  a  

check  mark  if  the  document  is  no  longer  in  the  Listing  Party’s  possession  or  

control  

Indicate,  for  each  document  listed  in  this  Part  by  way  of  an  

amendment  to  this  List  of  Documents  under  Rule  7-­‐1  (9),  (12)  or  (14),  the  date  on  which  the  document  

was  listed  

1.1   Mar/2003  [Unsure  of  exact  date?  Put  the  information  you  do  know]  

Capilano  College  publishing  program  curriculum  

   

1.2   01/Jan/2012   [example]  E-­‐mail  from  A.  Ross  to  J.  Doe  re:  Delivery  of  product  

   

1.3   05/Mar/2013   [Example]  Untitled  photograph     01/Feb/2014  1.4   15/Feb/2010   [if  you  are  doing  an  amended  list  of  

documents,  you  continue  the  sequence  of  numbers]  

  18/Jul/2014  [list  the  date  of  the  amended  list  of  documents]  

 

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Part  2:  OTHER  DOCUMENTS  TO  WHICH  THE  LISTING  PARTY  INTENDS  TO  REFER  AT  TRIAL    [Without  duplicating  Part  1,  list  other  documents  you  intend  to  refer  to  at  trial]  

No.   Date  of  document    

Description  of  document   Indicate  by  a  check  mark  if  the  document  is  no  longer  in  the  Listing  Party’s  possession  or  

control  

Indicate,  for  each  document  listed  in  this  Part  by  way  of  an  

amendment  to  this  List  of  Documents  under  Rule  7-­‐1  (9),  (12)  or  (14),  the  date  on  which  the  document  

was  listed  

2.1     [same  format  as  Part  1]      2.2            Part  3:  DOCUMENTS  THAT  RELATE  TO  A  MATTER  IN  QUESTION  IN  THE  ACTION    [Without  duplicating  Part  1,  list  documents  in  response  to  a  demand  you  received  from  the  opposing  party  or  in  response  to  a  Court  Order]    No.   Date  of  

document    Description  of  document   Indicate  by  a  

check  mark  if  the  document  is  no  longer  in  the  Listing  Party’s  possession  or  

control  

Indicate,  for  each  document  listed  in  this  Part  by  way  of  an  

amendment  to  this  List  of  Documents  under  Rule  7-­‐1  (9),  (12)  or  (14),  the  date  on  which  the  document  

was  listed  

3.1     [same  format  as  Part  1]      3.2            Part  4:  DOCUMENTS  FOR  WHICH  PRIVILEGE  FROM  PRODUCTION  IS  CLAIMED    No.   Date  of  

document    Description  of  document   Grounds  on  

which  privilege  is  claimed  

Indicate,  for  each  document  listed  in  this  Part  by  way  of  an  

amendment  to  this  List  of  Documents  under  Rule  7-­‐1  (9),  (12)  or  (14),  the  date  on  which  the  document  

was  listed  

4.1   Various   Notes   Litigation    4.2          TAKE  NOTICE  that  the  documents  listed  in  Parts  1,  2  or  3  of  this  List  of  Documents  that  are  not  shown  as  no  longer  being  in  the  Listing  Party’s  possession  or  control  may  be  inspected  and  copied,  during  normal  business  hours,  at  [insert  address].    Date:               Signature  of    Listing  Party      

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Examinations  for  Discovery  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  7-­‐2  

 

The  forms  are  found  at:      

http://www.ag.gov.bc.ca/courts/other/supreme/2010SupRules/info/index_civil.htm  

 

 

 

 

What  is  it?    An   Examination   for   Discovery   (sometimes   called   “Discovery”   for   short)   is   a   pre-­‐trial   procedure  where   a   party   is   allowed   to   cross-­‐examine   another   party   to   the   action   or   its   corporate  representative  on  the  issues  in  dispute.  This  process  is  held  in  front  of  a  court  reporter  but  not  at  a  courthouse  in  front  of  a  Judge.        

How  long  is  it?  Discoveries  are  limited  to  7  hours  per  party  conducting  the  Examination.      For  example,  if  there  is  1  Plaintiff  and  2  Defendants  in  an  action,  each  Defendant  may  examine  the  Plaintiff  for  up  to  7  hours,  meaning  the  Plaintiff  may  be  subjected  to  a  total  examination  time  of  14  hours  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  7-­2(2)).  

Why  is  it  necessary?  It  is  important  and  useful  to  have  a  Discovery  for  several  reasons:  

• It  allows  parties  to  explore  facts  and  get  information  regarding  the  claim(s);  • With  the  information  obtained,  parties  can  evaluate  the  strengths  and  weaknesses  of  their  

case;  • You  might  get  admissions  of  truth  that  will  help  prove  your  case  or  disprove  the  opposing  

party’s  case;  • You   may   obtain   answers   under   oath   that   may   be   used   to   contradict   or   discredit   the  

testimony  of   the   same  witness   at  Trial   (in  doing  so  you  would  harm  their   credibility  as  a  witness);  

• In  many  cases,  the  information  that  comes  out  of  a  Discovery  will  help  lead  to  a  settlement  without   having   to   go   to   Trial.     Even   if   the   case   does   go   to   Trial,   the   Discovery  will   help  narrow  down   the   issues   that   are   in   dispute.     This  will   help   shorten   the   time   required   for  Trial.    

 

By  this  time,  you  have  listed  the  documents  you  will  be  showing  at  Trial.    Now  it  is  time  to  look  at  these  documents  more  in-­‐depth  and  see  how  credible  a  witness  is  by  asking  them  questions  under  oath.    The  point  is  to  gather  information  which  will  allow  you  to  assess  the  strengths  and  weaknesses  of  the  opposing  party’s  case.            

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When  to  conduct  an  Examination  of  Discovery  An   Examination   for   Discovery   is   usually   held   after   Lists   of   Documents   have   been   exchanged,  because  the  information  contained  in  the  Lists  of  Documents  will  better  prepare  the  parties  to  ask  the  right  questions.    This  is  because  at  the  Discovery,  the  person  being  examined  must  produce  for  inspection  all  documents  in  their  possession  or  control,  which  are  not  privileged,  that  relate  to  the  matters  in  question  in  the  action.  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  7-­2(16)).    The  Discovery  process  must  be  completed  before  you  file  the  Trial  Certificate.        

Where  does  it  occur?  It  is  common  to  rent  a  boardroom  from  a  court  reporter’s  office.    The  Discovery  can  occur  at  any  place   that   is  quiet  and  private  but   it  must   take  place  at  a   location  within  30  kilometres  of  the  Registry  that   is  nearest  to  the  place  where   the  person  to  be  examined  resides  (unless  parties  attending  all  agree  to  an  alternate  location).    

Who  must  attend?  Each  Plaintiff  and  Defendant  must  make  themselves  available  and  attend  a  Discovery  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  7-­2(1)).    If  you  ignore  the  opposing  party’s  request  to  examine  you,  that  party  may  schedule  the  Discovery  without  your  agreement  and  get  a  Certificate  of  Non-­‐Appearance  against  you.    This  will  not  make  you  look  good  in  front  of  a  Judge.    Generally,  all  parties  have  a  right  to  attend  at  a  Discovery;  however,  you  can  only  examine  the  opposing  party  on  issues  that  you  disagree  on.    If  the  witness  to  be  examined  is  represented  by  a  lawyer,  the  lawyer  will  attend  with  the  witness.    

How  do  I  do  this?    If  you  are  examining  a  witness:  

1.  Decide  who  you  want  to  examine  -­‐  If  an  opposing  party  is  a  company,  then  you  would  want  to  examine  the  person  who  knows  the  most  about  the  matters  in  question  (think  about  who  can  help  you  prove  your  case.)  

 If  the  party  you  need  to  examine  is:    a) a  minor,  then  the  minor,  their  guardian(s),  or  their  litigation  guardian  may  be  examined;  

or  b) a   mentally   incompetent   person,   then   only   his   or   her   litigation   guardian   may   be  

examined,  but  the  mentally  incompetent  person  must  not  be  examined  without  a  Court  Order.  

 2. Contact  the  opposing  party  and  arrange  a  date  convenient  for  everyone  -­‐  You  need  to  make  

sure  that  the  person  you  are  examining  is  available  on  the  date  you  are  suggesting.      

3. Contact   a   court   reporter’s   office  and  book   the   date  –  Do   this   as  early  as   possible  as   court  reporters  and  boardrooms  may  be  booked  up.  Let  them  know  how  long  the  Discovery  will  

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be   (a   “half-­‐day”   means   2   hours   and   a   “full-­‐day”   means   4   hours).     Ask   about   their  cancellation  policy  in  case  the  Discovery  needs  to  be  cancelled  on  short  notice.    An  internet  search  for  “BC  court  reporter”  will  help  you  locate  a  court  reporter  in  your  area.  

 4. Consider  whether  you  need  a  court-­‐certified  interpreter  –  You  should  book  a  court-­‐certified  

interpreter  once  you  have  booked  a  date  with  the  court  reporter,  if   there  is  a  witness  who  does  not  understand  English.        An  internet  search  for  “BC  court  certified  interpreter”  will  help  you  locate  a  court  reporter  in  your  area.  

 5. Confirm  the  appointment  –  You  need  to  serve  your  Appointment  to  Examine  for  Discovery  

with  the  conduct  money  (if  required,  see  explanation  below)  on  the  witness  being  examined  or  their   lawyer  at   least  7  days  before   the  Discovery  using  Form  23.  Make  sure  you  send  a  copy   to   other   parties   named   in   the   action   as   well.     The   Appointment   to   Examine   for  Discovery  does  not  need  to  be  filed  with  the  registry.  

 In  cases  where  there  are  multiple  parties  (i.e.  more  than  one  Plaintiff  or  more  than  one  Defendant),  a  few  parties  may  examine  a  witness  at  the  same  time.    If  this  is  the  situation,  parties  who  wish  to  examine  must  serve  their  own  appointments  but  they  can  divide  the  conduct  money.    

What  is  conduct  money?  Conduct  money  is  the  witness  fee  you  must  pay  when  you  examine  a  witness.  The  calculation  of  fees  is  set  out   in  Appendix  C-­‐Schedule  3  in  the  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules.  Usually  parties  will  mutually  waive  the  exchange  of  daily  witness  fees  and  mileage  as  required  in  Schedule  3  under  Rules  1  and  2(1)(a)  but  you  should  still  be  prepared  to  pay  the  fee  in  case  you  do  not  reach  an  agreement  with  the  opposing  party.        If   a   witness   lives   out   of   town,   the   witness   will   need   to   be   reimbursed,   or   compensated   for  reasonable   travel   and   meal   expenses   (including   flight   tickets,   mileage,   hotel   fees   if   the   witness  needs  to  stay  overnight,  etc.)  under  Rule  2(b)  and  3.    Calculate  how  much  it  will  cost  you  to  examine  the  witness  before  you  go  ahead  with  a  Discovery.    If  you  are  being  examined:  If  you  live  outside  of  where  the  Examination  for  Discovery  will  take  place,  you  may  ask  for  conduct  money.  Keep  receipts  and  invoices  for  your  travel  expenses  such  as  flight  and  hotel  as  you  may  be  required  to  prove  your  expenses.  Meals  will  be  paid  on  a  daily  rate.    Opposing  parties  will  only  pay  for   your   reasonable   expenses   necessary   for   you   to   travel   to   and   from   the   Discovery.   Some  witnesses   make   a   mistake   in   turning   the   travel   into   a   “vacation”,   only   to   find   out   the   opposing  parties  will  not  pay  for  the  extra  expenses  spent.  

On  the  day  of  the  Examination  for  Discovery    If  you  are  examining:  You  may  want  to  prepare  a  set  of  questions  that  you  wish  to  ask  the  person  being  examined  so  that  you   do   not   forget   during   the   Examination   for   Discovery.   Bring   with   you   to   the   Discovery   the  documents  that  you  want  to  ask  the  party  about.    

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 The  general  procedure:  The   court   reporter   will   ask   the   witness   if   he   or   she   will   swear   (by   the   Bible,   Koran,   or   other  religious  instrument)  or,  simply  affirm  to  tell  the  truth.        Address  the  witness  by  using  ‘madam’,  ‘sir’,  ‘Mr.’,  ‘Ms.’,  etc.  but  do  not  use  their  first  name.      First  ask  the  witness  for  his  or  her  full  name  and  confirm  his  or  her  relationship  with  the  party  (i.e.  are  they  the  Plaintiff,  Defendant,  or  a  representative  of  one  of  the  parties  who  is  authorized  to  give  evidence?).    

a) Introduce  the  exhibit  (the  document)  to  the  witness  and  to  their  lawyer  (if  represented)  to  let  them  know  what  you  are  going  to  ask  about.  

b) Then  show  the  document  to  the  witness.    Give  them  a  moment  to  read  it  over.  c) Authenticate  the  document  –  if  the  witness  has  not  agreed  beforehand  that  the  document  is  

genuine,  then  you  must  ask  the  witness  if  the  exhibit  really  is  what  it  appears  to  be.    i. Did  the  witness  write  that  document?  

ii.        Does  the  witness  recognize  that  document?  

d) Once   it   is   acknowledged   that   the   document   is   real   and   genuine,   submit   the   exhibit   into  evidence  (“as  Exhibit  ___”).  

e) Now  you  can  ask  the  witness  questions  about  the  relevant  portions  of  the  document.    

Examples  of  how  to  phrase  your  questions:  

• Can  you  tell  me  about  this  incident?  • On  January  1,  2013,  did  you  tell  ____  to  do  this?  

Asking  for  more  documents  

During  a  Discovery,  a  witness  may  let  it  slip  that  they  know  of  another  document  that  will  help  your  case.     You   can   then   ask   the   opposing   party   to   provide   further   documents   that   have   not   been  disclosed  yet.    The  court  reporter  will  note  down  your  request.  

Sometimes  a  person’s  culture  can  influence  how  he  or  she  answers  questions.    See  Appendix  B  for  further  discussion  on  how  to  manage  cultural  differences.  

If  you  are  being  examined:  Only   one   party   will   be   asking   the   questions.   Under   Supreme   Court   Civil   Rule   7-­2(18),   you   must  answer  any  question  within  your  knowledge  or  means  of  knowledge,  unless  the  question  involves  privileged  information  (e.g.  if  they  ask  you  about  what  a  lawyer  advised  you,  object  to  the  question  and  do  not  answer  it,  see  further  explanation  below).    If  you  are  asked  to  provide  the  identity  of  a  potential  witness,  you  must  provide  the  name  and  address  of  such  witness.      “I  object”  

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If   you   object   to   the   question   asked,   the   question   and   the   objection   will   be   noted   by   the   court  reporter.  The  Court  may  decide  on   the  validity  of   your  objection,  and   if  necessary,   the  Court  will  Order  that  you  attend  a  further  Discovery  and  set  a  maximum  time  limit  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  7-­2(25)).    Follow  Up  If  you  do  not  know  the  answer  at  the  time  it   is  asked,  you  may  be  asked  to  provide  a  response  by  letter   after   the   Discovery.     You   may   also   be   requested   to   provide   further   information   and  documents  during  the  Discovery.  When  you  provide  the  letter  with  your  answers  to  the  questions,  the  content   is   treated   as   if   it  were  given  during   the  Discovery,  and,   if  needed,   the  opposing  party  may  continue  the  Discovery  on  another  date  unless  otherwise  ordered  by  the  Court.  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  7-­2(23  and  24)).    Be  clear  The   court   reporter   will   write   down   everything   that   is   said,   word   for   word.   You   can   only   ask  questions  relevant   to  the  action.    Keep  in  mind  that  what   is  being  said  during  an  Examination  for  Discovery   may   be   used   as   evidence   at   Trial.     Familiarize   yourself   with   the   documents   that   have  been   revealed   in   the   action  before   proceeding  with   the   Discovery.     This  will   help   you   figure   out  which  questions  to  ask.    

What  do  court  reporters  do?  Court  reporters  record  and  transcribe  every  question  and  answer  exchanged,  word  for  word,  which  they  will  later  assemble  into  a  transcript  (see  explanation  below).    If  you  do  not  want  something  to  be  recorded,  you  must  turn  to  the  opposing  party  and  ask  “can  we  go  off  the  record”.    Only  when  all  parties  agree  to  go  “off  the  record”  will  a  court  reporter  temporarily  stop  recording.        Other   than   administering   the   oath   and   concluding   the   Discovery,   court   reporters   do   not   say  anything  during  the  Discovery.      

What  is  a  transcript?  A  transcript  is  a  typewritten  copy  of  what  questions  and  answers  were  said  during  the  course  of  the  Discovery.   The   transcript   may   also   contain   a   list   of   any   outstanding   questions   and   requests   for  documents  made  at   the   discovery.  You  will  want   to  keep   track  of   these   questions  and  make   sure  they  are  answered  later  (or  if  the  requests  were  made  and  answered  if  you  were  being  examined).    Transcripts  from  a  Discovery  can  be  used  at  Trial.    To  obtain  a  copy  of  this  transcript,  you  order  it  from   the   court   reporter’s   office.   The   first   party  who  orders   the   transcript   from   the   reporter  will  have   to  pay   for  both   the   original   transcript  and   its   copy.  The  parties  ordering  after   that  will  only  pay  for  their  copy.    

Tips  for  a  discovery:  Do  

• Dress  as  if  you  are  going  to  a  job  interview  and  not  to  a  date  or  party.    Choose  something  tasteful  and  clean.    It  shows  respect.  

• Show  up  at   least  15  minutes  early   to   the  Discovery  with  your  materials  and  use   the  extra  time  to  set  up  your  documents.    

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• Speak   clearly   –   wait   until   the   questioner   or  witness   has   stopped   speaking.   Everything   is  recorded!  

• Listen  carefully  –  you  do  not  want  to  miss  any  important  information  • Leave   a   good   impression   to   the   opposing   party   (be   honest,   fair,   etc.)   –   it   may   help  with  

future  negotiations.  • Tell  the  truth  –  you  are  under  oath  and  a  lie  can  result  in  a  criminal  charge  of  perjury.  Also,  

the  opposing  side  may  find  out  you  lied  and  destroy  your  credibility  as  a  witness  in  Court.  • Ask   for  clarification  –  do  not  attempt   to   answer   if   you  cannot  understand  exactly  what   is  

being  asked    

Do  Not  • Do  not  elaborate  unless  asked  to  –  do  not  read  more  into  the  question  than  how  it  is  stated.    • Do  not  guess  –  if  you  do  not  know  or  remember  the  answer,  say  so.  Guessing  may  hurt  your  

case.  • Do  not  speak  about  what  you  think  others  did  or  know.    You  should  only  answer  things  that  

you  know  personally.  • Do  not   try   to  argue   that  your  case   is   right  –  Examinations   for  Discoveries   are  only  a   fact-­‐

finding  process.  • Do  not  play  games  –   if  you  can  answer  a  question,  do  so.  As  mentioned,   the  opposing  side  

may  destroy  your  credibility  if  you  play  games.  

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EXAMINATION  FOR  DISCOVERY  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules,  BC  Reg  168/2009,  Rules  7-­‐2  and  22-­‐7)  

 

 

1.  Form  23  -­‐  Appointment  to  Examine  for  Discovery  

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Sample  Form  23:  Appointment  To  Examine  For  Discovery  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  7-­2(13))  

 Once  you  have  agreed  on  a  date  for  the  Discovery,  prepare  this  form  and  serve  it  on  the  witness  (or  their  lawyer,  if  any)  along  with  conduct  money  (if  applicable).    

No.  S123456  Vancouver  Registry  

 In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia  

 Between:  

 Jane  Doe  

 Plaintiff  

And:    

John  Smith    

Defendant    

APPOINTMENT  TO  EXAMINE  FOR  DISCOVERY    

To:  [name  of  witness  that  you  will  be  examining]    TAKE  NOTICE  that  you  are  required  to  attend  for  your  Examination  for  Discovery  at  the  place,  date  and  time  set  out  below.  If  you  are  not  a  named  party,  or  a  representative  of  a  named  party,  to  this  action,   you   must,   unless   the   court   otherwise   orders,   bring   with   you   all   documents   in   your  possession  or  control,  not  privileged,  relating  to  the  matters  in  question  in  this  action.  Please  note  the  provisions  of  the  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  reproduced  below.    Place:  [address  of  the  court  reporter’s  office  or  the  venue  where  the  Examination  for  Discovery  will  

be  held]    Date:  [the  scheduled  date  of  discovery  –  dd/mmm/yyyy]    Time:  [start  time  of  the  discovery]      

Date:  [date  of  signature]                                                

 

[your  signature]                                      

  Signature  of  [  x  ]  party  wishing  to  conduct  Examination    

                                   [print  your  name  here]                                  

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         Rules  22-­‐7  (5)  and  22-­‐8  (4)  of  the  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  state  in  part:  "22-­‐7  (5)  ...  if  a  person,  contrary  to  these  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  and  without  lawful  excuse,  

(a)    refuses  or  neglects  to  obey  a  subpoena  or  to  attend  at  the  time  and  place  appointed  for  his  or  her  Examination  for  Discovery,  ...  then  (f)    if  the  person  is  the  plaintiff  or  petitioner,  a  present  officer  of  a  corporate  plaintiff  or  petitioner  or  a  partner  in  or  manager  of  a  partnership  plaintiff  or  petitioner,  the  court  may  dismiss  the  proceeding,  and  (g)    if  the  person  is  a  defendant,  respondent  or  third  party,  a  present  officer  of  a  corporate  defendant,  respondent  or  third  party  or  a  partner  in  or  manager  of  a  partnership  defendant,  respondent  or  third  party,  the  court  may  order  the  proceeding  to  continue  as  if  no  Response  to  Civil  Claim  had  been  filed.  

 22-­‐8  (4)    A  person  who  is  guilty  of  an  act  or  omission  described   in  Rule  12-­‐5  (25)  or  22-­‐7  (5),  in  addition  to  being  subject  to  any  consequences  prescribed  by  those  rules,  is  guilty  of  contempt  of  Court  and  subject  to  the  Court's  power  to  punish  contempt  of  Court.    

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CASE  PLANNING  CONFERENCES  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  5-­‐1  to  5-­‐4)  

 

The  forms  are  found  at:      

http://www.ag.gov.bc.ca/courts/other/supreme/2010SupRules/info/index_civil.htm  

 

 

 

What  are  they?    The  Case  Planning  Conference  (also  known  as  a  “CPC”)  is  a  pre-­‐trial  hearing  that  is  managed  by  a  Judge  or  Master.  

Why  hold  a  Case  Planning  Conference?  A  Case  Planning  Conference  is  used  to  identify  the  next  major  steps  in  the  litigation  process.    A  number  of  things  can  be  determined  by  holding  a  Case  Planning  Conference,  including  (but  not  limited  to):  

• when  Lists  of  Documents  are  exchanged  and  Examinations  for  Discovery  are  held;  

• whether  there  will  be  any  mediations  or  other  alternative  dispute  resolutions  held;  

• what  type  of  expert  witnesses  will  likely  be  used  and  when  their  reports  are  expected  to  be  received  or  served;  

• which  witnesses  are  expected  to  be  called  by  either  party;  

• whether  the  Trial  will  be  heard  by  a  Judge  alone  or  by  a  Judge  and  jury;  and  

• the  estimated  length  of  Trial  and  the  preferred  time  periods  for  the  Trial  date.  

Is  a  Case  Planning  Conference  necessary?  Generally  speaking,  there  is  no  requirement  to  hold  a  Case  Planning  Conference,  but  it  is  a  useful  tool  in  setting  out  the  course  of  your  case  early  on.  

There  is  one  exception  to  this:    if  your  matter  is  in  “Fast  Track”,  you  will  need  to  hold  a  Case  Planning  Conference  before  you  make  any  Application  to  the  Court.    Please  see  the  section  regarding  FAST TRACK

You  have  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  and  Response  to  Civil  Claim  but  you  may  not  have  exchanged  Lists  of  Documents  or  conducted  any  Examinations  for  Discovery  yet.    Now  is  the  time  to  set  out  what  the  next  major  steps  are.    A  Case  Planning  Conference  helps  set  out  a  road  map  on  how  the  action  will  unfold.

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(Supreme Court Civil Rule 15-1)  actions  for  further  information.  

 

When  does  it  take  place?    A  Case  Planning  Conference  can  be  requested  at  any  time  after  the  Response  to  Civil  Claim  has  been  filed  and  served.    

Who  arranges  a  Case  Planning  Conference?  The  Plaintiff  or  Defendant  -­‐  either  party  can  request  and  arrange  a  Case  Planning  Conference.      

What  is  a  Notice  of  Case  Planning  Conference?  The  Notice  of  Case  Planning  Conference  is  the  document  (Form  19)  filed  with  the  Registry  that  will  secure  the  date  of  the  Case  Planning  Conference.    It  costs  $80.00  to  file  a  Notice  of  Case  Planning  Conference.    If  you  cannot  afford  the  filing  fee,  go  to  Application to Waive Fees.  

How  is  a  Case  Planning  Conference  arranged?  There  are  two  ways:  

1. You  can  either  contact  the  Registry  by  telephone  or  you  can  visit  the  Court’s  website  to  see  what   dates   are   available   for   the   Case   Planning   Conference:  http://www.Courts.gov.bc.ca/supreme_Court/scheduling/.      

a. If   this   is   the   first   Case   Planning   Conference   in   your   case,   make   sure   you   leave  enough  time  to  serve  the  Notice  of  Case  Planning  Conference  on  the  opposing  party  at   least   35   days   before   the   date   of   the   conference.     (Supreme   Court   Civil   Rule     5-­1(3)(a)).  

b.    If  this  is  not  your  first  Case  Planning  Conference,  make  sure  you  leave  enough  time  to  serve  the  Notice  of  Case  Planning  Conference  at   least  seven  days  before  the  date  of  the  conference  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  5-­1(3)(b)).  

OR  

2. To  save  time,  contact   the  opposing  party  or   their   lawyer’s  office   (if   they  have  a   lawyer)  to  discuss  mutually  convenient  dates,  (see  website  link  above)  for  the  Court’s  availability.  

THEN:  

3. Once  you  have  chosen/agreed  on  a  date  and  time,  you  will  contact  the  Registry  where  your  action   was   filed   by   telephone   and   tell   them   you   would   like   to   book   a   Case   Planning  Conference.  

4. Provide   the   Registry  with   the   date   and   time   and   they  will   ask   you   to   prepare   and   file   a  Notice  of  Case  Plan  Conference  in  Form  19.  

 

 

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Why  does  the  Notice  of  Case  Planning  Conference  need  to  be  filed  when  a  date  has  already  be  reserved  by  telephone?  The  Registry  needs  written  confirmation.        Without  the  Notice  of  Case  Planning  Conference,  the  Registry  will  not  have  written  confirmation  that  you  actually  want  the  Case  Planning  Conference  to  occur  on  this  date.    Also,  give  the  opposing  party  a  copy  of  this  document  once  it  has  been  stamped  by  the  Registry  so  they  know  the  Case  Planning  Conference  has  been  confirmed  with  the  Court.  

What  does  a  Notice  of  Case  Planning  Conference  look  like?  See  attached  sample  Form  1  below.  

Where  does  the  Case  Planning  Conference  take  place?  At  the  Registry  where  it  was  scheduled.  

Who  has  to  go  to  the  Case  Planning  Conference?  The  Plaintiff,  the  Defendant  and  their  lawyers  (if  any)  are  required  to  attend  the  Case  Planning  Conference  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  5-­2  (2)).      

What  happens  if  a  party  does  not  show  up?  If  the  Plaintiff  or  Defendant  fails  to  attend  the  Case  Planning  Conference,  the  Judge  or  Master  may:  

(a)  proceed  without  the  party,    

(b)  adjourn  the  Case  Planning  Conference,  or    

(c)  Order  the  missing  party  to  pay  costs  to  the  other  party.  

Is  it  necessary  to  attend  in  person  (and  potentially  take  time  off  from  work)?  If  this  is  the  first  Case  Planning  Conference  scheduled,  you  must  attend  in  person  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  5-­2(3)(a)).    If  one  Case  Planning  Conference  has  already  taken  place,  you  have  the  option  of  attending  by  telephone  or  other  communication  (i.e.  by  video  link),  so  long  as  everyone  attending  is  able  to  communicate  with  you  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  5-­2(3)(b)).  

What  is  needed  to  prepare  for  the  Case  Planning  Conference?  Before  the  Case  Planning  Conference,  the  Plaintiff  and  Defendant  will  each  be  required  to  prepare  and  file  a  Case  Plan  Proposal  in  Form  20.    See  attached  sample  Form  20  below.  

What  is  a  Case  Plan  Proposal?  The  Case  Plan  Proposal  is  the  document  where  each  party  sets  out  their  proposals  about  the  timing  and  handling  of  the  following  areas:  

• discovery  of  documents  [i.e.  List  of  Documents];  

• Examinations  for  Discovery;  

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• dispute  resolution  procedures;  

• expert  witnesses;  

• witness  lists;  

• trial  by  Judge  and/or  jury;  

• estimated  trial  length;    

• preferred  times  for  the  trial  date;  and  

• any  other  issue  that  may  affect  the  conduct  of  the  trial.  

 

How  to  do  a  Case  Plan  Proposal  Obtain  a  blank  copy  of  the  Case  Plan  Proposal  in  Form  20.    The  Case  Plan  Proposal  has  nine  sections:  

Section   Information  to  include  

1   Discovery  of  Documents   • When   the   List   of   Documents,   or   Amended   Lists   of  Documents,   is   to   be   produced   (i.e.   If   the   initial   List   of  Documents  has  not  been  produced  within   the  timeline  set   out   in   the  Supreme   Court   Civil   Rules   and   you   have  been  requesting  it  from  the  opposing  party,  you  would  put   in   a   date   or   timeline   when   you   would   like   it  produced)  

• Where  documents  or  items  to  be  relied  on  as  evidence  at  trial  will  be  made  available  for  inspection  (e.g.  if  your  claim  is  for  damage  caused  to  your  flooring  because  of  a   flood,   will   you   make   the   damaged   floor   board  available  for  the  opposing  party  to  examine,  and  where  will   they   examine   them   if   the   flooring   has   been  replaced?)  

• Any   other   issue   relating   to   what   documents   you   will  need  in  order  to  prove  or  defend  your  action.  

2   Examinations  for  Discovery   • If   not   the   Plaintiff   or   Defendant,   who   do   you   want   or  need  to  examine?  

• How  long  will  you  need?    A  full-­‐day?    A  half-­‐day?    More  than  one  day?  

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3   Dispute  resolution  procedures  under  Part  9  of  the  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  

• What  kind  of  dispute  resolution  would  you  be  open  to?    Mediation?     Arbitration?     Informal   talks   between  parties  (with  lawyers  present,  if  any)?  

4   Expert  witnesses   • Do  you  need   experts   to   prove   or   defend   your   case?   If  so,   you   will   need   to   list   the   types   of   witnesses   (not  necessarily  names  of  expert  witnesses)  or  their  areas  of  expertise   (e.g.   neurologist,   engineer,   plumber,  mechanic,  etc.)  

• When   will   you   require   the   reports   to   be   served?   (i.e.  within   the  timelines  set  out  by  the  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  or  earlier?)  

5   List  of  witnesses   • You  can   list  what  witnesses  you  believe  you  will  need,  but   it   is   likely   that  as  the  litigation  goes  on,  you  might  change  your  mind.    Alternatively,  you  can  list  when  you  will   agree   to   exchange   witness   lists   so   that   you   will  have  enough  time  to  prepare  (e.g.  a  month  before  Trial)  

6   Proposed  mode  of  Trial   • Do   you   think   you   will   need   just   a   Judge,   or   will   you  need   both   Judge   and   Jury?     Note   that   there   is   non-­‐refundable  deposit  of  $1,000  to  reserve  a  Jury.      

7   Estimated  length  of  Trial   • How  long  do  you  think  you  will  need  to  prove  your  case  in  Court?    A   day?    Three  days?    Two  weeks?     You  will  need   to   consider   how  many   witnesses   you   have,   how  many  witnesses  will  be  called  on  by  the  other  side,  how  long   it   will   take   for   direct   and   cross-­examinations  and   how   long   you   will   need   for   your   opening   and  closing  statements.      

8   Preferred  period  for  the  Trial  date  

• List   when   you   would   like   the   Trial   to   occur.     Think  about   how   long   you   will   need   to   gather   all   of   your  evidence  and  line  up  your  witnesses.    You  will  need  to  give  more  than  one  time  period  because  the  Court  will  not  necessarily  have  available  dates  on  the  one  day  you  choose.  

9   Other   • There   may   be   other   things   that   happened   during   the  litigation   that   you   want   to   have   the   Judge   or   Master  review   or   make   a   decision   on,   or   you   may   have  something   you   want   clarified   before   the   litigation  continues  (e.g.  discussions  on  why  a  document  request  remains  unfulfilled).    

 

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For  the  sections  above,  if  there  are  areas  where  you  do  not  have  any  information  to  provide  or  the  information  is  not  finalized,  you  may  choose  to  insert:  “to  be  provided  at  a  later  date”  or  “none”  to  identify  why  the  information  is  missing.    

You  will  see  on  the  following  sample  form  that  there  are  two  columns  for  the  steps  to  be  outlined.      

On  the  left-­‐hand  side:  This  is  for  the  steps  that  all  the  parties  agree  to.    For  example,  if  all  parties  agree  that  the  parties’  witness  lists  should  be  disclosed  one  month  prior  to  Trial,  then  that  will  be  stated  on  the  left-­‐hand  side.      

On  the  right-­‐hand  side:  The  right-­‐hand  side  is  for  steps  that  the  parties  do  not  agree  to.  If  one  party  wants  the  witness  list  to  be  disclosed  one  month  prior  to  Trial,  but  you  would  like  the  witness  lists  six  weeks  before  Trial,  you  would  put  your  proposal  on  the  right-­‐hand  side  column.  

When  does  the  Case  Plan  Proposal  have  to  be  filed?  The  Case  Plan  Proposal  must  be  filed  and  served  on  each  party  by  the  party  requesting  the  Case  Planning  Conference,  within  14  days  after  the  Notice  of  Case  Planning  Conference  was  served  on  the  other  party.      

Serve  the  Case  Plan  Proposal  Once  you  receive  the  stamped  copy  of  your  Case  Plan  Proposal  back  from  the  Registry,  you  will  need  to  serve  it  on  the  other  parties  in  the  action.  

What  happens  when  a  party  does  not  serve  their  Case  Plan  Proposal?  If  you  do  not  receive  a  Case  Plan  Proposal  from  the  other  parties  within  14  days  of  the  Notice  of  Case  Planning  Conference  being  served,  you  should  follow  up  with  them  to  ensure  they  will  be  preparing  one.    You  may  phone  them  or  send  a  letter  or  e-­‐mail  them.    If  you  do  not  receive  a  Case  Plan  Proposal  by  the  time  the  Case  Planning  Conference  is  scheduled  to  happen,  you  must  be  prepared  to  let  the  Judge  or  Master  know  how  the  Case  Plan  Proposal  was  served  on  the  other  parties  and  what  steps  you  took  to  obtain  their  Case  Plan  Proposal.    If  the  other  party  chooses  not  to  prepare  a  Case  Plan  Proposal  or  file  it  with  the  Registry,  that  is  their  decision  and  it  should  not  reflect  badly  on  you.    However,  you  should  take  reasonable  steps  to  contact  the  other  party  to  see  whether  you  can  expect  to  receive  a  copy  of  their  Case  Plan  Proposal.      

If  it  turns  out  the  other  party  does  not  prepare  and  file  a  Case  Plan  Proposal,  the  Judge  or  Master  can  make  Orders  against  the  other  party  and  in  favour  of  you.    For  example,  requests  that  are  made  by  one  party  that  are  not  responded  to  by  the  other  party  could  be  awarded.        

What  happens  at  a  Case  Planning  Conference?  At  the  Case  Planning  Conference  the  Plaintiff,  the  Defendant  (and  their  lawyers,  if  any)  will  meet  before  a  Judge  or  Master  to  address  matters  relating  to  the  litigation.      

You  only  have  30  minutes,  so  be  ready  to  discuss  any  items  that  are  in  dispute.    Be  brief  and  to  the  point  whenever  possible.    The  Judge  or  Master  will  appreciate  clear  and  simple  reasons  why  you  believe  they  should  make  an  Order  in  your  favour.  

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The  Judge  or  Master  can  make  several  Orders  regarding  the  conduct  of  the  litigation,  including  amending  pleadings,  joint  experts,  and  offers  to  settle.    Please  see  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  5-­3(1)  for  a  more  complete  list  of  what  the  Judge  or  Master  has  the  power  to  Order  at  a  Case  Planning  Conference.  

When  you  are  at  the  Case  Planning  Conference,  take  notes  about  what  the  Judge  or  Master  is  ordering  because  you  will  need  to  prepare  the  Case  Plan  Order  if  you  requested  the  Case  Planning  Conference.      

The  Judge  has  granted  an  Order.    Now  what?  If  you  requested  the  Case  Planning  Conference,  you  will  need  to  prepare  a  Case  Plan  Order  in  Form  21.    It  is  an  Order  with  a  list  attached  of  what  was  agreed  to  at  the  Case  Planning  Conference.  

Once  this  Case  Plan  Order  is  completed,  you  must  have  it  signed  by  the  other  parties  because  they  will  need  to  confirm  that  what  you  have  written  down  as  the  Judge/Master’s  Orders  is  what  was  actually  granted.    It  does  not  mean  that  the  Court  assumes  you  are  lying;  it  just  means  they  need  the  other  parties  to  confirm  they  have  the  same  understanding  of  what  was  granted  as  you.  

You  will  need  to  file  the  completed  and  signed  Case  Plan  Order  with  the  Registry  and  provide  the  filed  copy  to  the  other  parties.      

Other  information  about  Case  Planning  Conferences  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  5-­‐1  to  5-­‐4  set  out  the  full  list  of  rules  that  affect  the  Case  Planning  Conferences.    

Information  on  the  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  and  forms  can  be  found  online  at  the  Courts  of  B.C.  website: http://www.Courts.gov.bc.ca/supreme_Court/practice_and_procedure/acts_rules_and_forms/

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No. S123456

Vancouver  Registry  

In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia  

Between:  

Jane  Doe  

Plaintiff  

And:  

John  Smith  

Defendant  

NOTICE  OF  CASE  PLANNING  CONFERENCE  

A  Case  Planning  Conference  has  been  set  for  this  action:  

  [    x  ]   At  the  request  of  the  parties  

  [        ]   At  the  direction  of  the  Court  

The  Case  Planning  Conference  will  be  held  at  800  Smithe  Street,  Vancouver,  BC,  at  2:30  p.m.  on  21/August/2014.  

The  Case  Planning  Conference  has  been  set  to  consider:  

  [    x  ]   [In  the  case  of  the  first  Case  Planning  Conference]  the  matters  set  out  in  the  parties’  respective  Case  Plan  Proposals  

  [        ]   [In  the  case  of  subsequent  Case  Planning  Conferences]  [Using  numbered  paragraphs,  set  out  a  brief  summary  of  the  matters  to  be  considered]  

1. [Issue]  

2. [Issue]  

Dated:  July  10,  2014   _____________________________________________________  Signature  of  JANE  DOE    Party    lawyer  for  the  filing  party(ies)  

Name  and  address  of  filing  party:  1234  Candylane  Crescent  Vancouver,  BC    V5Y  1K8  Telephone:  604-­‐689-­‐3281  Email:    [email protected]  

 

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No.  S123456  Vancouver  Registry  

In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia  

Between:    

Jane  Doe  

Plaintiff  

And:  

John  Smith  

Defendant  

CASE  PLAN  PROPOSAL  

Party  submitting  this  Case  Plan  Proposal:   The  Defendant  

Indicate  the  party’s  proposal  with  respect  to  the  following  steps:  

Item   Step  

If  parties  agree,  step  agreed  to  and  its  timing  

 [set  out  details  or  refer  to  

attachment]  

If  parties  disagree,  party's  proposal  respecting  step  and  

its  timing    

[set  out  details  or  refer  to  attachment]  

1  

Discovery  of  documents  [when  list  is  to  be  produced,  where  documents  are  to  be  made  available  for  inspection,  electronic  document  protocol,  etc.]  

  Within  two  weeks  from  the  date  of  an  Order  made  by  this  Honourable  Court  following  this  Case  Plan  

Conference  

2  

Examinations  for  Discovery  [person  to  be  discovered,  date  of  discovery,  duration  of  discovery,  etc.]  

 Plaintiff:  scheduled    for  December  3,  2014  Defendant:  scheduled  for  December  4,  2014  

   

3  

Dispute  resolution  procedures  under  Part  9  of  the  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  [what  procedures  to  be  used  and  when,  etc.]  

 Mediation  to  be  considered  six  months  after  discovery  of  Defendant  concluded  

   

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4  Expert  witnesses  [area  of  expertise  of  expert,  date  report  to  be  served,  etc.]  

    - Rheumatologist  - Neurologist  

5  List  of  witnesses  [date  list  to  be  served]  

 Two  weeks  prior  to  scheduled  Trial  date  

   

6   Proposed  mode  of  Trial    Judge  alone      

7   Estimated  Trial  length        7  days  

8  Preferred  period(s)  for  Trial  date  

 November  2015  January,  March  2016  

   

9   Other  [specify]  

    - The  Defendant  will  require  a  French  interpreter  for  any  Discovery  and  for  Trial.  He  would  like  to  be  able  to  choose  which  interpreter  to  use,  subject  to  their  certification  as  a  Court-­‐approved  interpreter.  

 

Dated:  July  18,  2014   _____________________________________________________  Signature  of  Bob  Clarke    filing  party    lawyer  for  the  Defendant  

 

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No.  S123456  Vancouver  Registry  

In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia  

Between:    

Jane  Doe  

Plaintiff  

And:  

John  Smith  

Defendant  

CASE  PLAN  ORDER  

At  a  CASE  PLANNING  CONFERENCE  conducted  on  21  August  2014  by  Madam  Justice  Smith  in  the  presence  of  the  Plaintiff,  Jane  Doe,  and  Bob  Clarke,  appearing  on  behalf  of  the  Defendant,  

THIS  COURT  ORDERS  that  the  parties  comply  with  the  attached  Case  Plan,  

THE  FOLLOWING  PARTIES  APPROVE  THE  FORM  OF  THIS  ORDER    

______________________  Signature  of  the  Plaintiff  Jane  Doe  

_____________________  Signature  of  lawyer  for  the  Defendant  Bob  Clarke  

              BY  THE  COURT    

              __________________________                 Registrar  

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Case  Plan  

1      Dispute  resolution  procedures  

The  parties  have  discussed  resolution  options  including  those  under  Part  9  of  the  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  and  have  agreed  to  the  following:  

[Check  the  box  to  the  left  of  each  step  to  be  taken  and  fill  in  the  agreed  date.]  

    Step  Date  by  which  step  to  be  completed    

 [dd/mmm/yyyy]  

    Offer  to  settle   3  months  prior  to  Trial  

    Mediation   31  August  2015  

    Special  Case    Not  applicable  at  this  time  

    Proceeding  on  point  of  law    3  months  prior  to  Trial  

    Summary  Trial    6  months  prior  to  Trial  

    Summary  judgment  application    6  months  prior  to  Trial  

    Other  [identify]    Not  applicable  at  this  time  

A  party  may  undertake  any  of  the  steps  provided  for  in  Part  9  of  the  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  whether  or  not  the  step  is  noted  above.  

2    Document  production  (Rule  7-­1  of  the  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules)  

The  following  steps  will  be  completed  by  the  date  set  out  next  to  each  step:  

Step  

Date  by  which  step  to  be  completed    

[if  dates  differ  by  party,  indicate  a  date  for  each  party]    

[dd/mmm/yyyy]  

Delivery  of  the  Lists  of  Documents  required  under  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  7-­‐1  

Plaintiff  to  provide  initial  List  of  Documents  by  September  30,  2014  

Completion  of  an  electronic  document  protocol   Not  applicable  at  this  time  

Other  [identify]   Not  applicable  at  this  time  

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3    Examinations  for  discovery  (Rule  7-­2  of  the  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules)  

The  following  Examinations  for  Discovery  will  be  conducted,  not  exceed  the  time  limits  indicated  and  be  completed  by  the  date  indicated:  

Examination  by    

(party  name)  

Examination  of    

(party  and  person  name)  

Time  Limit  

Date  by  which  step  to  be  completed  

 [dd/mmm/yyyy]  

Jane  Doe     John  Smith   1  day   3  Dec  2014  

John  Smith   Jane  Doe   ½  day   4  Dec  2014  

4    Applications  

The  following  Applications  are    expected:  

[Identify  each  anticipated  Application  and  fill  in  the  proposed  date.]  

Application  

Date  by  which  Application    

anticipated  to  be  brought    

[dd/mmm/yyyy]  

 None  at  this  time      

       

       

A  party  may  bring  any  other  Application  whether  or  not  that  Application  is  noted  above.  

5    Expert  witnesses  (Part  11  of  the  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules)  

[For  the  following,  complete  the  following  Parts  1  and  2  for  any  expert  evidence  that  the  parties  anticipate  introducing  at  trial,  and  if  the  parties  are  unable  to  provide  the  information  required  under  

Part  1  or  2,  complete  the  following  Part  3.]  

Part  1  

Each  party  may  tender  the  report  of,  or  call  to  give  oral  opinion  evidence,  an  expert  with  the  following  expertise:  

Name  of  party  who  intends  to  call  the   Area  of  Expertise  

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expert    

[if  expert  is  being  called  jointly,  specify  "Joint"]  

John  Smith   Neurologist  

John  Smith   Rheumatologist  

Joint   Psychologist  

Part  2  

The  following  steps  will  be  taken  by  the  date  set  out  next  to  each  step:  

Step  

Date  by  which  step  to  be  completed  

 [if  dates  differ  by  party,  indicate  

 a  date  for  each  party]  

 [dd/mmm/yyyy]  

Joint  expert's  report  served    Within  the  time  prescribed  in  the  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  

Expert  reports  served    As  above  

Responding  expert  reports  served   As  above  

Notices  of  objection  to  expert  evidence  served  (Rule  11-­‐6(10))   As  above  

Experts  confer  and  serve  report  summarizing  points  of  difference  

Within  two  weeks  from  receipt  of  corresponding  reports  

Other  [identify]      

Part  3  

If  the  information  set  out  in  the  foregoing  Part  1  or  2  is  incomplete,  the  parties  will  apply  to  amend  this  Order  to  complete  that  information  by  ........[dd/mmm/yyyy]........  .  

6    Witnesses  (Rule  7-­4  of  the  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules)  

The  following  steps  will  be  completed  by  the  date  set  out  next  to  each  step:  

Step   Date  by  which  step  to  be  completed  

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 [if  dates  differ  by  party,  indicate  

 a  date  for  each  party]  

 [dd/mmm/yyyy]  

Serve  lists  of  witnesses  to  be  called  at  Trial    Five  weeks  prior  to  the  commencement  of  the  Trial  

Other  [identify]      

7    Trial  (Part  12  of  the  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules)  

(a)  Estimated  length  of  the  Trial:  five  days.;  

(b)  The  Plaintiff  will  file  a  Notice  of  Trial  in  Form  40  to  secure  the  Trial  date  within  2  weeks  of  securing  the  Trial  date  .  

8    Other  

Nothing  else  at  this  time  

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4.  WHAT  ARE  MY  OTHER  CHOICES?    

The  forms  are  found  at:      

http://www.ag.gov.bc.ca/courts/other/supreme/2010SupRules/info/index_civil.htm  

 

 

 

 

FAST  TRACK  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  15-­‐1)  

 

What  is  it?    Under  Fast  Track  litigation,  all  of  the  timelines  for  each  step  of  the  litigation  are  shortened.    Instead  of  the  standard  7  hours  for  an  Examination  for  Discovery,  you  only  have  2  hours  to  conduct  a  Discovery.    All  Examinations  for  Discovery  in  Fast  Track  litigation  must  be  completed  at  least  14  days  before  the  scheduled  Trial  date  unless  the  Court  otherwise  orders  or  the  parties  to  the  examination  consent  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  15-­1(12)).    A  date  for  the  Fast  Track  Trial  must  be  scheduled  within  4  months  of  the  action  being  placed  in  the  Fast  Track  stream.      

The  Positive  The  advantage  of  Fast  Track  is  that  you  will  resolve  the  dispute  sooner,  which  in  turn  will  reduce  the  time  and  cost  less.  

The  Negative  The  disadvantage  of  Fast  Track  is  the  limited  amount  of  time  you  have  to  do  each  step  of  the  litigation.    You  must  consider  how  much  time  you  need  to  gather  the  documents  you  need  to  prove  your  case.    For  example,  obtaining  medical  records  and  tax  records  can  take  months.      You  will  also  not  be  able  to  make  any  applications  to  the  Court  until  a  Error! Reference source not found.  or  Error! Reference source not found.  has  been  conducted.    

If  you  think  you  will  need  more  time  to  do  each  step  of  the  litigation,  the  Fast  Track  option  is  not  for  you.          

Why  consider  fast  tracking  a  case?  If  you  have  an  action  that  contains  any  of  the  following  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  15-­1(1)):  

There  are  different  things  you  can  do  to  speed  up  the  resolution  of  your  action.    You  have  other  options  available  rather  than  go  through  with  a  full  Trial.      

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(a) the  only  claims  in  the  action  are  for  one  or  more  of  money,  real  property,  a  builder's  lien  and  personal  property  and  the  total  of  the  amounts  listed  below  is  $100,000  or  less,  exclusive  of  interest  and  costs;    (i) the  amount  of  any  money  claimed  in  the  action  by  the  plaintiff  for  pecuniary  loss  (i.e.  

loss  of  earnings  –  things  that  you  can  actually  calculate  a  dollar  value  for);    

(ii) the  amount  of  any  money  to  be  claimed  in  the  action  by  the  plaintiff  for  non-­‐pecuniary  loss  (i.e.  pain  and  suffering  –  things  where  you  are  not  able  to  place  a  tangible  dollar  value  on);  

 (iii)      the  fair  market  value,  as  at  the  date  the  action  is  commenced,  of  

(A)    all  real  property  and  all  interests  in  real  property  (e.g.  land),  and  

(B)    all  personal  property  and  all  interests  in  personal  property  (e.g.  merchandise)  

         claimed  in  the  action  by  the  Plaintiff,    

(b)  the  Trial  of  the  action  can  be  completed  within  3  days  and  without  a  jury,  

(c)  the  parties  to  the  action  consent,  or  

(d)  the  Court,  on  its  own  motion  or  on  the  application  of  any  party,  orders  that  the  action  be  heard  on  the  Fast  Track  method.  

Who  can  apply?    Either  party  named  in  the  proceeding  –  the  Plaintiff  or  the  Defendant.  

How  to  apply  for  Fast  Track?    Prepare  a  Notice  of  Fast  Track  Action  in  Form  61  and  from  that  point  forward,  the  words  “Subject  to  Rule  15-­‐1”  must  be  added  to  the  style  of  proceeding.    See  attached  sample  Form  61  Notice  of  Fast  Track  Action.  

Be  aware  that  any  party  can  also  apply  for  an  Order  that  the  case  be  taken  out  of  Fast  Track.  

When  should  Fast  Track  be  applied  for?      It  can  be  applied  for  at  any  point  in  the  litigation  but  it  is  usually  early  on  in  the  case.    Once  you  decide  to  pursue  the  Fast  Track  option,  the  clock  starts.    You  must  set  down  a  Trial  date  within  4  months  of  Fast  Track  starting  subject  to  the  Registry’s  availability.  

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FAST  TRACK:  Forms  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules,  BC  Reg  168/2000,  Rule  15-­‐1)  

1.  Form  61  -­‐  Notice  of  Fast  Track  Action  

 

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Sample  Form  61:  Notice  Of  Fast  Track  Action  

(Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  15-­1  (2))  

 This  is  the  form  to  complete  when  you  want  to  Fast  Track  the  action.    It  can  be  done  as  early  as  filing  a  Response  to  Civil  Claim  or  later.    If,  however,  you  change  your  mind  about  Fast  Track,  the  only  way  you  can  get  out  of  Fast  Track  is  by  Court  Order.    

     

No.  S123456  Vancouver  Registry  

 In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia  

 Between    

Jane  Doe  Plaintiff  

and    

John  Smith  Defendant  

 

NOTICE  OF  FAST  TRACK  ACTION  

Filed  by:  The  Plaintiff,  Jane  Doe  

TAKE  NOTICE  that  this  action  is  a  Fast  Track  action  to  which  Rule  15-­‐1  of  the  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  

applies.  

 Date:  01/Aug/2014           _______________________  

JANE  DOE  Signature  of  person  filing  notice    

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SUMMARY  TRIAL  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  9-­7)  

What  is  a  summary  trial?  A  procedure  where  either  the  Plaintiff  or  Defendant  applies  to  the  Court  for  a  judgment  on  a  specific    issue  or  on  the  whole  case.    The  Court  hearing  is  usually  1  or  2  days  long.        Evidence  is  given  by  affidavits  –  it  is  all  done  by  writing  and  filing  materials  at  the  Court  Registry.    Instead  of  having  witnesses  testify,  you  point  out  their  evidence  to  the  Judge  through  their  affidavits.    Witnesses  do  not  show  up  at  Court  to  give  testimony.    If  credibility  is  an  issue,  a  Judge  might  want  the  matter  to  go  to  a  full  trial  so  that  they  can  assess  the  witness  in  person.  

Why  do  a  Summary  Trial?  It  is  usually  for  cases  that  are  straightforward  and  where  a  Judge  could  reasonably  make  a  decision  based  on  the  documents  in  front  of  them,  instead  of  listening  to  oral  testimonies.    Summary  Trials  are  appropriate  for  cases  where  the  facts  are  not  in  dispute.      

A  Summary  Trial  can  be  done  within  a  year  of  the  action  starting  but  a  full  Trial  will  likely  not  happen  until  well  after  a  year,  and  possibly  even  years  after  the  action  started.  

Who  can  apply  for  summary  trial?  Either  party  named  in  the  proceeding  –  the  Plaintiff  or  the  Defendant.  

When  should  a  Summary  Trial  be  applied  for?  It  must  be  heard  in  Court  at  least  42  days  before  the  Trial  date  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  9-­7(3)).  

If  you  choose  to  do  a  Summary  Trial,  it  is  best  to  apply  for  it  after  the  Lists  of  Documents  have  been  exchanged,  Examinations  for  Discoveries  have  been  conducted,  and  after  receipt  of  any  expert  reports  (if  applicable).    This  way,  you  will  have  a  greater  understanding  of  the  issues  at  hand  and  you  will  see  what  evidence  is  available  to  prove  your  case  or  disprove  the  opposing  side’s  case.  

How  do  I  do  this?    Arrange  a  date  for  the  Summary  Trial  1. Estimate  how  long  the  Court  hearing  will  take.    

2. Contact  the  other  party  and  ask  for  available  dates  and  how  much  time  they  think  is  needed  for  the  hearing.      

3. Check  which  dates  are  available  on  the  Court  website.    The  Court  continually  updates  their  list  of  available  dates  online  on  their  website.  

http://www.courts.gov.bc.ca/supreme_court/scheduling  

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4. Call  the  Registry  and  see  if  the  date  you  and  the  opposing  party  have  agreed  is  still  available  for  booking.        

If  you  are  the  party  applying  for  Summary  Trial:  File  and  serve  the  following  documents  12  days  before  the  hearing  date:  

(a)    the  Notice  of  Application  (see  attached  example);  

(b)    any  supporting  affidavits;  

(c)    every  expert  report  you  are  relying  on  (if  any);  and  

(d)    notice  that  you  will  be  relying  on  transcripts  from  an  Examination  for  Discovery  (if  applicable).    This  can  be  done  by  a  letter,  and  is  not  a  formal  Court  form.  

If  you  are  the  party  responding  to  the  application:  Within  8  business  days  of  being  served  with  the  Notice  of  Application,  you  must:  

  (a)    file  and  serve  an  Application  Response  (it  must  not  be  longer  than  10  pages);  and  

(b)    file  and  serve  any  supporting  affidavits  you  have  or  that  you  referred  to  in  the  Application  Response.  

See  the  example  following  this  section.  

Put  it  all  together:  the  Application  Record  If  you  are  the  party  applying  for  Summary  Trial,  prepare  an  Application  Record.    An  Application  Record  is  a  binder  that  contains:  

1. the  filed  Notice  of  Application,  

2. the  filed  Application  Response  –  if  you  were  only  given  an  unfiled  copy,  include  the  unfiled  copy,  

3. any  supporting  affidavits  listed  in  the  Notice  of  Application  and  Application  Response,  

4. the  filed  Notice  of  Civil  Claim,  

5. the  filed  Response  to  Civil  Claim,  and    

6. an  extra  loose  copy  of  the  Notice  of  Application,  highlighting  items    to  show  the  Court  what  kind  of  an  Order  you  are  seeking.  

The  Application  Record  should  have  an  index  and  tabs  separating  each  document.    A  sample  index  is  located  behind  the  Forms  page.    You  must  serve  the  index  to  the  opposing  party  one  day  before  the  hearing  date  so  that  they  are  able  to  prepare  their  own  copy  of  the  Application  Record.  

Best  Practice:    When  preparing  the  cover  page  to  the  Application  Record,  write  “Rule  9-­‐7  Summary  Trial”  underneath  the  title  “Application  Record”.  

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Reasons  For  Judgment  Sometimes  a  Judge  will  not  be  able  to  make  a  decision  in  your  action  right  on  the  day  of  the  hearing.    This  is  called  “reserving  judgment”.    It  means  that  the  Judge  will  consider  all  the  materials  submitted  to  him  or  her  and  will  provide  a  decision  at  a  later  date.    Sometimes  the  decision  will  be  made  within  weeks  or  several  months  later.  

If  the  Court  does  not  grant  judgment,  the  applicant  may  not  apply  again  without  leave  of  the  Court.  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  9-­7(16))  

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Summary  Of  My  Other  Choices      FAST  TRACK  LITIGATION SUMMARY  TRIAL ORDINARY  TRIAL Examinations  for  Discovery  are  limited  to  2  hours

Examinations  for  Discovery  are  standard  7  hours

Examinations  for  Discovery  are  standard  7  hours

Trial  date  must  be  booked  within  4  months  of  Fast  Track  starting

Summary  Trial  can  be  scheduled  anytime  up  to  42  days  before  the  scheduled  Trial

No  time  limit  to  schedule  a  Trial  date

Trial  usually  heard  within  one  year  of  the  action  starting

Summary  Trial  must  be  heard  no  later  than  42  days  before  the  scheduled  Trial

Can  take  up  to  1-­‐2  years  for  the  Trial  to  begin  from  the  date  it  is  booked,  depending  on  how  long  the  Trial  is  scheduled  for

Trial  has  witnesses  give  testimony No  witnesses  give  testimony  –  they  “testify”  through  their  Affidavits

Trial  has  witnesses  give  testimony

Trial  must  be  completed  within  3  days  

No  limit  on  the  number  of  days  for  hearing  the  Summary  Trial  

No  limit  to  the  number  of  days  for  Trial  

 

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SUMMARY  TRIAL:  Forms  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules,  BC  Reg  168/2000,  Rules  8-­‐1,  9-­‐7,  and  15-­‐1)  

1. Summary  Trial:      a. Form  32  -­‐  Notice  of  Application  b. Form  33  –  Application  Response  

2. Application  Record  –  cover  and  index    

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Sample  Form  33:  Notice  Of  Application  For  A  Summary  Trial  

(Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  8-­1  (4))    

No.  S123456  Vancouver  Registry  

 In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia  

 Between    

Jane  Doe  Plaintiff  

and    

John  Smith                     Defendant  

 

NOTICE  OF  APPLICATION  

 Name  of  applicant:    JANE  DOE  (the  “Applicant”)    TO:    JOHN  SMITH  [name(s)  of  party(ies)  or  person(s)  affected]  AND  TO:  his  solicitor.    TAKE  NOTICE  that  an  application  will  be  made  by  the  Applicant  to  the  presiding  Judge  at  the  courthouse  at  800  Smithe  Street,  Vancouver,  British  Columbia    on  30/Jul/2014    at  9:45  AM  for  the  orders  set  out  in  Part  1  below.    Part  1:  ORDER(S)  SOUGHT         [Using  numbered  paragraphs,  set  out  the  order(s)  that  you  are  trying  to  achieve  at         the  application.  Make  sure  you  are  clear  with  indicating  which  party(ies)  the  order(s)         is(are)  sought  against.]    

1. The  Defendant  shall  pay  the  Plaintiff  the  sum  of  $50,488.39;  2. The  Defendant  shall  pay  the  Plaintiff  interest  on  the  sum  of  $50,488.39,  pursuant  to  the  

Court  Order  Interest  Act,  R.S.B.C.  1996,  c.  79;  3. The  Defendant  shall  pay  the  Plaintiff  its  costs  of  these  proceedings;  and  4. Such  further  and  other  relief  as  this  Honourable  Court  may  deem  just.  

 Part  2:  FACTUAL  BASIS    [Using  numbered  paragraphs,  set  out  a  brief  summary  of  the  facts  supporting  the  application.]    1.   On  or  about  April  6,  2013,  the  Plaintiff  and  Defendant  made  an  agreement  in  which    the  

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Plaintiff  would  provide  general  contractor  services  to  the  Defendant  for  $50,000.00.    The  Plaintiff  would  provide  monthly  invoices  and  the  Defendant  agreed  to  pay  those  invoices  plus  a  5%  monthly  interest  if  payments  were  late.  

 2.     From  May  2013  to  November  2013,  the  Plaintiff  provided  monthly  invoices  for  services  

rendered.    By  about  August  2013,  the  Defendant  stopped  paying.    3.     When  the  Defendant  stopped  paying,  a  letter  was  sent  to  the  Defendant  to  notify  him  of  his  

outstanding  account  and  the  interest  that  will  accrue  if  it  was  not  promptly  paid.    The  same  was  done  when  the  Defendant  failed  to  pay  his  accounts  for  the  months  of  September,  October,  and  November,  2013.    

 4.     The  Plaintiff  made  several  demands  for  payment  from  the  Defendant  but  the  Defendant  has  

either  failed  or  neglected  to  pay  the  outstanding  amount.      5.   The  Defendant  owes  the  Plaintiff  $39,856.00  for  the  services  rendered,  and  $10,632.39  in  

interest  to  date.    In  total,  the  Defendant  has  an  outstanding  account  of  $50,488.39.    Part  3:  LEGAL  BASIS    

[Which  legal  rule  or  case  did  you  base  your  reasoning  on  to  try  and  achieve  your  order?         Using  numbered  paragraphs,  specify  any  legal  rule  or  case  relied  on.]    1.     The  Plaintiff  submits  that  Judgment  should  be  granted  on  the  basis  of  a  summary  trial  

pursuant  to  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  9-­‐7.        Part  4:  MATERIAL  TO  BE  RELIED  ON    [Using  numbered  paragraphs,  list  the  affidavits  and  other  documents  already  in  the  Court  file  on  which  the  Applicant(s)  will  rely.]    1.   Affidavit  #1  of  Jane  Doe,  made  05/Aug/2013;    2.   Affidavit  #2  of  Jane  Doe,  made  22/Jan/2014;  and    3.   Pleadings  filed  herein.      4  The  Applicant  estimates  that  the  application  will  take  1  day.                                                                                                                                                                                                    [Check  the  correct  box.]  

         This  matter  is  within  the  jurisdiction  of  a  Master.  

This  matter  is  not  with  the  jurisdiction  of  a  Master.    TO  THE  PERSON  RECEIVING  THIS  NOTICE  OF  APPLICATION:    If  you  wish  to  respond  to  this  Notice  of  Application,  you  must,  within  5  business  days  after  service  of  this  Notice  of  Application  or,  if  this  Application  is  brought  under  Rule  9-­‐7,  within  8  business  days  after  service  of  this  Notice  of  Application,  

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    (a)   file  an  Application  Response  in  Form  33,           (b)   file  the  original  of  every  Affidavit,  and  of  every  other  document,  that  

i. you  intend  to  refer  to  at  the  hearing  of  this  Application,  and  ii. has  not  already  been  filed  in  the  proceeding,  and  

    (c)   serve  on  the  applicant  2  copies  of  the  following,  and  on  every  other  party  of           record  one  copy  of  the  following:  

i. a  copy  of  the  filed  Application  Response;  ii. a  copy  of  each  of  the  filed  Affidavits  and  other  documents  that  you  intend  to  

refer  to  at  the  hearing  of  this  Application  and  that  has  not  already  been  served  on  that  person;  

iii. if  this  Application  is  brought  under  Rule  9-­‐7,  any  notice  that  you  are  required  to  give  under  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  9-­‐7(9).  

   Date:    30/Jul/2014         ………………………………………………..               Signature  of  JANE  DOE                  Applicant        lawyer  for  Applicant(s)                

To  be  completed  by  the  court  only:  

Order  made  

  in   the   terms   requested   in   paragraphs   ……………….   of   Part   1   of  this  notice  of  application  

  with  the  following  variations  and  additional  terms:  

……………………………………………………………………..  

……………………………………………………………………..  

……………………………………………………………………..  

……………………………………………………………………..  

 

Date:    ………………………….  

 

……………………………………..  

Signature  of        Judge        Master    

     

 

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APPENDIX    [The  following  information  is  provided  for  data  collection  purposes  only  and  is  of  o  legal  effect.]  

 THIS  APPLICATION  INVOLVES  THE  FOLLOWING:    [Check  the  box(es)  below  for  the  Application  type(s)  included  in  this  Application.]         discovery:    comply  with  demand  for  documents       discovery:    production  of  additional  documents       other  matters  concerning  document  discovery       extend  oral  discovery       other  matter  concerning  oral  discovery       amend  pleadings       add/change  parties       summary  judgment       summary  trial       service       mediation       adjournments       proceedings  at  trial       case  plan  orders:    amend       case  plan  orders:    other       experts  

Sample  Form  33:  Application  Response  

(Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  8-­1  (10))  

No.  S123456    Vancouver  Registry  

 In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia  

 Between    

Jane  Doe    

Plaintiff  and    

John  Smith  Defendant  

 APPLICATION  RESPONSE  

 Application  response  of:  The  Defendant,  John  Smith  (the  “Application  Respondent”)  

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THIS  IS  A  RESPONSE  TO  the  Notice  of  Application  of  Jane  Doe  filed  [insert  the  date  the  Registry  

stamped  the  Notice  of  Application].    

Part  1:  ORDER  CONSENTED  TO  

The  Application  Respondent  consents  to  the  granting  of  NONE  of  the  orders  set  out  in  Part  1  of  the  

Notice  of  Application.    

Part  2:  ORDERS  OPPOSED  

The  Application  Respondent  opposes  the  granting  of  the  orders  set  out  in  paragraphs  1-­‐4  of  Part  1  

of  the  Notice  of  Application.  

Part  3:  ORDERS  ON  WHICH  NO  POSITION  IS  TAKEN  

Nil  

[To  take  “no  position”  is  to  be  neutral  to  the  applicant’s  request.    For  example,  in  an  Application  that  

orders  disclosure  of  medical  records,  the  Defendant’s  lawyer  may  take  no  position  on  the  

production  of  pre-­‐accident  medical  records  because  they  believe  there  are  no  entries  relevant  to  

the  action.    Because  the  documents  are  not  directly  related  to  the  injuries  in  dispute,  they  will  not  

necessarily  want  the  records  to  be  produced,  either  for  privacy  reasons  (e.g.  gynecological  records)  

and  also,  not  to  "open  up  a  can  of  worms",  but  they  also  do  not  want  the  other  party  to  think  they  

are  hiding  something  by  objecting  to  their  production.  

In  this  example,  you  write  “Nil”  because  you  are  not  being  neutral  to  any  of  the  orders  sought  but  

are  opposing  everything  the  applicant  is  seeking.]  

Part  4:  FACTUAL  BASIS  

1.   The  Defendant  is  the  owner  of  the  lands  located  at  4567  Barrow  Street,  Vancouver,  B.C.  (the  “Lands”).  

2.   The  Plaintiff  and  the  Defendant  have  brought  claims  against  each  other.  The  debts  arise  out  of  different  transactions,  but  involve  the  same  parties.    

3.   On  or  about  April  6,  2013,  the  Plaintiff  and  Defendant  entered  into  an  agreement  in  which  the  Plaintiff  would  provide  general  contractor  services  to  the  Defendant  for  the  sum  of  $50,000.00,  with  respect  to  the  renovations  at  4567  Barrow  Street,  Vancouver,  B.C.    The  Plaintiff  would  provide  monthly  invoices  and  the  Defendant  agreed  to  pay  those  invoices  with  a  5%  monthly  interest  if  payments  were  late.  

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 4.   From  May  2013  to  November  2013,  the  Plaintiff  provided  monthly  invoices  for  services  

rendered.      5.   On  or  about  July  24,  2013,  the  City  of  Vancouver  inspected  the  Lands.    The  work  provided  

by  the  Plaintiff  failed  inspection.    The  Defendant  attempted  to  address  these  failures  with  the  Plaintiff  but  she  would  not  agree  to  amend  the  work.    Since  that  time,  the  Defendant  has  refused  to  pay  the  Plaintiff’s  invoice.    

 6.   The  Defendant  had  to  hire  another  contractor  to  redo  and  complete  the  work  required  on  

the  Lands.    The  Defendant  has  had  to  pay  over  $80,000.00  to  fix  the  work  the  Plaintiff  has  done.  

Part  5:  LEGAL  BASIS  

7.   In  accordance  with  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  9-­‐7(15),  the  Defendant  seeks  an  Order  that  this  Summary  Trial  application  be  dismissed  because  the  Defendant’s  defence  cannot  be  determined  without  a  full  Trial  due  to  the  nature  of  the  Defendant’s  defences.  

10.   The  Defendant  therefore  requests  that  this  Application  for  summary  judgment  be  dismissed  with  costs.  

Relief  Sought  

8.   The  Defendant  seeks  an  Order  that:  

  (a)   the  Summary  Trial  Application  be  dismissed;  and  

  (b)   costs  of  this  Application.  

Part  6:  MATERIAL  TO  BE  RELIED  ON  

1.   Affidavit  #1  of  J.  Smith,  sworn  01/Aug/2014;  

2.   The  pleadings  filed  to  date;  and  

The  Application  Respondent  estimates  that  the  application  will  take  1  day.  

  The  Application  Respondent  has  filed  in  this  proceeding  a  document  that  contains  the  

Application  Respondent’s  address  for  service.  

Date:               Signature  of  Bob  Clarke  

 lawyer  for  Application  Respondent  

Sample  Cover  Page  For  An  Application  Record  

No.  S123456  Vancouver  Registry  

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 In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia  

 Between    

Jane  Doe  Plaintiff  

and    

John  Smith  Defendant  

   

APPLICATION  RECORD  (Rule  9-­‐7  Summary  Trial)  

   

Jane  Doe  1234  Candylane  Crescent  Vancouver,  British  Columbia  

JANE  DOE  

Appearing  in  Person  

Telephone:    604-­‐689-­‐3281  

   

 

Clarke  &  Co.  0101  Blane  Street  Victoria,  British  Columbia    

BOB  CLARKE  

Lawyer  for  the  Defendant  

Telephone:    250-­‐987-­‐6543  

Fax:  250-­‐987-­‐3210    

 

 Date  of  Hearing:    15/Aug/  2014  

Application  Record  prepared  by:    the  Plaintiff  Time  Required:  1  day  

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Sample  Index  To  An  Application  Record  For  A  Summary  Trial  

 No.  S123456  

Vancouver  Registry    

In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia    Between    

Jane  Doe  Plaintiff  

and    

John  Smith  Defendant  

 I  N  D  E  X  

Tab   Document  

Application  Materials  

1.     The  Plaintiff’s  Notice  of  Application  dated  July  30,  2014  

2.     The  Defendant’s  Application  Response  dated  August  7,  2014  

Affidavits  

3.     Affidavit  #1  of  Jane  Doe,  sworn  August  5,  2013  

       4.   Affidavit  #2  of  Jane  Doe,  sworn  January  22,  2014  

       5.   Affidavit  #1  of  John  Smith,  sworn  August  1,  2014  

Other  Materials  Relied  On    

6.     Expert  report  of  Dr.  Jones,  dated  April  5,  2014  

Order,  Argument,  Authorities  and  Bill  of  Costs    

7.     Draft  Order  

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5.  MOVING  MY  ACTION  FORWARD  

 

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Applications  

STEPS  AND  PROCEDURES  IN  BRINGING  APPLICATIONS  Part  8  of  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  

The  forms  are  found  at:      

http://www.ag.gov.bc.ca/courts/other/supreme/2010SupRules/info/index_civil.htm  

 

 

 

What  is  a  Notice  of  Application?  You  can  apply  to  the  Court  for  assistance  through  a  document  called  a  Notice  of  Application.    In  this  document,  you  state  only  the  facts  related  to  your  issue–  nothing  more  and  nothing  less.    Once  your  Notice  of  Application  is  heard  by  a  Judge  or  Master,  you  may  obtain  an  Order  against  the  other  party  which  will  tell  them  to  do  something  by  a  specific  date  or  within  a  certain  time  frame.    

Who  can  file  a  Notice  of  Application?  Either  party  –  the  Plaintiff  or  the  Defendant  –  may  file  a  Notice  of  Application.  

If  you  file  the  Notice  of  Application,  you  are  the  Applicant.  

If  you  are  served  with  a  Notice  of  Application,  you  are  the  Responding  Party.    Go  the  Application  Response.    

Tracking  Your  Efforts  Document  everything  you  do.    If  you  make  a  phone  call  for  a  specific  request,  make  a  readable  note  of  it.    It  might  become  useful  later  on  in  your  Notice  of  Application  to  use  in  your  supporting  Affidavit.  

If  the  opposing  party  does  not  respond  to  your  request,  make  a  second  phone  call  or  send  a  second  letter.    Refer  to  your  first  letter  in  your  second  letter  because  this  will  demonstrate  to  the  Court  that  you  have  given  the  opposing  party  lots  of  opportunity  to  respond  to  your  request.  

If  the  opposing  party  still  does  not  respond  to  your  second  letter,  send  them  a  third  letter  informing  them  that  if  they  do  not  respond  by  a  specific  date,  you  will  set  down  an  Application  and  ask  the  Court  to  Order  them  to  respond.          Your  letters  can  then  be  attached  as  Exhibits  to  your  Affidavit,  in  support  of  your  Application.  

The  time  between  requests  will  depend  on  the  urgency  of  the  matter  you  are  dealing  with.    If  you  needed  documents  right  away  and  the  other  party  is  not  complying,  you  can  draft  a  Short  Notice  

Sometimes,  you  might  find  it  difficult  to  get  the  opposing  party  to  do  something,  which  you  think  is  reasonable  and  fair.    So  that  the  action  is  not  delayed  any  further,  you  can  make  an  Application  to  the  Court  for  its  assistance  to  move  the  action  forward.

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Application.    The  Court  will  ask  you  why  the  matter  was  not  dealt  with  earlier  and  you  will  need  a  good  reason  for  the  delay  or  urgency.      

If,  after  your  third  letter  you  still  have  not  heard  from  the  opposing  party,  phone  them  to  determine  whether  they  will  attend  and  what  their  position  is  so  that  you  can  inform  the  Court.    It  is  courteous  and  efficient  to  obtain  a  date  which  works  for  both  parties.      

Costs  –  is  it  worth  it?  One  of  the  most  important  questions  before  drafting  an  Application  is  whether  what  you  are  asking  for  is  worth  the  time  and  expense  of  going  to  Court.    Those  Costs  are  not  awarded  unless  you  ask  for  them.    There  are  three  types  of  Costs  you  can  ask  for  in  the  Notice  of  Application:  

a) Costs  in  the  cause:    are  costs  that  a  party  gets  only  at  the  conclusion  of  the  matter  if  that  party  is  successful  at  the  application  and  at  the  trial.  

b) Costs  in  any  event  of  the  cause:    are  costs  that  a  party  who  is  successful  in  the  application  is  awarded  regardless  of  the  results  of  the  trial.  

c) Costs  thrown  away:  are  costs  that  are  offered  to  a  party  if  they  were  forced  to  attend  at  an  Application  which  had  no  legal  basis  and  which  was  unnecessary.  

In  the  end,  you  may  not  always  get  the  costs  you  want  but  you  may  end  up  with  a  Court  Order  that  forces  the  other  side  to  produce  documents.    The  point  is  that  you  are  asking  the  Court  to  help  you  move  your  case  along.  

Drafting  the  Notice  of  Application  –  Form  32  A  Notice  of  Application  is  divided  into  4  Parts  –  see  attached  sample  Notice  of  Application  –  which  sets  out  what  you  are  looking  for  and  why  you  think  the  Court  should  grant  you  what  you  are  asking.  The  Notice  of  Application  cannot  exceed  10  pages.      

Time  Estimates    

The  Notice  of  Application  has  a  space  allotted  for  how  long  you  think  the  Court  hearing  will  last.    Usually,  10-­‐15  minutes  is  a  good  estimate  for  an  undisputed  Application,  meaning  the  opposing  side  will  not  fight  back  on  what  you  are  asking  for.    

If  you  think  the  Application  will  take  longer  than  2  hours,  you  need  to  contact  the  Registry  and  ask  for  the  available  dates  so  that  the  Application  may  be  set  down  on  the  “Trial”  list.      It  does  not  mean  your  case  is  actually  going  to  Trial;  it  is  just  the  name  of  the  list  the  Registry  uses  for  longer  applications.  

File  &  Serve  

Once  your  Notice  of  Application  and  Affidavit  are  drafted,  make  enough  copies  for  yourself,  the  other  party,  the  Judge  and  the  Registry.  

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You  will  then  go  to  the  Registry  where  the  Application  will  be  heard  and  hand  it  over  to  the  Registrar  who  will  quickly  review  it  and  stamp  it  (i.e.  file  it).    You  will  also  need  $80  for  the  filing  fee  (if  you  write  a  cheque,  it  must  be  addressed  to  the  “Ministry  of  Finance”).    

If  you  cannot  afford  to  pay  the  filing  fee,  go  to  Application to Waive Fees.    This  is  a  separate  Application  that  asks  the  Court  to  give  you  an  exemption  from  paying  the  filing  fee.  

Once  filed,  serve  it  on  the  other  party  at  least  8  business  days  before  the  Court  hearing  date.    See  Appendix  C  on  Counting  Days.  

Drafting  the  Application  Response  –  Form  33  An  Application  Response  is  divided  into  six  parts  –  see  attached  sample  Application  Response  –  which  sets  out  your  response  to  the  Applicant’s  Notice  of  Application.    It  cannot  exceed  10  pages.      

Time  Estimates    

The  Application  Response  has  a  space  allotted  for  how  long  you  think  the  Court  hearing  will  last.    The  more  you  disagree  with  the  Notice  of  Application,  the  longer  it  takes  to  go  over  at  Court.    Usually,  10-­‐15  minutes  is  a  good  estimate  for  an  undisputed  Application,  meaning  you  will  not  be  fighting  back  on  what  the  Applicant  is  asking  for.  

File  &  Serve  

Once  your  Application  Response  and  Affidavit  (optional)  are  drafted,  make  at  least  three  copies  –  one  for  yourself,  the  opposing  party,  the  Judge  and  the  Registry.  

Within  five  business  days  of  being  served  with  the  Notice  of  Application,  you  must:  

  (a)    file  and  serve  an  Application  Response  (it  must  not  be  longer  than  10  pages);  and  

(b)    file  and  serve  any  supporting  affidavits  you  have  or  that  you  referred  to  in  the  Application  Response.  

Drafting  an  Affidavit  Every  Notice  of  Application  be  supported  by  an  Affidavit,  a  document  sworn  by  a  person  who  knows  about  the  events  set  out  in  the  Notice  of  Application.  

An  Application  Response  may  be  supported  by  an  Affidavit  as  well,  though  this  is  optional.  

The  Deponent  is  the  person  giving  the  evidence  and  swearing  the  Affidavit.      

Affidavits  must  include  the  name,  address  and  occupation  of  the  person  giving  the  evidence.      It  is  written  as  if  the  Deponent  is  telling  the  story  themselves.    

Affidavits  must  be  separated  into  paragraphs.    To  keep  it  simple  and  easy  to  read,  each  paragraph  can  discuss  a  new  issue  or  a  new  point.          

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Each  issue  or  point  that  you  are  trying  to  make  has  to  be  backed-­‐up  by  an  original  document  or  true  copy  of  an  original  document,  referred  to  as  an  Exhibit.  

The  Exhibit  should  be  introduced  as  a  last  sentence  in  the  paragraph.    For  example,  you  might  say,  “Attached  and  marked  as  Exhibit  “A…B…C…etc.”  to  this  Affidavit  is  a  true  copy  of  letter  dated  June  1,  2014”.  

Each  Exhibit  is  then  stamped  with  an  “exhibit  stamp”.  The  stamp  says  the  following:      

    “  This  is  Exhibit  “A,  B,  C,  etc.”  referred  to  in  the       Affidavit  of  [NAME  of  person  swearing  the  Affidavit]       sworn  (or  affirmed)  before  me  on  [dd/mm/yyyy]”  

    __________________________  [  signature  of  Notary  or  commissioner  for  taking  oaths]  

Keep  in  mind  that  your  Affidavit  can  only  be  based  on  facts  and  knowledge.    You  cannot  tell  the  Judge  or  Master  that  you  think  or  that  you  believe  that  you  requested  a  document  from  the  other  party  when  you  did  not  actually  make  that  request.      

The  jurat  is  the  clause  at  the  end  of  the  Affidavit  that  is  completed  and  signed  by  a  commissioner  for  taking  Affidavits.    Keep  the  jurat  on  the  same  page  as  the  last  numbered  paragraph.  

On  the  right  side  of  the  Jurat,  the  person  who  swears  the  Affidavit  has  to  also  sign  it.      

Put  it  all  together:  the  Application  Record  The  party  making  the  Application  is  required  to  file  an  Application  Record  no  earlier  than  3  days  before  the  Application  Hearing  and  no  later  than  1  full  business  day  before  the  Court  hearing.    

The  Application  Record  may  contain  the  following  documents:  

a) copy  of  your  filed  Application;  

b) copy  of  your  filed  Affidavit(s);  

c) copy  of  the  other  party’s  Application  Response;  

d) copy  of  the  other  party’s  Affidavit(s)  (if  any);  

e) any  Orders  that  you  previously  obtained  and  which  are  relevant  to  the  issue  at  hand.  

The  index  to  the  Application  Record  should  be  served  on  the  opposing  party  1  day  before  the  Court  hearing  so  that  they  may  prepare  their  own  copy  of  the  Application  Record.  

 On  the  day  of  the  Court  hearing  ◊ Dress  as  if  you  are  going  to  a  job  interview  and  not  to  a  date  or  party.    Choose  something  

tasteful  and  clean.    It  shows  respect.  ◊ Show  up  20  minutes  early  to  find  out  which  Courtroom  you  are  assigned  to.    There  is  a  list  

next  to  the  Sheriff’s  desk  that  you  should  check.    Stand  when  the  Judge  arrives  and  leaves  the  Courtroom,  and  never  turn  your  back  to  the  Judge.  

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◊ Stand  when  you  speak  to  Judge  so  that  the  microphone  can  pick  up  what  you  are  saying.  ◊ Speak  to  the  Judge;  do  not  speak  to  the  opposing  lawyer/party.  ◊ You  address  the  Judge  as  “Sir”,  “Your  Honour”,  or  “Justice”.    You  might  hear  a  lawyer  say  to  

the  Judge  “My  Lord”  or  call  another  lawyer  “My  Friend”  but  as  a  self-­‐represented  litigant  you  are  not  expected  to  use  those  traditional  terms.  

◊ Do  not  ever  talk  over  the  Judge.    If  the  Judge  starts  talking,  you  stop  talking.  ◊ Less  is  more:    keep  emotion  and  accusations  out  of  it,  as  those  are  not  relevant;  ◊ Concentrate  only  on  the  facts  that  the  Judge/Master  requires  in  order  to  give  you  the  Order  

you  are  seeking;  ◊ The  more  planned  and  focused  you  are,  the  more  successful  you  will  be;  ◊ Answer  briefly  and  clearly  any  questions  the  Judge/Master  may  ask  of  you;  ◊ Listen  carefully  to  what  the  opposing  party  has  to  say;  ◊ Answer  accurately,  briefly  and  clearly  any  questions  or  any  accusations  made  by  the  

opposing  party  that  you  disagree  with;  ◊ Only  relevant  information  should  be  provided:    too  much  information  confuses  and  

frustrates  everyone;  ◊ Be  respectful:  if  you  are  snarky  or  talk  out  of  turn,  it  will  be  much  more  difficult  for  the  

Judge/Master  to  give  you  what  you  want;  ◊ Being  thoughtful  and  reasonable  will  greatly  increase  your  likelihood  of  success.  

 Credit:  How  to  Help  the  Judge  /  Master  Give  You  What  You  Are  Seeking,  Martha  Metzner    

The  Mckenzie  Friend  Think  about  bringing  a  friend  with  you.    Sometimes  having  a  friend  with  you  can  be  helpful  for  both  you  and  the  Court  if  they  are  there  to  assist  with  the  Trial,  but  not  there  to  testify  for  you.    This  friend  is  called  a  “McKenzie  Friend”.    The  term  originated  from  an  Australian  case.    It  means  that  the  Court  can  allow  a  friend  to  sit  with  a  self-­‐represented  litigant  for  the  main  purpose  of  taking  notes,  helping  to  organize  and  produce  documents,  or  the  like.    They  are  NOT  to  speak  for  you  or  be  your  advocate.    Sometimes  a  friend  might  have  more  objectivity  because  they  are  not  involved  in  the  dispute  but  can  look  at  it  from  an  outsider’s  point  of  view.    A  friend  can  help  you  understand  what  the  Court  is  saying  or  recommending.  

There  is  no  formal  Court  application  to  have  your  friend  there.    Your  friend  first  sits  in  the  body  of  the  audience.    You  have  to  ask  the  Court  if  your  friend  can  sit  with  you  as  a  McKenzie  Friend  and  take  notes,  find  papers,  etc.    The  Judge  or  Master  might  not  know  the  phrase,  but  as  long  as  your  friend  is  not  intruding,  the  Court  will  likely  permit  it.  

Credit:  Master  Baker  

 

 

 

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Drafting  Orders  Made  After  Application  After  the  Court  hearing,  the  successful  party  drafts  the  Court  Order.    See  attached  sample  Order  Made  After  Application.  

An   “Order”   is   a   document   that   sets   out   the   decision   of   a   Judge   or   Master   after   a   court   hearing.  Interim   Orders   are   made   at   Application   hearings   and   sometimes   Trial  Management   Conferences  (“TMCs”).    Final  Orders  are  made  at  Trial  or  at  a  Summary  Trial  Application.    Interim   Orders   sought   in   Applications   are   set   out   in   the   Notice   of   Application,   while   the   Orders  sought  at  Trial  are  set  out  in  the  pleadings  (i.e.  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  and/or  Response  to  Civil  Claim).    It   is   important   to  understand   that   just  because  a   party   is  asking   for   specific  orders,   this  does  not  mean  a  Judge  or  Master  will  automatically  grant  those  orders.    It  is  up  to  the  parties  (or  their  lawyer  if   they  are  represented)  at  the  hearing  or  Trial   to  convince  the  Judge  or  Master  whether  or  not  to  grant  the  requested  orders.    At  the  end  of  an  Application  hearing,  the  Judge  or  Master  will  usually  give  their  decision  orally  as  to  what  orders  they  will  allow.        Normally  the  “successful”  party  (or   their   lawyer  if   they  are  represented)  drafts  the  “Order”.    Each  will   sign   the  draft  Order,  which   is  endorsed   “approved  as   to   form”.    This  means   that  both  parties  agree  that  the  form  of  the  Order  accurately  sets  out  the  decision  of  the  Judge  or  Master.        An  Order  is  in  effect  as  soon  as  it  is  rendered  by  the  Judge  or  Master.        Once  the  Order  is  signed,  it  is  sent  to  the  Registry  for  “entry”,  which  means  the  Order  becomes  an  official  court  document  by  being  checked,  signed  by  the  Registrar  or  Judge,  and  then  sealed  with  the  court  stamp.        Think  about   preparing  a  draft  Order   in   advance;   the  opposing  party,   if   they  are   represented  by   a  lawyer  will  likely  be  drafting  one.  If  the  lawyer  asks  you  to  sign  the  draft  Order,  you  have  a  right  to  review  before  signing   the  Order.    However,  this  does  not  mean  that  you  can  simply  refuse   to  sign  the   Order   because   you  do  not   agree  with   the   decision.     If   the   draft   Order   accurately   sets   out   the  terms  of  the  Judge  or  Master’s  decision,  you  have  an  obligation  to  sign  the  Order  and  return  it  to  the  lawyer  for  entry.        If  you  do  not,  the  lawyer  of  the  opposing  party  may  ask  that  the  your  signature  on  the  draft  Order  be  dispensed  with.    This  means  that  you  will  not  get  an  opportunity  to  review  the  Order  or  sign  it  before  it  gets  entered.        

Why  should  I  sign  the  draft  Order?    Here  are  some  reasons  why  you  should  consider  signing  the  Order:  

a)  your  signature  only  certifies  the  accuracy  of  the  order,  and  it  is  not  about  your  consent  or  agreement;  

b)  signing  is  a  right,  but  if  you  do  not  deal  with  it  quickly  and  either  sign  the  order  or  send  it  back  with  specific  points  regarding  inaccuracies,  there  will  be  costs  implications;  

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c)  if  you  disagree  with  the  form  or  the  wording  of  the  Order,  you  can  go  to  the  Registry  and  get  a  copy  of  the  clerk's  notes  to  check;  and  

d)  if  you  still  disagree,  you  can  either  ask  that  it  go  back  to  the  ORIGINAL  judge/master  to  settle  it  or  take  out  an  appointment  before  the  Registrar.  

 If  you  strongly  disagree  with  the  decision  of  a  Judge  or  Master,   then  you  should  seek  independent  legal   advice   as   to   whether   the   decision   should   be   appealed,   or   at   a   later   date   bring   on   an  Application   to   vary   the   Order.     If   you   wish   to   appeal   the   decision,   keep   in   mind   that   in   most  instances  there  is  a  time  limit  of  30  days  from  the  date  the  Order  was  made  by  the  Judge  or  Master  to  file  your  appeal.    If  you  do  not  agree  that  the  wording  of  the  draft  Order  accurately  sets  out  what  the  Judge  or  Master  decided,  then  you  can  obtain  a  copy  of  the  “Clerk’s  Notes”  from  the  Court  Registry.    If  you  feel  that  the  Clerk’s  Notes  are  not  accurate,  you  can  order  a  Transcript  of  the  hearing,  however,  that  can  be  very  costly.    As  a  last  resort,  you  can  have  a  Registrar  settle  the  terms  of  the  Order;  again,  this  incurs  further  costs.    You  should  always  be  provided  with  a  copy  of  the  entered  Order,  but  keep  in  mind  it  can  sometimes  take  weeks  (or  months)  to  get  the  Order  back  from  the  Registry.  

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APPLICATIONS:  Forms  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules,  BC  Reg  168/2009,  Rules  8-­‐1,  8-­‐2,  8-­‐3,  8-­‐4,  8-­‐5,  21-­‐1)  

 

1.   Form  30  –  Affidavit  

2.   Form  32  –  Notice  of  Application    

3.     Form  33  –  Application  Response  

4.     Form  35  –  Order  Made  After  Application  

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Sample  Form  109:  Affidavit  

(Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  22-­2  (2)  and  (7))  

   This  is  the  #1st  AFFIDAVIT  of  ***Affidavit  Deponent’s  Name***  in  this  case  

and  was  made  on  ***  Date    

No.  S123456  Vancouver  Registry  

In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia    Between    

Jane  Doe  Plaintiff  

and    

John  Smith  Defendant  

 AFFIDAVIT  

   I,  Jane  Doe,  Homemaker,  of  1234  Candylane  Crescent,  in  the  City  of  Vancouver,  in  the  Province  of  British  Columbia,  SWEAR  (OR  AFFIRM)  THAT:    1. I  am  the  Plaintiff  in  the  above  noted  proceeding  and  as  such  have  personal  knowledge  of  the  

facts  and  matters  deposed  to  save  and  except  those  stated  to  be  based  on  information  and  belief  and  where  so  stated  I  believe  them  to  be  true.  

 2. [STATE  THE  FACTS.]    The  Defendant  filed  a  Response  to  Civil  Claim  dated  February  5,  2014  

which  claimed  that  we  signed  an  addendum  to  a  contract.  Attached  and  marked  as  Exhibit  “A”  to  this  Affidavit  is  a  true  copy  of  the  Defendant’s  Response  to  Civil  Claim.    

3. The  Defendant  served  his  List  of  Documents  on  April  1,  2014  but  did  not  list  the  above  noted  addendum.    Attached  and  marked  as  Exhibit  “B”  to  this  Affidavit  is  a  true  copy  of  the  Defendant’s  List  of  Documents  dated  April  1,  2014.  [Notice  how  the  Exhibits  are  in  alphabetical  order].      

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4. On  April  15,  2014,  I  called  the  Defendant  to  request  a  copy  of  the  contract  addendum.    He  has  not  provided  a  copy  of  the  addendum  to  date.    [Continue  stating  the  facts.]  

     SWORN  (OR  AFFIRMED)  BEFORE  ME  at  the  City  of  Vancouver,  British  Columbia,  on  DATE  

)  )      )  

 

A  Commissioner  for  taking  Affidavits  for  British  Columbia  

  JANE  DOE  

 

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Sample  Form  32:  Notice  Of  Application  

 (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  8-­1  (4))  

 

Use  this  form  when  you  are  seeking  the  Court’s  assistance  to  move  your  case  along.      

The  attached  form  represents  a  list  of  suggested  paragraphs  that  set  out  language  appropriate  for  the  most  common  applications.    These  are  only  a  few  examples.    In  reality,  there  can  be  many  different  types  of  items  you  can  ask  for  from  a  Judge  or  Master.    

 

No.  S123456  Vancouver  Registry  

   In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia  

 Between    

Jane  Doe  Plaintiff  

and    

John  Smith  Defendant  

 NOTICE  OF  APPLICATION  

 Name  of  applicant:  The  Plaintiff,  Jane  Doe    TO:     The  Plaintiff/The  Defendant    AND  TO:   Their  lawyer       NAME  OF  LAWYER    TAKE  NOTICE  that  an  Application  will  be  made  by  the  Defendant  to  the  presiding  Judge  [or  Master,  see  Appendix  E  and  select  “Judge”  or  “Master”  as  appropriate]  at  the  [ADDRESS  OF  COURTHOUSE  WHERE  APPLICATION  WILL  BE  HEARD],  in  the  City  of  [  ],  on  [date  of  Court  hearing]  at  9:45  a.m.  for  the  Order(s)  set  out  in  Part  1  below.        [The  hearing  always  starts  at  9:45,  unless  it  is  in  Kamloops  where  hearing  start  at  9:15  a.m.]    

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[The  place  of  the  Hearing  is  usually  at  the  Courthouse  where  the  Action  was  started  or  at  the  Registry  where  it  is  most  convenient  for  the  parties  of  the  action,  if  it  shares  the  same  judicial  district  as  the  originating  Registry.    For  example,  Vancouver,  New  Westminster,  and  Powell  River  share  the  same  judicial  district.    An  Application  filed  at  Powell  River  Registry  can  be  heard  at  the  Vancouver  Registry.]  

Part  1:    ORDER(S)  SOUGHT    [Clearly  state  what  you  are  asking  for.    ]  

Part  2:    FACTUAL  BASIS    [The  factual  basis  is  a  brief  summary  of  the  facts  that  support  your  Application.    Do  not  go  over  all  the  details  and  conversations  you  had  with  the  other  party.    Focus  on  the  main  issue  and  do  not  go  off  topic].  

Part  3:    LEGAL  BASIS      [Insert  the  case(s)  you  are  relying  on,  or  a  rule  that  you  have  taken  from  the  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  that  supports  why  the  Court  should  award  you  what  you  are  asking  for.]    Part  4:    MATERIAL  TO  BE  RELIED  ON    [list  the  Affidavits  that  support  your  Application]  

For  example:    Affidavit  #1  of  Jane  Doe,  sworn  May  30,  2014  

The  Applicant(s)  estimate(s)  that  the  Application  will  take    ____    minutes.  [      ]   This  matter  is  in  the  jurisdiction  of  a  Master.  [      ]   This  matter  is  not  within  the  jurisdiction  of  a  Master.     [refer  to  Appendix  E  if  unclear  about  whether  a  Master  can  hear  your  Application]  

 TO  THE  PERSONS  RECEIVING  THIS  NOTICE  OF  APPLICATION:  If  you  wish  to  respond  to  this  Notice  of  Application,  you  must,  within  5  business  days  after  service  of  this  Notice  of  Application  or,  if  this  Application  is  brought  under  Rule  9-­‐7,  within  8  business  days  after  service  of  this  Notice  of  Application,    

(a)  file  an  Application  Response  in  Form  33,  (b)  file  the  original  of  every  affidavit,  and  of  every  other  document,  that  

(i)  you  intend  to  refer  to  at  the  hearing  of  this  Application,  and  (ii)  has  not  already  been  filed  in  the  proceeding,  and  

(c)  serve  on  the  Applicant  2  copies  of  the  following,  and  on  every  other  party  of  record  one  copy  of  the  following:  

(i)  a  copy  of  the  filed  Application  Response;  (ii)  a  copy  of  each  of  the  filed  affidavits  and  other  documents  that  you  intend  to  refer  to  at  the  hearing  of  this  Application  and  that  has  not  already  been  served  on  that  person;    (iii)  if  this  Application  is  brought  under  Rule  9-­‐7,  any  notice  that  you  are  required  to  give  under  Rule  9-­‐7  (9).  

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 Date:  [when  signed]    

 ........................................................................  Your  signature      

 To  be  completed  by  the  court  only:    Order  made            [    ]      in  the  terms  requested  in  paragraphs  .............................  of  Part  1  of  this  Notice  of  Application    [      ]      with  the  following  variations  and  additional  terms:            .......................................................................................................................................................            .......................................................................................................................................................            .......................................................................................................................................................    Date:  .......................................  ...........................................................................  Signature  of      [      ]      Judge          [      ]      Master    

   [This  section  is  for  data  collection  purposes  only  which  goes  towards  the  Court’s  statistics].  Appendix  THIS  APPLICATION  INVOLVES  THE  FOLLOWING:      [  ]   discovery:  comply  with  demand  for  documents  []   discovery:  production  of  additional  documents  [  ]   other  matters  concerning  document  discovery  [  ]   extend  oral  discovery  [  ]   other  matter  concerning  oral  discovery  [  ]   amend  pleadings  [  ]   add/change  parties  [  ]   summary  judgment  [  ]   summary  trial  [  ]   service  [  ]   mediation  [  ]   adjournments  [  ]   proceedings  at  trial  [  ]   case  plan  orders:  amend  [  ]   case  plan  orders:  other  [  ]   experts  

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Sample  Form  33:  Application  Response  

(Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  8-­1  (10))  

 

No.  S123456    Vancouver  Registry  

 In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia  

 Between    

Jane  Doe    

Plaintiff  and    

John  Smith  Defendant  

 APPLICATION  RESPONSE  

 Application  response  of:  The  Defendant,  John  Smith  (the  “Application  Respondent”)  

THIS  IS  A  RESPONSE  TO  the  Notice  of  Application  of  Jane  Doe  filed  [insert  the  date  the  Registry  

stamped  the  Notice  of  Application].    

Part  1:  ORDER  CONSENTED  TO  

The  Application  Respondent  consents  to  the  granting  of  NONE  of  the  orders  set  out  in  Part  1  of  the  

Notice  of  Application.    

Part  2:  ORDERS  OPPOSED  

The  Application  Respondent  opposes  the  granting  of  the  orders  set  out  in  paragraphs  1-­‐4  of  Part  1  

of  the  Notice  of  Application.  

Part  3:  ORDERS  ON  WHICH  NO  POSITION  IS  TAKEN  

Nil  

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Part  4:  FACTUAL  BASIS  

1.   The  Defendant  is  the  owner  of  the  lands  located  at  4567  Barrow  Street,  Vancouver,  B.C.  (the  “Lands”).  

2.   The  Plaintiff  and  the  Defendant  have  brought  claims  against  each  other.  The  debts  arise  out  of  different  transactions,  but  involve  the  same  parties.    

3.   On  or  about  April  6,  2013,  the  Plaintiff  and  Defendant  entered  into  an  agreement  in  which  the  Plaintiff  would  provide  general  contractor  services  to  the  Defendant  for  the  sum  of  $50,000.00,  with  respect  to  the  renovations  at  4567  Barrow  Street,  Vancouver,  B.C.    The  Plaintiff  would  provide  monthly  invoices  and  the  Defendant  agreed  to  pay  those  invoices  with  a  5%  monthly  interest  if  payments  were  late.  

 4.   From  May  2013  to  November  2013,  the  Plaintiff  provided  monthly  invoices  for  services  

rendered.      5.   On  or  about  July  24,  2013,  the  City  of  Vancouver  inspected  the  Lands.    The  work  provided  

by  the  Plaintiff  failed  inspection.    The  Defendant  attempted  to  address  these  failures  with  the  Plaintiff  but  she  would  not  agree  to  amend  the  work.    Since  that  time,  the  Defendant  has  refused  to  pay  the  Plaintiff’s  invoice.    

 6.   The  Defendant  had  to  hire  another  contractor  to  redo  and  complete  the  work  required  on  

the  Lands.    The  Defendant  has  had  to  pay  over  $80,000.00  to  fix  the  work  the  Plaintiff  has  done..  

 

Part  5:  LEGAL  BASIS  

7.   In  accordance  with  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  9-­‐7(15),  the  Defendant  seeks  an  Order  that  this  Summary  Trial  application  be  dismissed  because  the  Defendant’s  defence  cannot  be  determined  without  a  full  Trial  due  to  the  nature  of  the  Defendant’s  defences.  

10.   The  Defendant  therefore  requests  that  this  Application  for  summary  judgment  be  dismissed  with  costs.  

Relief  Sought  

8.   The  Defendant  seeks  an  Order  that:  

  (a)   the  Summary  Trial  Application  be  dismissed;  and  

  (b)   costs  of  this  Application.  

Part  6:  MATERIAL  TO  BE  RELIED  ON  

1.   Affidavit  #1  of  J.  Smith,  sworn  01/Aug/2014;  

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2.   The  pleadings  filed  to  date;;  and  

The  Application  Respondent  estimates  that  the  application  will  take  1  day.  

  The  Application  Respondent  has  filed  in  this  proceeding  a  document  that  contains  the  

Application  Respondent’s  address  for  service.  

       Date:               Signature  of  Bob  Clarke  

 lawyer  for  Application  Respondent    

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Sample  Form  35:  Order  Made  After  Application  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  8-­4  (1),  13-­1  (3),  and  17-­1  (2))  

Use  this  form  when  an  Order  has  been  made  by  the  Court  after  an  application  has  been  made.  

The  attached  form  represents  a  list  of  suggested  paragraphs  that  set  out  language  appropriate  for  the  most  common  applications.    These  are  only  a  few  examples.    In  reality,  there  can  be  many  different  types  Orders  granted  by  a  Judge  or  Master.  You  are  to  select  only  those  paragraphs  that  reflect  the  Orders  made  by  the  Judge  or  Master  (or  consented  to  by  the  parties).  

 

No.  S123456  Vancouver  Registry  

In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia    Between  

Jane  Doe  Plaintiff  

   and  

John  Smith  Defendant  

ORDER  MADE  AFTER  APPLICATION  

    THE  HONOURABLE  JUSTICE  _________________________  

   

   

BEFORE  

)  )  )  )  )  

or  A  JUDGE  OF  THE  COURT  or  MASTER  __________________  or  

)  )  )  )  )  

     [dd/mmm/yyyy]  

    A  MASTER  OF  THE  COURT      

 [Select  whichever  one  of  the  3  following  provisions  is  correct,  complete  the  selected  provision  and  remove  the  provisions  that  have  not  been  selected  so  that  they  do  not  appear  in  the  form  when  the  form  is  filed.]  

 

ON  THE  APPLICATION  of  the  Plaintiff,  Jane  Doe,  coming  on  for  hearing  at  Vancouver,  B.C.  on  08/Aug/2014  and  on  hearing  Jane  Doe,  appearing  in  person  (i.e.  self-­‐represented),  and  Bob  Clarke,  lawyer  for  the  Defendant;  

OR  

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[use  this  paragraph  when:  the  other  party  has  been  served  with  Court  documents  but  has  not  provided  any  responding  documents  to  your  Application;  in  emergency  Applications  like  injunctions  where  you  need  immediate  action]  

ON  THE  APPLICATION  of  the  Plaintiff,  Jane  Doe,  without  notice  coming  on  for  hearing  at  Vancouver,  B.C.  on  08/Aug/2014  and  on  hearing  Jane  Doe,  appearing  in  person  [if  you  are  a  self-­‐represented  litigant];  

OR  

[use  this  paragraph  when  a  Judge  asks  for  written  submissions  and  does  not  require  you  to  show  up  at  Court]  

ON  THE  APPLICATION  of  the  Plaintiff,  Jane  Doe,  without  a  hearing  and  on  reading  the  materials  filed  by  the  Plaintiff,  Jane  Doe,  and  Bob  Clarke,  lawyer  for  the  Defendant;  

THIS  COURT  ORDERS  that:  

[when  you  need  the  Court’s  permission  to  amend  your  pleading]  

1.   the  Plaintiff  is  granted  leave  to  amend  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  as  attached  as  Schedule  A  to  this  Notice  of  Application;  

[when  you  cannot  locate  the  Defendant  to  serve  the  documents  on  them  and  you  are  asking  the  Court’s  permission  to  serve  by  substitutional  service  –  in  other  words,  to  use  an  alternate  way  to  serve  a  document  than  what  is  set  out  in  the  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules]  

2.   the  Plaintiff  may  serve  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  upon  the  Defendant,  John  Smith,  by  posting  a  copy  of  the  Notice  of  Civil  Claim,  together  with  a  copy  of  this  Order,  on  the  door  of  his  residence  at  12345  Street,  Delta,  British  Columbia;  and  

3.   The  Defendant,  John  Doe,  will  be  deemed  to  have  been  served  on  the  3rd  business  day  following  service  in  accordance  with  paragraph  2  of  this  Order.      

[when  the  other  party  has  not  provided  their  List  of  Documents  despite  repeated  requests  by  you  to  do  so]  

1. The  Defendants  will  produce  supplementary  Lists  of  Documents  which  disclose  documents  from  the  following  sources  or  locations:  [list]    

2. ABC  Company  now  doing  business  as  or  operating  as  123  ("123")  will,  by  4:30  p.m.  on  [Month,  Date],  2014,  provide  to  the  [party]  a  copy  of  all  documents,  correspondence,  surveys,  reports,  statements,  interviews  or  other  records  in  their  possession  relating  to  any  claim  or  claims  of  [related  party]  with  respect  to  [the  incident]  including  the  contents  of  123’s  file  on  claim  #12345,  other  than  any  documents,  that  123  makes  a  claim  of  privilege  or  do  not  relate  to  a  matter  in  question.  

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THE  FOLLOWING  PARTIES  APPROVE  THE  FORM  OF  THIS  ORDER  AND  CONSENT  TO  EACH  OF  THE  ORDERS,  IF  ANY,  THAT  ARE  INDICATED  ABOVE  AS  BEING  BY  CONSENT:  

[A  signature  line  in  the  following  form  must  be  completed  and  signed  by  or  for  each  approving  party.]  

 

Signature  of  Jane  Doe  

 Plaintiff      

 

 

Signature  of  Bob  Clarke  

 lawyer  for  the  Defendant  

 

By  the  Court.  

 

Registrar  

 

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[This  is  the  backing  sheet.    All  Court  Orders  need  to  have  this  as  the  last  page.    It  faces  outwards]  

No.  S123456  Vancouver  Registry  

   

In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia    Between  

JANE  DOE  Plaintiff  

 and  

JOHN  SMITH  Defendant  

 

ORDER  MADE  AFTER  APPLICATION    

 

[your  address  and  contact  information]  

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Trial  Management  Conferences  Supreme Court Civil Rule 12-2

The  forms  are  found  at:      

http://www.ag.gov.bc.ca/courts/other/supreme/2010SupRules/info/index_civil.htm  

 

 

 

 

What  is  it?    The  Trial  Management  Conference  (also  referred  to  as  the  “TMC”)  is  a  mandatory  pre-­‐trial  procedure  if  one  of  the  parties  is  self-­‐represented  and  must  take  place  before  the  Trial  can  proceed.      

Why  is  a  Trial  Management  Conference  necessary?  The  Trial  Management  Conference  is  an  opportunity  for  the  Plaintiff  and  the  Defendant  (and  their  lawyers,  if  any)  to  meet  before  a  Judge  or  Master  to  explore  the  case  before  it  goes  to  Trial  and  consider  different  matters  including,  but  not  limited  to:  

• exploring   the   chances   of   settling   the   case,   for   steps   after   the   settlement   is   reached,   see    section  8(a)  on  “Settlement Offers”,  

• arranging  to  receive  evidence  by  a  written  report,    

• deciding  how  the  Trial  will  proceed,    

• ensuring  that  the  parties  know  what  witnesses  will  testify  and  what  other  evidence  will  be  presented  at  the  Trial,  

• estimating  the  time  needed  for  the  Trial,  and  

• re-­‐setting   the   Trial   date   (if   more   time   is   necessary,   additional   days   may   be   added   to   the  existing  Trial  date  or  a  new  Trial  date  may  be  set).  

What  happens  if  no  Trial  Management  Conference  is  held?  You  risk  losing  your  Trial  date.    

 

 

You  are  getting  close  to  Trial.    It  is  time  to  set  out  the  steps  that  will  help  the  Trial  go  as  smoothly  as  possible.    It  is  also  not  too  late  to  consider  an  offer  to  settle  the  action  without  going  to  Trial.    All  of  this  can  be  explored  through  a  Trial  Management  Conference.    After  the  Trial  Management  Conference,  if  any  orders  are  made,  the  parties  must  comply  with  the  Judge’s  orders  and  make  arrangements  to  prepare  for  Trial.  

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When  does  it  take  place?    The  Trial  Management  Conference  must  take  place  at  least  28  days  (or  1  month)  before  the  scheduled  Trial  date,  unless  otherwise  ordered  by  the  Court  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  12-­‐2(1)).      

Who  arranges  the  Trial  Management  Conference?  Either  party  can  arrange  the  Trial  Management  Conference.    It  is  more  efficient  to  do  so  when  you  have  a  date  that  everyone  agrees  to.          

How  do  I  arrange  the  Trial  Management  Conference?  The  Trial  Management  Conference  is  reserved  by  contacting  Supreme  Court  Scheduling  to  reserve  a  date  and  time.    Once  a  date  is  reserved,  the  party  who  reserves  the  date  must  file  a  Requisition  (in  Form  17)  that  sets  out  the  time  and  date  reserved  for  the  Trial  Management  Conference.    

Where  does  the  Trial  Management  Conference  take  place?  At  the  Registry  where  the  Trial  will  take  place.    

Who  has  to  go?  The  Plaintiff  and  the  Defendant  (or  their  lawyers  if  any)  are  required  to  attend  the  Trial  Management  Conference  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  12-­‐2(4)).    If  represented  by  a  lawyer,  the  lawyer  may  attend  without  their  client.  

What  happens  if  a  party  does  not  show  up?  If  the  Plaintiff  or  Defendant  (or  their  lawyer,  if  attending  in  place  of  their  client)  fails  to  attend  the  Trial  Management  Conference,  the  Judge  or  Master  may:  

(d)  proceed  without  the  missing  party,    

(e)  adjourn  the  Trial  Management  Conference,  or    

(f)  Order  the  missing  party  to  pay  costs  to  the  other  party,  

(Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  12-­2(7)).  

What  needs  to  be  prepared  for  the  Trial  Management  Conference?  Before  the  Trial  Management  Conference,  the  Plaintiff  and  Defendant  are  each  required  to  prepare  and  file  a  Trial  Brief  (in  Form  41)  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  12-­2(3)).  

What  is  a  Trial  Brief?  The  Trial  Brief  is  a  five-­‐page  document  that  sets  out:  

• a  summary  of  the  issues  and  positions,  

• identifies  the  witnesses  who  will  be  called  give  evidence  at  the  Trial,    

• identifies  the  witnesses  who  will  be  called  for  cross-­‐examination,  

• provides  the  time  estimates  for  each  witnesses’  testimony,    

• sets  out  the  evidence  that  will  be  presented  at  the  Trial  (i.e.  expert  reports,  exhibits  or  other  documents),  

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• lists  the  legal  authorities  that  will  be  relied  on;  and  

• identifies  the  terms  of  the  Order  to  be  sought  at  the  Trial.    

How  do  I  prepare  a  Trial  Brief?  Obtain  a  blank  copy  of  the  Trial  Brief  in  Form  41.    The  Trial  Brief  has  10  sections  and  should  include  in  each  section  the  following  information:  

Section   Information  to  include  

1   Summary  of  issues  and  positions  

• Set  out  each  issue  in  dispute  and  your  position  on  each  issue.  

2   Witnesses  to  be  called   • Insert   the   names   and   addresses   for   each  witness   you  intend  to  call  at  trial.  

• Insert  a  time  estimate  required  for  each  witness  to  give  evidence.  

3   Expert  reports   • Insert   the   name   of   each   expert   and   their   report   that  you  intend  to  offer  as  evidence  at  the  Trial.  

• Insert  the  date  of  each  expert’s  report.  

4   Witnesses  to  be  cross-­‐  examined  

• Insert   the   name   of   each   witness   you   intend   to   cross-­‐examine  at  the  Trial.  

• Insert   a   time   estimate   you   anticipate   requiring   each  witness  for  cross-­‐examination  at  the  Trial.  

5   Documents  and  exhibits     • insert   a   list   of   documents   and   other   exhibits   that   you  intend  to  tender  as  evidence  at  the  Trial.  

6   Authorities   • insert  a   list   of  authorities  you   intend   to   rely   on  at   the  Trial.  

7   Order   • insert  the  terms  of  the  Order  that  you  intend  to  seek  at  the  Trial.  

8   Times  required  for  submissions  

• insert   the   time   estimates   for   your   (a)   opening  statement,  and  (b)  closing  statement.  

9   Orders  that  may  affect  the  conduct  of  the  trial  

• insert   the   date(s)   of   any   Orders   which   contain  provisions  or  terms  that  may  affect  the  conduct  of   the  Trial  (and  Trial  Order).  

10   Trial  to  be  heard  with  or  without  jury  

• check   the   box   for  whether   the  Trial   is   being   heard  by  the  Court  with  or  without  a  jury.  

For  the  sections  above,  if  there  are  areas  where  you  do  not  have  any  information  to  provide  or  the  information  is  not  finalized,  you  may  choose  to  insert:  “to  be  provided  at  a  later  date”  or  “none”  to  identify  why  the  information  is  missing.  

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When  does  the  Trial  Brief  have  to  be  filed?  The  Trial  Brief  must  be  filed  and  served  on  each  party  at  least  7  days  before  the  Trial  Management  Conference  hearing  date    (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  12-­2(3)).  

What  if  the  Trial  Brief  is  more  than  five  pages?  If  your  Trial  Brief  is  more  than  five  pages,  you  must  include  an  index  that  identifies  the  page  number  for  each  section.  

What  happens  if  a  party  does  not  provide  a  Trial  Brief?  If  the  other  party  fails  to  provide  you  with  a  Trial  Brief,  you  may  consider  writing  a  letter  reminding  them  of  the  service  deadline  and  requesting  a  copy  of  their  Trial  Brief.      

Unfortunately,  there  is  no  specific  penalty  outlined  in  the  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  if  a  party  fails  to  file  and  serve  their  Trial  Brief.    However,  a  party  that  does  not  file  a  Trial  Brief  runs  the  risk  of:  

• being   prevented   from   dealing   with   the   items   set   out   in   the   Trial   Brief,   including   calling  witnesses  and  submitting  expert  reports  as  evidence;    

• having  costs  made  against  them  in  their  absence;  or    

• having  penalties  ordered  against  them  for  not  providing  proper  response  materials.    

What  happens  at  a  Trial  Management  Conference?  At  the  Trial  Management  Conference,  the  Plaintiff,  the  Defendant  and  their  lawyers,  if  any,  will  meet  before  a  Judge  or  Master  to  address  matters  about  the  Trial,  including  simplifying  the  issues,  preparing  common  books  of  documents  or  identifying  facts  that  are  not  in  dispute.    If  these  types  of  issues  can  be  figured  out  during  the  Trial  Management  Conference,  it  will  save  time  later  when  the  Trial  starts..      

The  Judge  or  Master  can  make  Orders  on  issues  including:    

• a  plan  for  how  the  Trial  should  be  conducted;  

• amendment  of  pleadings;  

• facts  to  be  admitted  at  the  Trial;  

• documents  to  be  admitted  at  the  Trial,  including  agreements  as  to  the  purpose  for  using  the  documents  at  the  Trial  or  preparing  a  common  book  of  documents;  

• limits  on  how  long  witnesses  can  be  examined  and  cross-­‐examined;  

• that  the  evidence  of  witnesses  be  presented  at  the  Trial  in  Affidavit  form;  

• adjournment  of  the  Trial;  

• require  that  the  opening  statements  and  final  submissions  be  presented  in  writing;  and  

• change  the  number  of  days  set  aside  for  the  Trial.  

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Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  12-­‐2(9)  sets  out  the  full  list  of  issues  that  the  Judge  or  Master  may  consider  and  make  an  Order  on  at  the  Trial  Management  Conference.      

What  else  do  I  need  to  know  about  Trial  Management  Conferences?  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  12-­‐2  sets  out  the  full  list  of  rules  that  affect  the  Trial  Management  Conference.        

Information  on  the  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  and  Forms  can  be  found  online  at  the  Courts  of  B.C.  website:  http://www.courts.gov.bc.ca/supreme_court/practice_and_procedure/acts_rules_and_forms/      

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TRIAL  MANAGEMENT  CONFERENCE:  Forms  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules,  BC  Reg  168/2009,  Rules  12-­‐2)  

 

1. Form  17  –  Requisition  2. Form  41  –  Trial  Brief    

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Sample  Form  17:  Requisition  NO.  S123456  

Vancouver  Registry  

In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia  

Between:  

Jane  Doe  

Plaintiff  

And:  

John  Smith  

Defendant  

REQUISITION  -­  GENERAL  

Filed  by:   the  Plaintiff  

Required:   To  confirm  a  telephone  booking  of  a  Trial  Management  Conference  in  this  proceeding  for  Monday,  July  28,  2014  at  2:45  p.m.  

  Trial  date:  September  2,  2014  (5  days)  

This  Requisition  is  supported  by  the  following:    N/A  

   

Dated:  July  10,  2014   _____________________________________________________  Signature  of  JANE  DOE    filing  party    lawyer  for  filing  party(ies)  

 Name  and  address  of  filing  party:    1234  Candylane  Crescent  Vancouver,  BC    V5Y  1K8  Telephone:  604-­‐689-­‐3281  Email:    [email protected]  

 

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Sample  Form  41:  Trial  Brief  

(Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  12-­2  (3))  

NO.  S123456  Vancouver  Registry  

In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia  

Between:  

Jane  Doe  

Plaintiff  

And:  

John  Smith  

Defendant  

TRIAL  BRIEF  

Filed  by:  the  Plaintiff,  Jane  Smith  (the  “filing  party”)  

The  Trial  of  this  case  is  scheduled  for  five  (5)  days  and  is  scheduled  to  begin  on  02/Sep/2014.  

1   Summary  of  Issues  and  Positions    

The  following  are  the  issues  in  dispute  and  the  filing  party's  position  on  each:    

Issue  in  dispute   Filing  party's  position  1.  Damages   1.    The  Plaintiff  takes  the  position  that  it  is  

entitled  to:  a. Non-­‐pecuniary  damages  at  or  

approaching  the  upper  limit;  b. Past  wage  loss;  c. Loss  of  income  earning  capacity;  d. Cost  of  future  care;  and  e. Special  damages.  

 2.  Liability   2.  The  Plaintiff  takes  the  position  that  the  

accident  was  caused  entirely  by  the  Defendant’s  negligence.        The  Plaintiff  denies  that  she  shares  any  fault  in  the  accident.    

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 2   Witnesses  to  Be  Called    

The  following  are  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  witnesses  the  filing  party  intends  to  call  at  the  Trial,  and  an  estimate  of  the  time  each  witness  will  need  for  giving  direct  evidence:    

Name     Address     Time  needed  Billy  Hill   8218  Hudson  Street  

Vancouver,  BC    V6P  4J1    

60  minutes  

Don  Juan   2310  –  900  Richards  Street  Vancouver,  BC    V6X  4P3    

30  minutes  

Emily  Smith   3301  –  800  Pacific  Blvd.  Vancouver,  BC    V6T  1&B  

60  minutes  

 3   Expert  Reports    

The  following  are  the  expert  reports  the  filing  party  intends  to  offer  as  evidence  at  the  Trial:    

Name  of  Expert   Date  of  Report  Dr.  Laura  Hoover   16/Jan/  2014  Dr.      Robin  Hoodwink   20/Jan/2014    4   Witnesses  to  Be  Cross-­Examined    

The  following  are  the  names  of  the  witnesses  the  filing  party  anticipates  cross-­‐examining  at  the  Trial,  and  an  estimate  of  the  time  the  filing  party  will  need  for  each:    

Name     Time  needed  Dr.  James  House   45  Minutes  Dr.  Elizabeth  Crusher   45  Minutes  Moby  Dickerson   60  Minutes    5   Documents  and  Exhibits    

The  following  are  the  documents  and  other  exhibits  the  filing  party  intends  to  tender  at  the  Trial:    

Scene  photographs  

Employment  and  tax  records  

Special  damages  receipts  

Medical  records    

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Experts  reports  

6   Authorities    

The  following  are  the  authorities  the  filing  party  intends  to  rely  on  at  trial:    

To  be  provided.  

7   Order    

The  following  are  the  terms  of  the  Order  the  filing  party  will  seek  at  the  Trial:    

Judgment  against  the  Defendants;  

Apportionment,  where  applicable,  under  the  Negligence  Act,  RSBC  1996,  c.  333;    

Assessment  of  damages;  and  

Costs  of  the  proceedings.  

8   Time  required  for  submissions    

The  filing  party  estimates  that  30  minutes  will  be  required  for  that  party's  opening  statement  and  45  minutes  will  be  required  for  that  party's  final  submissions.    

9   Orders  that  may  affect  the  conduct  of  the  Trial  

The  following  Orders  contain  provisions  that  may  affect  the  conduct  of  the  Trial:  

Date  of  Order   Nature  of  Order  None.      

10   Trial  to  be  heard  with  or  without  Jury  

The  Trial  of  this  case  is  to  be  heard  by  the  Court  

  without  a  jury.  

  with  a  jury.  

 

Dated:  18/Jul/2014   _____________________________________________________  Signature  of  JANE  DOE    filing  party    lawyer  for  filing  party(ies)  

 

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6.  WHAT  I  SHOULD  KNOW  ABOUT  TRIALS  

 

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TRIAL  Supreme Court Civil Rules 12-3, 12-4, and 12-5

 

The  forms  are  found  at:      

http://www.ag.gov.bc.ca/courts/other/supreme/2010SupRules/info/index_civil.htm  

 

 

 

Trial  Certificate  (Form  42)  

What  is  it?    A  document  that  confirms:  

1. you  will  be  ready  on  the  scheduled  Trial  date,  2. how  long  the  Trial  will  last  (in  days),  3. you  have  completed  all  Examinations  for  Discovery  that  you  intend  to  conduct,  4. a  Trial  Management  Conference  has  been  conducted,  and  5. you  will  give  the  Registrar  prompt  notice  of  any  settlement  or  proposed  adjournment  of  

Trial.  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  12-­4(3))  

 

Why  is  it  necessary?  You  risk  losing  your  Trial  date  if  you  do  not  file  the  Trial  Certificate  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  12-­4(5)).        

Who  files  it?  The  Plaintiff  and  the  Defendant  -­‐  each  party  must  file  a  Trial  Certificate.    

When  is  it  filed?  Between  14  and  28  days  before  the  start  of  Trial.    When  calculating  when  to  file  it,  do  not  include  the  date  you  file  it  at  the  Registry  or  the  first  day  of  Trial.    

You  have  decided  to  proceed  with  the  Trial.    It  involves  a  lot  of  preparation  and  organization.    As  part  of  that  preparation,  you  need  to  do  the  following:    -­‐Trial  Certificate  -­‐Trial  Record  -­‐Subpoena  the  witnesses  -­‐Book  of  Documents

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Where  is  it  filed?  File  the  Trial  Certificate  at  the  Registry  location  where  the  Trial  is  to  happen.    

HOW  DO  I  DO  THIS?  1. Complete  Form  42  (see  attached  example).    2. Make  3  copies  –  one  for  the  Court,  one  for  yourself,  and  one  for  the  opposing  party.  3. File  it  at  the  Registry.  4. Serve  the  opposing  party  with  one  of  the  filed  copies.  

 

Trial  Record  

What  is  it?  A  booklet  containing  documents  that  provide  details  about  the  action  and  any  Court  Orders  about  the  way  a  Trial  should  be  conducted.        

Why  is  it  necessary?  This  booklet  is  used  by  the  Trial  Judge  as  a  reference  to  explain  what  the  litigation  is  about.    

Who  prepares  it?  The  party  that  filed  the  Notice  of  Trial  must  also  file  the  Trial  Record  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  12-­3(1)).    

When  is  it  filed?  Between  14  and  28  days  before  the  first  day  of  Trial.    When  calculating  when  to  file  the  Trial  Record,  do  not  include  the  date  of  filing  or  the  first  day  of  Trial.    

Where  do  I  file  it?  File  it  at  the  Registry  location  where  the  Trial  is  to  happen.    

HOW  DO  I  DO  THIS?  1.    Make  copies  of  the  following,  with  tabs  in  between  each  document:  

a) the  filed  Notice  of  Civil  Claim  (if  it  has  been  amended,  just  include  the  amended  version);  b) any  Responses  to  Civil  Claim  (if  they  have  been  amended,  just  include  the  amended  

version);    If  there  are  any  of  the  following,  then  include  them  in  chronological  order,  with  tabs  in  between  each  document:  c) Third  Party  Notice,  Reply,  Counterclaim  (if  any);  d) Demand  for  Particulars  and  corresponding  Reply  (if  any);  e) the  Case  Plan  Order  (if  any);  f) any  Court  Order  that  affects  how  a  Trial  is  going  to  run  (if  any);  g) any  document  required  by  the  Registrar  (if  applicable).  

 

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*Settlement  proposals  or  negotiations  are  never  included  in  the  Trial  Record.    2.    Write  on  the  first  page  of  each  document,  in  the  upper  right  hand  corner:    

[action  number  –  if  it  is  not  already  on  the  document]  [registry  location  –  if  it  is  not  already  on  the  document]  [filing  date  –  the  date  it  is  stamped  by  the  Registry.    If  the  document  was  not  filed,  write  the  date  that  the  document  was  prepared,  completed  or  entered.]  

 3.    Number  the  pages  When  the  documents  are  arranged  in  order,  number  each  page  consecutively  at  the  top  centre  of  each  page.    4.    Prepare  the  Index  List  all  the  documents  and  the  corresponding  tab  number  (optional:  you  can  also  include  the  page  number).    5.    Prepare  a  cover  page.  The  cover  should  have  the  style  of  proceedings  and  the  contact  information  of  each  party.    You  should  also  include  the  date  and  place  of  Trial.    See  attached  sample.    The  cover  and  back  sheet  should  be  light  blue.    6.  Copy,  Bind  and  File  it  Make  three  copies  of  the  Trial  Record–  one  for  the  Court,  one  for  yourself,  and  one  for  the  opposing  party.    Bind  all  the  copies  using  a  plastic  coil  ring  or  you  can  staple  and  cover  with  black  fabric  tape.    Take  it  to  the  Registry  and  file  it.    7.    Serve  it.  Serve  one  of  the  stamped  copies  on  the  opposing  party.  

Subpoena  (Form  25)  This  is  a  document  that  requires  a  witness  to  attend  Court  on  the  date  specified  on  the  document.    It  is  not  filed  at  the  Registry  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  12-­5(33)).    The  Subpoena  must  be  served  with  the  witness  fees  ($20  per  day)  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  12-­5(35)).    If  the  witness  is  from  out  of  town,  you  will  need  to  add  on  the  travel  costs  on  top  of  the  witness  fee  (e.g.  ferry  cost,  mileage  at  $0.30  per  km  –  if  travelling  more  than  8  km  to  get  to  the  place  of  Trial).    If  your  witness  needs  an  interpreter,  you  must  book  a  court-­‐certified  interpreter.    A  relative  or  friend  cannot  translate  and  interpret  for  your  witness.    An   Internet   search   for   “BC   court   certified   interpreter”   will   help   you   locate   a   court-­‐certified  interpreter  in  your  area.  

Book  of  Documents  This  is  a  binder  containing  the  documents  you  will  refer  to  at  Trial.    There  is  no  set  form  or  rule  in  the  way  you  put  together  the  Book  of  Documents,  but  the  important  thing  is  that  it  must  be  

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organized  with  an  index  and  tabs  between  each  document.    This  makes  it  easy  for  you  to  find  the  documents  when  you  need  them  and  ensures  that  you  do  not  keep  the  judge  waiting  while  you  shuffle  through  papers.    Here  are  some  ways  you  can  organize  your  Book  of  Documents:  

• in  chronological  order;  • by  categories;  or  • by  witness.  

 It  is  a  good  idea  to  make  three  sets  of  your  Book  of  Documents  –  one  for  the  Judge  (this  will  be  submitted  as  an  Exhibit),  one  for  the  Court  clerk,  one  for  the  witness  or  opposing  party,  and  one  for  yourself.    *Note  of  caution:  choose  your  documents  carefully.    They  can  make  or  break  your  case.    For  each  document,  ask  yourself,  is  it  relevant?    If  you  plan  to  use  visual  aids  at  Trial  (e.g.  video,  drawings,  maps),  you  should  let  the  Registry  and  opposing  party  know  ahead  of  time.    You  must  contact  the  Registry  to  arrange  for  special  equipment,  such  as  a  television.  

ON  THE  DAY  OF  TRIAL  This  is  a  general  summary.    For  more  details,  see  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  12-­‐5:  Evidence  and  Procedure  at  Trial.  

Purpose:  You  are  presenting  the  strengths  of  your  case  to  the  Judge.      A  Trial  is  more  often  for  deciding  the  issues  than  it  is  about  blaming  someone.      

You  need  to  use  other  resources,  like  friends  or  counsellors,  to  deal  with  the  pain.    (Credit:  Master  Baker)  

While  in  the  Courtroom:  ◊ Dress  as  if  you  are  going  to  a  job  interview  and  not  to  a  date  or  party.    Choose  something  

tasteful  and  clean.    It  shows  respect.  ◊ Show  up  20  minutes  early  to  get  to  the  Courtroom  with  your  materials.    Trials  start  at  10  

a.m.  so  aim  to  be  at  the  courthouse  by  9:40  a.m.    If  you  are  late,  the  Trial  may  proceed  without  you,  get  adjourned,  or  be  dismissed  if  you  show  a  pattern  of  lateness.  

◊ Stand  when  the  Judge  arrives  and  leaves  the  Courtroom,  and  never  turn  your  back  to  the  Judge.  

◊ Stand  when  you  speak  to  Judge  so  that  the  microphone  can  pick  up  what  you  are  saying.  ◊ Speak  to  the  Judge;  do  not  speak  to  the  opposing  lawyer/party.  ◊ You  address  the  Judge  as  “Sir”,  “Your  Honour”,  or  “Justice”.    You  might  hear  a  lawyer  say  to  

the  Judge  “My  Lord”  or  call  another  lawyer  “My  Friend”  but  as  a  self-­‐represented  litigant  you  are  not  expected  to  use  those  traditional  terms.  

◊ Do  not  ever  talk  over  the  Judge.    If  the  Judge  starts  talking,  you  stop  talking.    (Credit:  Justice  Walker;  How not to wear out your welcome in court, Professor Michael Sporer)  

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A  typical  courtroom  

 

 

Photo  credit:  Justice  Education  Society    

The  Mckenzie  Friend  Think  about  bringing  a  friend  with  you.    Sometimes  having  a  friend  with  you  can  be  helpful  for  both  you  and  the  Court  if  they  are  there  to  assist  with  the  Trial,  but  not  there  to  testify  for  you.    This  friend  is  called  a  “McKenzie  Friend”.    The  term  originated  from  an  Australian  case.    It  means  that  the  Court  can  allow  a  friend  to  sit  with  a  self-­‐represented  litigant  for  the  main  purpose  of  taking  notes,  helping  to  organize  and  produce  documents,  or  the  like.    They  are  NOT  to  speak  for  you  or  be  your  advocate.    Sometimes  a  friend  might  have  more  objectivity  because  they  are  not  involved  in  the  dispute  but  can  look  at  it  from  an  outsider’s  point  of  view.    A  friend  can  help  you  understand  what  the  Court  is  saying  or  recommending.  

There  is  no  formal  Court  application  to  have  your  friend  there.    Your  friend  first  sits  with  audience.    You  have  to  ask  the  Court  if  your  friend  can  sit  with  you  as  a  McKenzie  Friend  and  take  notes,  find  papers,  etc.    The  Judge  or  Master  might  not  know  the  phrase,  but  as  long  as  your  friend  is  not  intruding,  the  Court  will  likely  permit  it.  

(Credit:  Master  Baker)  

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Opening  Statements  Purpose:  to  provide  a  “road  map”  to  how  the  Trial  is  going  to  play  out.    Summarize  the  issues  and  indicate  what  kind  of  proof  you  will  be  showing.    For  example,  you  might  say:  “You  will  hear  from  five  witnesses  who  saw  the  accident,  the  treating  doctor,  etc.”  and  then  set  out  the  order  of  your  witnesses.    Your  opening  statement  should  not  include  detailed  evidence.    If  you  are  the  Plaintiff,  you  will  give  your  opening  statement  first.      If  you  are  the  Defendant,  you  do  not  give  an  opening  statement  after  the  Plaintiff,  unless  you  applied  for  and  received  a  Court  Order  that  says  you  can  OR  you  have  received  permission  from  the  Plaintiff  ahead  of  time.    The  Defendant  provides  a  statement  at  the  end  of  the  Plaintiff’s  case.    This  protocol  is  followed  strictly  and  rarely  changes..    Prepare  an  outline  if  you  are  nervous.    It  is  fine  to  give  a  copy  of  the  outline  to  the  Judge  and  opposing  party  as  it  helps  everyone  to  follow  what  you  are  saying.    Be  sure  your  evidence  will  prove  what  you  say  are  the  facts  of  your  case.        

Testimonies  It  is  best  to  give  your  own  testimony  before  any  witnesses  (unless  you  are  accommodating  an  expert’s  schedule).    This  is  so  that  it  does  not  appear  you  are  tailoring  your  evidence  after  hearing  from  the  witnesses.    Do  not  read  straight  from  your  notes.    It  is  fine  if  you  need  to  briefly  look  at  or  refer  to  a  document,  but  be  sure  to  explain  to  the  Judge  that  it  is  for  you  to  refresh  your  memory.    Anything  you  use  to  refresh  your  memory  becomes  ‘fair  game’  to  the  other  party,  meaning  that  the  other  party  may  then  access  the  document  you  are  using.        When  the  Judge  asks  you  a  question,  answer  the  question  directly.    If  you  do  not  know  the  answer,  say  you  do  not  know,  but  that  you  will  get  the  answer  and  let  the  Judge  know  when  you  will  have  the  answer.    The  Judge  is  not  being  mean;  he/she  just  needs  your  answer  to  help  understand  the  issue(s).      

Witnesses  When  you  are  asking  questions  to  the  witness,  this  is  called  the  “Examination  In  Chief”.    When  the  opposing  party  is  asking  questions  to  your  witness,  this  is  called  the  “Cross-­‐Examination”.    You  will  have  an  opportunity  to  ask  your  witness  questions  again,  in  response  to  what  they  said  during  cross-­‐examination.    This  is  the  “Re-­‐Examination”.    

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Examination  In  Chief    When  it  is  your  turn  to  ask  questions,  make  sure  that  you  do  not  ask  leading  questions.    Do  not  ask  questions  that  would  lead  to  a  “yes”  or  “no”  answer  unless  you  know  that  it  will  not  be  opposed  by  the  other  party  or  their  lawyer  (if  any).  Here  are  some  examples:    Are  you  a  teacher?   Not  leading  –  OKAY  

What  colour  was  the  car?   Not  leading  –  OKAY  

The  car  was  red,  wasn’t  it?   Leading  –  NOT  OKAY  

You  weren’t  at  the  theatre,  were  you?   Leading  –  NOT  OKAY  

 A  Judge  needs  to  assess  a  witness  is  trustworthy  and  believable  and  that  cannot  be  done  if  leading  questions  are  asked.    Ask  yourself,  why  do  you  want  to  ask  that  question?    When  asking  your  questions,  think  about  what  the  potential  answer  will  be,  i.e.  ‘If  this  witness  says  X,  then  ask  Y’.    

Cross-­Examination  This  is  when  you  get  to  ask  questions  to  the  opposing  party’s  witnesses.    The  purpose  of  this  is  to  help  prove  your  case  or  make  it  hard  to  believe  that  witness  to  weaken  the  opposing  party’s  case.          You  may  want  to  challenge  the  witness’  previous  statements.    If  they  lied  at  Trial,  you  can  put  their  previously  sworn  affidavit  in  front  of  them  and  challenge  them  on  what  they  claimed  before.    If  you  do  question  a  witness’  credibility,  you  must  show  the  evidence  to  the  witness  so  they  may  have  an  opportunity  to  explain  the  apparent  difference  in  their  facts.    If  you  do  not  show  this  evidence,  you  cannot  refer  to  it  later  after  the  witness’  testimony  is  done.      

Re-­Examination  After  the  opposing  party  cross-­‐examines  your  witnesses,  you  will  have  an  opportunity  to  ask  questions  to  your  own  witnesses  again  but  you  cannot  address  the  same  questions  you  asked  in  your  Examination  In  Chief.    If  you  are  trying  to  “fix”  something  in  the  witness’  testimony,  you  might  just  end  up  flagging  an  issue  to  the  Judge.    Consider  if  it  would  be  better  to  just  let  it  go  and  not  bring  it  up  at  all.        

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The  general  procedure:  a) Introduce  the  exhibit  (i.e.  the  document)  to  the  opposing  party  to  let  them  know  what  you  

are  going  to  talk  about.  b) Show  the  exhibit  to  the  witness.  c) Authenticate  the  document  –  if  the  other  party  has  not  agreed  beforehand  that  the  

document  is  genuine,  then  you  must  ask  the  witness  if  the  exhibit  really  is  what  it  appears  to  be.    

d) Did  the  witness  write  that  document?  e) Does  the  witness  recognize  that  document?  f) Once  it  is  acknowledged  that  the  document  is  genuine,  submit  the  exhibit  into  evidence  (“as  

Exhibit  ___”).  g) Now  you  can  ask  the  witness  questions  about  the  relevant  portions  of  the  document.    Let  

your  witness  tell  their  own  story.    Do:  Do  address  a  witness  as  Mr.,  Ms.,  Sir,  or  Madam.    Do  not  use  first  names.  Do  find  a  way  to  phrase  your  question  to  challenge  the  witness.  Do  question  their  direct  observation  of  what  they  personally  know.  Do  take  notes  when  the  opposing  party  is  asking  the  questions  to  remind  yourself  of  what  witnesses  said  or  take  note  of  the  questions  when  it  comes  time  to  cross-­‐examine  the  witnesses.    Do  Not:  Do  not  cut  the  witness  off  or  interrupt  them;  let  the  witness  answer  using  their  own  words.    Do  not  argue  even  if  you  do  not  like  what  the  witness  says.    

Making  Objections  Stand  up  if  you  object  to  the  witness’  testimony.    The  Judge  will  stop  the  opposing  party  so  that  you  can  say  “I  want  to  make  an  objection”  and  the  Judge  will  decide  whether  your  objection  is  appropriate.    You  must  have  a  reason  for  your  objection,  and  not  make  an  objection  just  because  you  do  not  like  what  you  are  hearing.    Here  are  some  things  you  can  object  to:  

• Hearsay  Hearsay  is  when  a  witness  states  something  that  they  obtained  from  another  source.    This  is  not  admissible  evidence  because  the  witness  must  only  provide  information  that  they  personally  knows  about.    For  example:      

 “Harry  told  me  that  Peter  faked  his  signature  on  the  paper.”  NOT  OKAY    

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Exception:  it  is  okay  to  provide  context  to  what  you  did  if  what  you  heard  led  you  to  do  something.      “I  called  the  police  because  Harry  told  me  that  he  heard  a  gunshot.”    OKAY  

• Irrelevant  

The  question  or  answer  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  issues  at  Trial.    For  example:    The  Trial  is  about  whether  a  contract  with  Company  1  was  broken  but  the  witness  starts  describing  how  a  contract  with  Company  2  was  broken  instead.        

• Speculation  The  question  being  asked  will  lead  the  witness  to  guess  or  say  things  they  could  not  possibly  know  about.    For  example:    A  witness  is  asked,  “What  did  Michael  say  next  to  Joanne?”  when  that  witness  was  not  there  during  the  conversation.  

 

Expert  Evidence  (i.e.  Doctors,  engineers,  and  other  certified  professionals)    If  you  intend  to  use  experts  at  Trial,  there  are  two  ways  to  use  them:  1.    Expert  reports  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  11-­6);  and  2.    Expert  opinion  evidence  at  Trial  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  11-­7).    Expert  Reports  The  expert  must  be  qualified  in  their  field  of  expertise.    An  expert  cannot  be  your  relative  or  friend  who  has  experienced  a  similar  situation.    An  expert  is  someone  who  has  the  education  and  employment  credentials  and  can  justify  their  testimony.    The  expert  provides  information  that  is  usually  outside  the  experience  and  knowledge  of  the  Judge  and/or  parties.    Each  expert  report  must  set  out  the  following,  as  set  out  in  the  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  11-­6(1):  

(a)  the  expert's  name,  address  and  area  of  expertise;  (b)  the  expert's  qualifications  and  employment  and  educational  experience  in  their  area  of  expertise;  (c)  the  instructions  provided  to  the  expert  in  relation  to  the  proceeding;  (d)  the  type  of  opinion  that  was  asked  from  the  expert  and  what  that  opinion  relates  to  in  the  proceeding;  (e)  the  expert's  opinion  respecting  those  issues;  (f)  the  expert's  reasons  for  his  or  her  opinion,  including  

(i)      the  facts  the  expert  was  given  to  base  their  opinion  on;    (ii)    a  description  of  any  research  done  by  the  expert  that  led  them  to  form  their  

opinion,  and  (iii)  a  list  of  every  document,  if  any,  relied  on  by  the  expert  in  forming  their  opinion.  

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 An  expert  report  needs  to  be  served  at  least  84  days  before  the  first  day  of  Trial.    If  you  are  served  with  an  expert  report  by  the  opposing  party,  you  have  42  days  to  serve  your  own  expert  report  in  response  to  their  expert  report.      Expert  Opinion  Evidence  at  Trial    You  should  give  as  much  notice  as  possible  to  your  expert,  or  the  opposing  side  for  their  expert,  that  you  require  their  attendance  at  Trial.    Often  medical  specialists  will  need  to  know  months  in  advance  because  of  their  busy  schedules.    Only  call  on  an  expert  to  testify  if  necessary.    Their  attendance  should  be  to  clarify  the  contents  in  their  report  or  make  it  more  understandable.    If  the  expert  report  is  clear  and  uncontested,  there  is  no  need  to  spend  the  time  and  expense  of  having  the  expert  attend  at  the  Trial.    

During  Adjournment  (also  known  as  the  morning/afternoon  breaks)  During  a  break  (usually  around  11  a.m.  and  3  p.m.),  a  witness  cannot  speak  to  anyone  about  the  case.  That  includes  you.  

 

Closing  Statements  Outline  the  evidence  that  supports  your  case  and  explain  why  the  Judge  should  grant  judgment  in  your  favour.    At  this  time,  you  can  point  out  the  errors  in  the  opposing  party’s  case.    The  Plaintiff  speaks  first  and  then  it  is  the  Defendant’s  turn.    After  the  Defendant  speaks,  the  Plaintiff  can  reply  to  any  new  issues  the  Defendant  raised  during  their  closing  statement.  

     Less  is  more:    keep  emotions  and  accusations  out  of  it,  because  those  are  not  relevant  to  your  case.    Watch  the  Judge  carefully  to  see  if  they  are  following  your  argument.  Listen  carefully  to  what  the  other  party  or  the  other  lawyer  says  and  see  if  you  can  respond  to  or  challenge  their  claims.    (Credit:  Justice  Walker;  How  to  Help  the  Judge  /  Master  Give  You  What  You  Are  Seeking,  Martha  Metzner)  

The  Decision  The  Judge’s  decision  is  called  their  “Reasons  for  Judgment”.    These  reasons  may  be  released  on  the  same  day  or  the  Judge  may  reserve  judgment,  which  means  the  Judge  will  consider  your  case  and  make  a  decision  at  a  later  date.      Sometimes  a  decision  is  released  within  weeks  or  several  months  later.    The  written  decision  will  be  sent  to  you  by  the  Registry.    

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PRE-­TRIAL:  Forms  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules,  BC  Reg  168/2000,  Rules  12-­‐3,  12-­‐4,  and  12-­‐5)  

 

1. Form  42  -­‐  Trial  Certificate  2. Trial  Record  and  Index  3. Form  25  -­‐  Subpoena  to  a  witness  

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Sample  Form  42:  Trial  Certificate  

(Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  12-­4  (1))  

 No.  S123456  

Vancouver  Registry    

In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia    Between:    

Jane  Doe  Plaintiff  

And:    

John  Smith  Defendant  

 TRIAL  CERTIFICATE  

 Filed  by:  The  Plaintiff,  Jane  Doe    I,  Jane  Doe,  the  Plaintiff,  CERTIFY  THAT:    1.   I  will  be  ready  to  proceed  on  the  scheduled  Trial  date,  21/Sep/2015,  at  Vancouver.    2.   My  current  estimate  is  that  the  trial  will  last  5  days.    3.   I  have  completed  all  Examinations  for  Discovery.    4.   A  Trial  Management  Conference  has  been  conducted  in  this  action.    5.   If  the  action  is  settled  before  Trial,  I  will  give  the  Registrar  prompt  notice  of  the  settlement.    6.   I  will  give  the  Registrar  prompt  notice  of  any  proposed  adjournment  of  the  Trial.            Date:   31/Aug/2015             Signature  of  Jane  Doe  

 filing  party        

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Sample  Trial  Record  &  Index  

 

 

No.  S123456  Vancouver  Registry  

 In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia  

 Between:    

Jane  Doe  Plaintiff  

And:    

John  Smith  Defendant  

   

TRIAL  RECORD    

   

Jane  Doe  1234  Candylane  Crescent  Vancouver,  British  Columbia.        

JANE  DOE  Appearing  in  Person  

Telephone:    604-­‐689-­‐3281      

 

   

 

Clarke  &  Co.  0101  Blane  Street  Victoria,  British  Columbia    

BOB  CLARKE  Lawyer  for  the  Defendant  

Telephone:    250-­‐987-­‐6543  

Fax:  250-­‐987-­‐3210  

 

 Dates  of  Trial:    Sep  21-­‐25,  2015  

Place  of  Trial:    Vancouver,  British  Columbia  Trial  Record  prepared  by:    the  Plaintiff  

   

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No.  S123456  Vancouver  Registry  

 In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia  

 Between:    

Jane  Doe  Plaintiff  

And:    

John  Smith  Defendant  

 I  N  D  E  X  

   

Tab   Document   Pages  

1.     Notice  of  Civil  Claim    

2.     Response  to  Civil  Claim    

3.     Demand  for  Particulars  (if  any)    

4.     Reply  to  Demand  for  Particulars  (if  any)    

5.     Case  Plan  Order    

6.     Order    

 

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Sample  Form  25:  Subpoena  To  A  Witness  

(Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  12-­5  (32)  and  (36))  

*Be  sure  to  serve  the  subpoena  with  witness  fees    

No.  S123456  Vancouver  Registry  

In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia    Between  

Jane  Doe  Plaintiff  

and    

John  Smith  Defendant  

 SUBPOENA  TO  WITNESS  

 To:     Bob  Law     4567  Crescent  Road     Victoria,  BC  V6T  18H    TAKE  NOTICE  that  you  are  required  to  attend  to  testify  as  a  witness  at  the  place,  date  and  time  set  out  below.    You  are  also  required  to  bring  with  you  all  documents  in  your  possession  or  control  relating  to  the  matters  in  question  in  this  proceeding:    Please  note  the  provisions  of  the  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  reproduced  below.    Place:   The  Law  Courts,  800  Smithe  Street,  Vancouver,  B.C.  V6Z  2E1  Date:   21/Sep/2015  Time:   10  a.m.    Date:   15/Aug/2015             Signature  of  Jane  Doe  

 party  serving  subpoena  Rules  22-­‐7  (5)  and  22-­‐8  (4)  of  the  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  state  in  part:  “22-­‐7  (5)    …if  a  person,  contrary  to  these  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  and  without  lawful  excuse,    

(a)   refuses  or  neglects  to  obey  a  subpoena  or  to  attend  at  the  time  and  place  appointed  for  his  or  her  examination  for  discovery,  …  

then  (f)   if  the  person  is  the  plaintiff  or  petitioner,  a  present  officer  of  a  corporate  plaintiff  or  petitioner  or  a  partner  in  or  manager  of  a  partnership  plaintiff  or  petitioner,  the  Court  may  dismiss  the  proceeding,  and    

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(g)   if  the  person  is  a  defendant,  respondent  or  third  party,  a  present  officer  of  a  corporate  defendant,  respondent  or  third  party  or  a  partner  in  or  manager  of  a  partnership  defendant,  respondent  or  third  party,  the  Court  may  Order  the  proceeding  to  continue  as  if  no  Response  to  Civil  Claim  has  been  filed.  

22-­‐8  (4)    A  person  who  is  guilty  of  an  act  or  omission  described  in  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  12-­‐5  (25)  or  22-­‐7  (5),  in  addition  to  being  subject  to  any  consequences  prescribed  by  those  rules,  is  guilty  of  contempt  of  Court  and  subject  to  the  Court’s  power  to  punish  contempt  of  Court.”  

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7.  WHAT  TO  DO  AFTER  SETTLEMENT  or  TRIAL  JUDGMENT    

 

 

 

 

Simply  put,  the  conclusion  of  the  case  can  be  summarized  as  follows:  

The  Plaintiff  and  Defendant  agree  to  settle  the  case;    

OR  

The  Plaintiff  and  Defendant  attend  the  Trial  and  one  of  them  receives   judgment  and  an  award  of  costs;  

The  Plaintiff  or  Defendant  (whomever  wins  the  case)  prepares  and  files  the  Court  Order  and  the  Bill  of  Costs;  

 The  Plaintiff  or  Defendant  enforces  the  judgment.    

Settlement:  A  Settlement  can  happen  at  any  time  –  before  or  after  an  action  has  been  started.    A  settlement  is  an  agreement  between  the  parties  to  the  lawsuit.      If  you  have  come  to  an  agreement  with  the  opposing  party,  there  are  some  documents  that  you  need  to  complete  to  make  sure  that  everyone  agrees  to  the  same  terms  and  you  are  protecting  your  interest  in  the  settlement.  

If  a  settlement  is  reached  before  a  Court  case  is  started,  the  documents  could  include:  

(a) a   letter   to   the   other   party   setting   out   the   terms   of   the   settlement   (See   attached  sample  Settlement  Letter);  

(b) an  acknowledgement  that  the  other  party  accepts   the   terms  of  the  settlement   (See  attached  sample  Settlement  Letter);  

(c) any  other  documents  required  to  complete  the  settlement  and  which  might  include:  i. a  Release  of  All  Claims;  ii. property  transfers;  or  ii.   payment.  

How  did  the  matter  conclude?      You  do  not  really  want  to  go  through  with  the  expense  of  a  Trial.    You  are  ready  to  compromise  and  willing  to  negotiate.    In  some  cases,  you  are  able  to  reach  a  settlement  before  going  to  Court.  

OR  

You  simply   could   not   reach  a   settlement  with   the  opposing  party  and  ended  up  proceeding   to  Trial  for  determination  by  a  Judge  or  Judge  and  Jury.

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If  a   settlement   is   reached  after  a  Court   case  has  been  started,  a  document  called  a  Consent  Order  (Form   34)   with   attached   Requisition   (Form   31)   is   usually   prepared   and   filed   with   the   Court  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  13-­1(3)  and  17-­1(2)).    All  parties  to  the  action  have  to  sign  the  Consent  Order  to  show  their  agreement.    This  document   tells   the  Court  that  the  case  has  been  settled  and  that   the   parties   have   agreed   to   have   the  Court   dismiss   the   claim.   A   Consent   Order   has   the   same  effect  as  if  a  Judge  heard  the  case  and  made  that  Order.    

Once  all  the  documents  are  signed  and  exchanged,  the  Consent  Order  can  be  filed  with  the  Registry,  funds   may   be   exchanged,   or   other   procedures   can   be   taken   as   agreed   until   the   settlement   is  complete.  

After  Trial  

Decision:  If   the  matter  has   gone   to  Trial,   there  are   some  possibilities  as   to  how  the   Judge  will  handle   their  decision.     The   Judge   will   either   provide   judgment   at   the   Trial   or   the   Judge   has   the   option   to  “reserve”   judgment   to   a   later  date.    That  means,   the   Judge  will   take  some   time   to  decide   the  case  and  you  will  be  advised  at  a  later  date  of  the  judgment.    If  that  is  the  case,  you  will  be  contacted  by  the  Registry  when  the  Judge  has  made  a  written  decision.  

After  a  judgment  has  been  made,  there  are  some  further  steps  you  must  take  to  conclude  your  case.  

Order:  The  party  who   is   successful   at  Trial   is   responsible   for  drafting   the  Order.    This   sets  out  what   the  Judge  ordered  to  happen.    After  the  Order  is  drafted,  it  must  be  sent  to  all  parties  of  the  action  for  their  signature.    By  signing  the  Order,  the  parties  are  agreeing  that   it  sets  out  accurately  what  the  Judge  ordered  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  13-­1(1)).    You  are  not  necessarily  agreeing  with  what  was  ordered,  but  agreeing  that  it  is  accurate  as  to  what  the  Judge  said.    After  the  Order  has  been  signed  by  all  parties,  it  must  then  be  filed  with  the  Court  to  be  entered.    The  Order  will  be  reviewed  against  the  clerk’s  notes  from  Court  and  if  there  are  any  mistakes  or  corrections  to  be  made,  the  Order  will  be   “rejected”   by   the   Registry   and   the   drafting   party  will   have   to  make   the   changes   and  have   the  Order  signed  again  by  all  parties.    An  Order  is  “entered”  when  it  has  been  signed  by  the  parties  and  processed  and   stamped  by   the  Registry.  The  Order  must  be   in   the   form   set  out   in  Supreme  Court  Civil   Rules  13-­1(3)   (Form   48).       Once   an   Order   is   entered,   a   copy  will   be   given   to   the   party  who  submitted  it   for  entry.    That  party  is  responsible  for  providing  a  copy  of  the  entered  Order   to   the  other  parties.      If  you  are  not  successful  at  Trial,  you  are  not  required  to  prepare  the  Order,  but  when  you  receive  the  draft  Order  from  the  other  party,  you  must  read  it  over  carefully  to  confirm  that  you  agree  that  it  correctly  states  what  was  ordered  by  the  Judge.    If  you  agree  that  the  Order  was  correctly  written,  you  sign  and  return  it  to  the  other  party.    If  there  are  any  parts  of  the  Order  that  you  do  not  agree  are  drafted  correctly  or  accurately,  you  must  prepare  an  amended  draft  Order  with  the  changes  and  provide  it  to  the  other  party  for  their  review.        

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If   the   parties   cannot   come   to   an   agreement   as   to   what   the   Order   should   say,   they   can   have   the  Order  reviewed  by  a  Registrar  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  13-­1(11)),  who  may  refer  the  draft  Order  to  the  Judge  who  made  the  Order.    In  order  to  have  the  Order  settled,  you  must  contact  the  Registry  to  obtain   a   date   with   a   Registrar.     You   then   have   to   file   an   Appointment   (Form   49)   to   settle   the  wording  of  the  Order.    Once  that  Appointment  has  been  filed,  you  must  serve  it  on  the  other  party  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  13-­1(12)).    

Costs  &  Disbursements    

What  are  Costs  &  Disbursements?  

 The  judgment  may  include  an  Order  for  Costs  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  14-­1).      The  successful  party  is   usually   awarded   Costs   to   help   partially   compensate   the   successful   party   for   the   time   spent  and/or   their   legal   fees   in   starting  or   defending   the  action.     In  addition   to   these   Costs,   the  out-­‐of-­‐pocket  expenses  or  disbursements  are  also  claimed.        

When  do  you  claim  Costs?    You  must  make  a  claim  for  Costs  in  your  Notice  of  Civil  Claim,  or  in  your  Notice  of  Application  when  you  make  an  Application  to  the  Court.    If  you  are  defending  an  action  or  application,  you  must  make  a   claim   for   Costs   in   your   Response   to   Civil   Claim   or   in   your   Application  Response.   Although   you  have  already  made  a  request  for  Costs  in  your  pleadings  or  application,  you  should  ask  for  Costs  as  soon  as  the  Judge  or  Master  hearing  the  application  or  the  trial  rules  in  your  favour.      

How  are  Costs  and  disbursements  assessed?    The  successful  party  must  prepare  a  document  called  a  Bill  of  Costs  to  set  out  the  proposed  Costs  and  disbursements  that  they  are  claiming  (Form  62)  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  14-­1(20)).       The  Bill  of  Costs  is  set  out  in  two  sections:      

The   first   section   is   the   “Costs”   section  which  sets  out  a   list  of   the  work  done  by   the  party  throughout  the  action.    There  are  various  categories  and  a  list  of  items  (called  ‘tariffs’)  that  may   be   claimed   that   are   awarded   by   ‘units   claimed’.     The   party   claiming   Costs   must   go  through  and  identify  the  tasks  that  were  completed  and  claim  the  amount  they  believe  they  are  entitled  to.    There  are  certain  items  that  will  not  be  applicable  to  the  party  claiming,  and  those  are  left  blank  on  the  form.    When  the  Judge  or  Master  made   the  Order  for  Costs,   they  may  have  “fixed   the  scale”  with  the  choice  of  scale  A,  B  or  C  –  simple  cases  being  A  at  $60  per  unit,  regular  cases  being  B  at  $110  per   unit   and   very   complex   files   at   C   being   $170   per   unit   (Supreme   Court   Civil   Rule,  Appendix  B,   Section  3).    The   typical   file   is   set  at  Scale  B   ($110).     Occasionally,   if   there  has  been  extremely   shameful  behaviour       in   the  course  of   the   action,   such   as   fraud,   the  Court  

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may  order  that  “special  costs”  be  paid  to  the  successful  party.    Special  costs  are  higher  and  are  close  to  actual  legal  fees.  You  can  apply  for  special  costs  even  if  you  are  not  represented  by  a  lawyer.      Costs  may  be  assessed:    •  when  the  Court  orders  Costs  to  be  assessed;    •  if  a  Settlement  Agreement  provides  for  the  payment  of  Costs  to  be  assessed;    •  when  a  party  has  obtained  Default  Judgment;    •  by  the  party  whose  formal  offer  to  settle  has  been  accepted;    •  by  the  Defendant  when  the  Plaintiff  discontinues  the  action;  or    •  by  the  Plaintiff  when  the  Defendant  withdraws  their  defence.    

  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  9-­8(4),  9-­8(6),  14-­1(1),  14-­1(2)  and  14-­1(3))    

Disbursements:    

The  second  section  of  the  Bill  of  Costs  is  the  “disbursements”  section.    

In   addition   to   the   items   under   the   tariff,   you   may   claim   for   your   disbursements   (out-­‐of-­‐pocket   expenses)   (Supreme   Court   Civil   Rule   14-­1(5)).   Generally,   this   includes   things   like  Court  filing  fees,  photocopying,  faxes,  long  distance  telephone  calls,  amounts  paid  to  experts  for   expert’s   reports   or   testimony   in   Court,  witness   fees,   and   postage.   The   itemized   list   of  your  disbursements  with  a  total  is  part  of  your  Bill  of  Costs.    

Send  the  Bill  of  Costs  to  the  other  party    

Once  you  have  a  total  of  the  disbursements  and  the  amount  claimed  for  the  tariff  items,  you  should   send   your   Bill   of   Costs   to   the   opposing   party  who   has   been   ordered   to   pay   your  Costs.    Ask  the  other  party  to  state  whether  they  agree  with  the  amounts  you  have  claimed  or,  if  not,  which  items  or  disbursements  they  disagree  with.    

 The  other  party  may  agree   to  pay   the  Costs   that  you  have  claimed  or  an  amount   that  you  agree   is   acceptable.     They  might   also   ask   to   see   your   receipts   for   the   disbursements   you  have  claimed.    If  the  other  party  does  not  agree  to  pay  the  Costs,  you  will  need  to  make  an  Appointment  to  have  your  Costs  assessed  by  the  Registrar.  

 

Assessment  of  costs  &  disbursements  by  the  Registrar      It  is  the  responsibility  of  the  party  who  was  awarded  costs  to  prove  their  Bill  of  Costs.  This  means   they  must  provide  proof  of  work  done  and  disbursements   incurred.     If  proof   is  not  given,  the  items  may  be  disallowed.  This  is  often  done  by  producing  copies  of  the  pleadings,  any  interim  Orders  made,  etc.  at  the  hearing.    An  Affidavit  may  be  prepared  setting  out  the  disbursements  and  attaching  the  receipts,  invoices,  etc.  as  exhibits.  

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 If   the   party   required   to   pay   Costs   disagrees   with   any   disbursements   or   items   you   have  claimed,  you  may  have  your  Costs  assessed  (reviewed  and  calculated)  by  a  Registrar  of  the  Supreme   Court   (Supreme   Court   Civil   Rule   14-­1(21)).     This   means   that   you   and   the   other  party  will  go  to  a  hearing  and  go  through  the  Bill  of  Costs  with  the  Registrar.    At  the  end  of  the  assessment  the  Registrar  may  sign  a  Certificate  of  Costs  (Form  64  -­  see  attached  sample)  that  you  can  file  in  the  Registry  and  enforce  as  if  it  were  a  judgment.      

 You  can  make  an  Appointment  with  the  Registrar  and  ask  the  Supreme  Court  scheduler  for  a  date  for  an  Assessment  of  Costs.  As  a  courtesy   to  the  opposing  party,  you  should  set   the  hearing   date   at   a   time  when   the   opposing   party   is   available.     If   you  do  not,   the   opposing  party  may  apply  for  an  adjournment  to  a  time  that  is  more  convenient.      When   you   call   the   Registry   to   set   the   date   for   the   Assessment   of   Costs,   you  will   need   to  know   the   names   of   parties   to   your   action,   the   Supreme   Court   file   number,   and   have   an  estimate  of  the  time  needed.    After  the  Registry  has  given  you  a  date  for  the  Assessment  of  Costs,  file  the  original  Appointment  (Form  49)   (with  your  Bill  of  Costs  attached)  to  confirm  the  date  with  the  Court,  plus  one  copy  for  yourself  and  one  copy  for  the  party  who  has  been  ordered   to   pay   your   costs   (Supreme   Court   Civil   Rule   14-­1(25)).   A   filed   copy   of   the  Appointment  and  any  Affidavits  relating  to  the  items  must  be  served  on  the  other  party  at  least  five  days  before  the  date  scheduled  for  the  Assessment.    

Preparing  for  the  Assessment  hearing    You  should  prepare  an  Affidavit  setting  out  the  basis  for  your  claim.  If  there  are  items  that  you  have  claimed  that  the  other  party  disagrees  with,  your  Affidavit  will  explain  the  reason  why  you  have  claimed  them.    For  example,  if  the  other  party  is  refusing  to  pay  for  an  invoice  for  a  medical  report  that  you  had  to  pay  for  a  doctor,  you  should  explain  in  your  Affidavit  the  reason  you  needed  to  obtain  the  medical  report  and  why  it  was  important  for  your  case.    You  will   then  attach  the  invoice  as  an  exhibit  to  your  Affidavit.    For  disbursements  that  are  in  dispute,  attach  a  copy  of  the  invoice  or  bill,  and  a  receipt  showing  that  you  have  paid  for  them.      Take  these  documents  to  the  assessment  hearing:    

•  the  entered  Order  awarding  you  your  costs;  •  a  copy  of  the  Appointment  and  your  Bill  of  Costs;    •  a  copy  of  your  Affidavit;    •  a  Certificate  of  Costs  with   the  name  of   the  case  filled  in  for  the  Registrar  to  sign  at  the  completion  of  the  hearing;    

•  receipts  in  support  of  all  your  disbursements;  and    •  copies  of  any  documents  for  which  you  are  making  a  claim  on  your  Bill  of  Costs,  such  as   the   Notice   of   Civil   Claim,   Response   to   Civil   Claim,   List   of   Documents,   medical  expenses,  and  Examination  for  Discovery  transcripts.    

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How  to  respond  to  an  assessment  of  costs  &  disbursements      You  can  object  to  the  other  party’s  claim  for  costs  if:    

• the  Court  has  not  ordered  them;  • the  case  has  not  concluded  yet,  and  the  costs  were  not  ordered  payable  ``forthwith”;  

or  • you  disagree  with  any  of  the  claimed  items  or  disbursements.  

 If   you   are   objecting   to   the   other   party’s   claim   for   costs   or   disbursements,   you   must   be  prepared  to  tell  the  Registrar  why  you  disagree  to  certain  items  and  disbursements  on  the  bill.      

At  the  assessment  hearing    You  should  stand  when  the  Registrar  enters  or  leaves  the  hearing  room.  When  you  speak  to  the   Registrar,   they   are   addressed   as   “Mister   Registrar”   or   “Madam  Registrar”.     The   party  claiming   costs   must   prove   that   they   are   entitled   to   the   costs   and   that   the   costs   are  reasonable.     If   you   are   claiming  units   for   something   on   your  Bill   of   Costs,   be   prepared   to  explain  to  the  Registrar  your  reason  for  claiming  that  amount  of  units.        The  Assessment  is  conducted  like  any  other  Court  hearing.  The  person  presenting  the  Bill  of  Costs  goes  first,  the  opposing  party  then  makes  their  objections,  and  then  the  party  awarded  costs   has   the   right   to   reply.   Sometimes   the   Registrar   will   rule   on   the   tariff   items   before  turning   to   the   disbursements,   but   usually,   the   Registrar   will   deal   with   all   matters   and  provide  their  decision  at  the  conclusion  of  the  hearing.    The  Registrar  will  make  a  decision  about  the  amount  of  costs  and  disbursements  to  which  you   are   entitled.   You   should   provide   the   Registrar   with   the   Certificate   of   Costs   for   their  signature   at   the   conclusion   of   the   hearing   (Supreme   Court   Civil   Rule   14-­1(27)).   File   the  signed  Certificate  of  Costs  in  the  Registry.  A  filing  fee  is  required.        

                 

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The  Mckenzie  Friend  Think  about  bringing  a  friend  with  you.    Sometimes  having  a  friend  with  you  can  be  helpful  for  both  you  and  the  Court  if  they  are  there  to  assist  with  the  Trial,  but  not  there  to  testify  for  you.    This  friend  is  called  a  “McKenzie  Friend”.    The  term  originated  from  an  Australian  case.    It  means  that  the  Court  can  allow  a  friend  to  sit  with  a  self-­‐represented  litigant  for  the  main  purpose  of  taking  notes,  helping  to  organize  and  produce  documents,  or  the  like.    They  are  NOT  to  speak  for  you  or  be  your  advocate.    Sometimes  a  friend  might  have  more  objectivity  because  they  are  not  involved  in  the  dispute  but  can  look  at  it  from  an  outsider’s  point  of  view.    A  friend  can  help  you  understand  what  the  Court  is  saying  or  recommending.  

There  is  no  formal  Court  application  to  have  your  friend  there.    Your  friend  first  sits  in  the  body  of  the  audience.    You  have  to  ask  the  Registrar  if  your  friend  can  sit  with  you  as  a  McKenzie  Friend  and  take  notes,  find  papers,  etc.    The  Judge  or  Master  might  not  know  the  phrase,  but  as  long  as  your  friend  is  not  intruding,  the  Court  will  likely  permit  it.  

Approved  by  Registrar  Cameron;  Credit:  Master  Baker  

   

Complying  with  the  terms  of  the  Order    The   parties   must   do   what   the   Judge   has   decided.     Once   the   Order   has   been   submitted   to   the  Registry  and  the  costs  have  been  determined,  a  stamped  copy  of  the  Order  should  be  delivered  to  the  party  that  has  been  ordered  to  pay  or  comply  with  the  terms  of  the  Order.        There  are  different  ways  to  enforce  an  Order.    How  to  enforce  an  Order  depends  on  what  the  Judge  ordered,   and  whether   the   other   party   is   able   or   willing   to   fulfill   those   terms.     You   may   need   to  return   to   Court   to   get   some  direction   from  a   Judge  on  how  to  enforce  your  Order  and  collect   the  money  that  is  owing  to  you.      If  the  Judge  ordered  the  other  party  to  pay  you  money,  including  Court  costs,  you  are  the  “judgment  creditor”  and  the  other  party  is  the  “judgment  debtor”.    At  this  point,  you  should  seriously  consider  the   likelihood  of   getting  your   judgment  paid.   Just   because  you  have  a   judgment   in  your   favour,   it  does  not  mean  that  the  judgment  debtor  will  deliver  a  cheque  to  you  now,  or  ever.    The  judgment  debtor  may  be  unable  or  unwilling  to  pay  you.    If  the  judgment  debtor  is  unemployed  and  does  not  own  any  assets,  there  is  not  much  chance  that  you  will  recover  what  is  owed  to  you.    If  the  debtor  does  not  pay  you  immediately,  you  will  have  to  take  steps  to  enforce  your  Court  Order  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  13-­2).    You  have  10  years  before  the  Order  expires,  but  it  is  a  good  idea  to  try  to  collect  the  debt  as  soon  as  possible  (Limitation  Act,  S.B.C.  2012,  c.  13).    There  are  steps  to  take  set  out  by  the  Court  Order  Enforcement  Act,  R.S.B.C.  1996,  c.  78  in  order  to  assist  in  collecting  a  debt.      

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After  Settlement  or  Trial  Judgment:  Forms  (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  13-­‐1,  14-­‐1  and  18-­‐1)  

 

1. Sample  Settlement  Letter  2. Form  34  –  Consent  Order  3. Form  31  –  Requisition  for  Consent  Order  4. Form  48  –  Order  After  Trial  5. Form  62  –  Bill  of  Costs  6. Form  49  –  Appointment  7. Form  64  –  Certificate  of  Costs  

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Sample  Settlement  Letter      From:  John  Smith    Date:    To:  Jane  Doe      Re:                      This  letter  is  to  confirm  that  we  have  reached  an  agreement  with  respect  to  British  Columbia,  Supreme  Court  Action  No.          on  the  following  terms:    

1.      agrees  to  pay          to            2. Or   list   out  whatever   the  agreement  might  be  –   return   of   property,  dates  payment   should  be  

made,  actions  to  be  done,  etc..    Yours  truly,      John  Doe      Acknowledgement  of  Terms  of  Settlement:                                Date                 John  Smith                                  Date                 Jane  Doe  

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Sample  Form  34:  Consent  Order  

(Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  8-­3  (1),  13-­1  (3)  and  17-­1  (2))  

No.    S123456                       Vancouver  Registry  

    In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia    Between:  

Jane  Doe     Plaintiff    and:  

John  Smith     Defendant  

CONSENT  ORDER    

    THE  HONOURABLE  JUSTICE  _________________________  

   

   

BEFORE  

)  )  )  )  )  

or  A  JUDGE  OF  THE  COURT  or  MASTER  __________________  Or  

)  )  )  )  )  

     [dd/mmm/yyyy]  

    A  MASTER  OF  THE  COURT      

ON  THE  APPLICATION  of  ................................[party(ies)].......................,  without  a  hearing  and  by  consent;  

THIS  COURT  ORDERS   that   the  within  proceedings  be  dismissed  as   if  evidence  had  been  heard  and  a  

decision  rendered  on  the  merits,  without  costs  to  any  party.  

THE  FOLLOWING  PARTIES  APPROVE  THE  FORM  OF  THIS  ORDER  AND  CONSENT  TO  EACH  OF  THE  ORDERS  NOTED  ABOVE:  

[A  signature  line  in  the  following  form  must  be  completed  and  signed  by  or  for  each  consenting  party.]  

..............................................................................  JANE  DOE  Plaintiff    ..............................................................................  Signature  of  Bob  Clarke  Lawyer  for  the  Defendant  

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  By  the  Court.    

   

  ..................................................................................    

  Registrar      

 NOTE:    (Please  make  sure  that  all  signatures  are  contained  on  a  page  with  part  of  the  body  of  the  Order  –  signatures  should  not  be  alone  on  a  page).  

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Sample  Form  31:  Requisition  For  Consent  Order  Or  For  Order  Without  Notice    (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  7-­8  (17),  8-­3  (1),  8-­4  (1),  17-­1  (2)  and  25-­9  (2))  

    This  Requisition  must  always  accompany  a  Consent  Order.        

No.    S123456                     Vancouver  Registry  

    In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia    Between:  

JANE  DOE     Plaintiff    and:  

JOHN  SMITH     Defendant  

 

REQUISITION  FOR  CONSENT  ORDER  OR  FOR  ORDER  WITHOUT  NOTICE    

Filed  by:  .........................[party(ies)].........................  

Required:       [  ]  An  order  by  consent    

    [OR]    

    [  ]  An  order  without  notice    

1     The  rule  or  other  enactment  relied  on  is  ......................[set  out  rule  or  enactment  relied  on].......  .    

2     Attached  to  this  requisition  is  a  draft  of  the  order  required.    

[Check  whichever  one  of  the  following  boxes  is  correct  and  complete  any  required  information.]  

3     [  ]  Each  party  affected  has  consented  to  the  order.    

  [  ]  The  evidence  in  support  of  the  application  is  ............................................  .    

[Check  whichever  one  of  the  following  boxes  is  correct  and  complete  any  required  information.]  

4     [  ]  No  party  is  under  a  legal  disability.    

  [  ]  .....................[name  of  party].....................  is  under  a  legal  disability,  namely  .....................[set  out  legal  disability].....................  .    

[Complete  the  following  if  the  filing  of  this  requisition  starts  a  proceeding]  

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This  requisition  is  filed  by  .....................[name].....................,  the  .....................[Plaintiff/Defendant].....................  in  this  proceeding,  whose  address  for  service  is  as  follows:  [Set  out  the  street  address  of  the  address  for  service.  One  or  both  of  a  fax  number  and  an  e-­mail  address  may  be  given  as  additional  addresses  

for  service.]  

Fax  number  address  for  service  (if  any):  

E-­‐mail  address  for  service  (if  any):  

Date:  ................[dd/mmm/yyyy].................    .................................................................................    Signature  of  Jane  Doe  Plaintiff      

 

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Sample  Form  48:  Order  After  Trial    (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  13-­1  (3))  

No.    S123456                       Vancouver  Registry  

    In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia    Between:  

JANE  DOE     Plaintiff    and:  

JOHN  SMITH     Defendant  

ORDER  AFTER  TRIAL

    THE  HONOURABLE  JUSTICE  _________________________  

   

   

BEFORE  

)  )  )  )  )  

or  A  JUDGE  OF  THE  COURT  or  MASTER  __________________  Or  

)  )  )  )  )  

     [dd/mmm/yyyy]  

    A  MASTER  OF  THE  COURT      

THIS  ACTION  coming  on  for  trial  at  ............................,  on  ........[dd/mmm/yyyy]........,  and  on  hearing  Jane  Doe,  appearing  on  her  own  behalf    and  Bob  Clarke,  appearing  on  behalf  of  the  Defendant  [add  the  following  if  applicable:  AND  JUDGMENT  being  reserved  to  this  date]:  

THIS  COURT  ORDERS  that:  

1  

2  

3  

[If  any  of  the  following  orders  are  by  consent,  indicate  that  fact  by  adding  the  words  "By  consent,"  to  the  beginning  of  the  description  of  the  order.]  

THE  FOLLOWING  PARTIES  APPROVE  THE  FORM  OF  THIS  ORDER  AND  CONSENT  TO  EACH  OF  THE  ORDERS,  IF  ANY,  THAT  ARE  INDICATED  ABOVE  AS  BEING  BY  CONSENT:  

[A  signature  line  in  the  following  form  must  be  completed  and  signed  by  or  for  each  approving  party.]  

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..............................................................................  JANE  DOE  Plaintiff    

..............................................................................  JOHN  SMITH  Defendant  

By  the  Court.  

..................................................................................  Registrar  

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Sample  Form  62:  Bill  Of  Costs  

 (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  14-­1  (20))  

 No.  S123456    

Vancouver  Registry       In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia    Between:  

Jane  Doe     Plaintiff    and:  

John  Smith     Defendant         BILL  OF  COSTS    

This  is  the  Bill  of  Costs  of          

Tariff  Scale:  B  Unit  Value:  $110.00  

 ITEM   DESCRIPTION   NUMBER  OF  UNITS       CLAIMED                  ALLOWED  Instructions  and  Investigations  1     Correspondence,  conferences,  instructions,  

investigations  or  negotiations  by  a  party  until  the  commencement  of  the  proceeding,  for  which  provision  is  not  made  elsewhere  in  this  tariff.  

1  –  10    

2        

Correspondence,  conferences,  instructions,  investigations  or  negotiations  by  a  party  after  the  commencement  of  the  proceeding  to  the  completion  of  the  trial  or  hearing,  for  which  provision  is  not  made  elsewhere  in  this  tariff.  

1  –  30      

3      

Correspondence,  conferences,  instructions,  investigations  or  negotiations  by  a  party  after  the  trial  or  hearing  to  enforce  any  final  order  obtained  in  that  trial  or  hearing,  for  which  provision  is  not  made  elsewhere  in  this  tariff.  

1  –  10      

4   Instructions  to  an  agent  to  appear  at  a  trial,  hearing,  application,  examination,  reference,  inquiry,  assessment,  or  other  analogous  proceeding,  where  necessary  or  

1    

Decide  on  the  number  of  units  to  be  claimed:    lower  =  less  complex  cases  and  higher  =  very  complex  cases.    Keep  in  mind  “what will  be  accepted  as  reasonable”.

NOTE:  Explanation  bubbles  

Choose  only  the  items  that  explain  what  you  did  in  your  case.    Do  not  enter  any  units  for  something  that  did  not  occur  in  your  case.  

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proper,  and  where  held  more  than  40  km  from  the  place  where  the  instructing  solicitor  carries  on  business    

5   Process  for  obtaining  a  consent  case  plan  order   1  –  10    Court  Documents  6   Commencing  and  prosecuting  a  proceeding   1  –  10      7   All  process,  for  which  provision  is  not  made  elsewhere  

in  this  tariff,  for  defending  a  proceeding,  and  for  commencing  and  prosecuting  a  counter-­‐claim  

1  –  10      

8   All  process  for  which  provision  is  not  made  elsewhere  in  this  tariff  for  commencing  and  prosecuting  or  defending  a  third  party  proceeding  

1  –  10      

9   Defence  to  counterclaim  and,  where  necessary,  reply   1  –  10      Discovery  10   Obtaining  discovery  and  inspection  of  documents:  

a)  1  to  999  documents  b)  1000  to  5000  documents  c)  over  5000  documents  

   

a)        1  –  10    b)    10  –  20    c)    10  –  30    

 

11   Giving  discovery  and  inspection  of  documents:  a)  1  to  999  documents  b)  1000  to  5000  documents  c)  over  5000  documents  

 a)        1  –  10    b)    10  –  20    c)    10  –  30  

 

12   Process  for  delivering  interrogatories   1  –  10      13   Process  for  answering  interrogatories   1  –  10      14   Process  for  serving  notices  to  admit   1  –  5      15   Process  for  making  admission  of  facts   1  –  10      16      

Process  for  preparation  of  accounts,  statement  of  property  or  financial  information  where  required  by  enactment  or  by  order  of  court.  

1  –  5      

Expert  Evidence  and  Witnesses  17   All  process  and  correspondence  associated  with  

retaining  and  consulting  all  experts  for  the  purposes  of  obtaining  opinions  for  use  in  the  proceeding.    

1  –  10      

18        

All  process  and  correspondence  associated  with  contacting,  interviewing  and  issuing  subpoenas  to  all  witnesses.    

1  –  10      

Examinations  19   Preparation  for  examination  of  a  person  coming  under  

Item  20  for  each  day  of  attendance    

   

  (a)    by  party  conducting  examination:            (i)    *    (b)    by  party  being  examined:                (i)    *  

4    3  

 

20   Attendance  on  examination  of  a  person  for  discovery,  on  affidavit,  upon  a  subpoena  to  debtor,  or  in  aid  of  execution,  or  of  a  person  before  trial  under  Rule  7-­‐5  or  

   

Note  that  these  units  are  for  each  “day”  of  attendance.    If  it  is  only  ½  day,  you  should  only  claim  ½  the  number  of  units  

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7-­‐8,  or  any  other  analogous  proceeding,  for  each  day      

(a)    by  party  conducting  examination              (i)    *  (b)    by  party  being  examined              (i)    *    

 8    5  

 

Applications,  Hearings  and  Conferences  21   Preparation  for  an  application  or  other  matter  referred  

to  in  Item  22,  for  each  day  of  hearing  where  hearing  commenced    (a)    where  unopposed  (b)    where  opposed  

       2  3  

 

22   Application,  other  than  an  application  referred  to  in  Item  23  or  27,  for  each  day    (a)    where  unopposed  (b)    where  opposed  

     4  5  

 

23   Application  by  requisition  or  by  written  submission   1  -­‐  5    24   Preparation  for  a  hearing  referred  to  in  Item  25,  for  each  

day  of  hearing  3    

25   Reference  to,  or  inquiry,  assessment,  accounting  or  hearing  before,  or  on  appeal  from,  a  master,  registrar  or  special  referee,  with  or  without  witnesses  and  whether  before  or  after  judgment,  for  each  day  

6    

26   Preparation  for  an  application  or  other  matter  referred  to  in  Item  27,  for  each  day  of  hearing    (a)    where  unopposed  (b)    where  opposed    

     4  5  

 

27   Hearing  of  proceeding  including  originating  application,  special  case,  proceeding  on  a  point  of  law,  interpleader  or  any  other  analogous  proceeding,  and  applications  for  judgment  under  Rules  7-­‐7(6),  9-­‐6  or  9-­‐7,  for  each  day.    (a)    where  unopposed  (b)    where  opposed    

           6  10  

 

28              

Preparation  for  a  hearing  referred  to  in  Item  17  (b),  17.2  or  19  (b),  which  hearing  was  initially  contested  but  for  which  no  attendance  was  required  as  a  result  of  an  agreement  reached  as  to  the  issues  that  would  have  been  the  subject  of  the  hearing.      (a)  for  a  hearing  referred  to  in  Item  22  (b)  (b)  for  a  hearing  referred  to  in  Item  25  (c)  for  a  hearing  referred  to  in  Item  27  (b)  

             2  2  4  

 

Again  -­  Note  that  these  units  are  for  each  “day”  of  attendance.    If  it  is  only  ½  day,  you  should  only  claim  ½  the  number  of  units.  

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29   Preparation  for  attendance  referred  to  in  Item  30,  for  each  day  of  attendance.  

2    

30   Attendance  before  a  registrar  to  settle  an  order  or  to  assess  costs,  for  each  day.  

4      

31   Preparation  for  attendance  referred  to  in  Item  32,  for  each  day  of  attendance  

1  –  3    

32   Attendance  at  pre-­‐trial  or  settlement  conference  or  a  mini-­‐trial,  for  each  day.  

1  –  5      

Public  Guardian  and  Trustee    33   All  process  for  obtaining  the  comments  and  

recommendations  of  the  Public  Guardian  and  Trustee.  1  –  10      

Trial  34   Preparation  for  trial  if  proceeding  set  down  for  each  day  

of  trial  (*  days)  5    

35   Attendance  at  trial  of  proceeding  or  of  an  issue  in  a  proceeding,  for  each  day  (*  days)  

10    

36   Written  argument  where  requested  or  ordered  by  the  court.  

1  –  10      

37   Attendance  at  the  court  for  trial  or  hearing  where  party  is  ready  to  proceed  and  when  trial  or  hearing  not  commenced  

3    

38   Attendance  to  speak  to  trial  or  hearing  list   1    Attendance  at  Registry  39   Process  for  payment  into  or  out  of  court   1    40   Process  for  setting  down  proceeding  for  trial   1    41   Process  relating  to  entry  of  an  order  or  certificate  of  

costs  when  item  30  and  44  does  not  apply.  1      

42   All  process,  for  which  provision  is  not  made  elsewhere  in  this  tariff,  relating  to  execution  upon  or  enforcement  of  an  order,  exclusive  of  any  application  to  the  court  

1    

Miscellaneous  43   Conduct  of  sale  where  property  sold  by  order  of  court   1  –  10      44   Negotiations  including  mediation  and  process  for  

settlement,  discontinuance,  or  dismissal  by  consent  of  any  proceeding  if  settled,  discontinued,  or  dismissed  by  consent  as  a  result  of  the  negotiations.  

5    

45   Attendance  at  mediation,  per  day.   5    46   Preparation  for  a  mediation,  for  each  day  of  attendance.   3    47   Preparation  for  a  mediation  if  the  mediation  is  not  held  

due  to  a  reason  other  than  the  party’s  refusal,  failure  or  neglect  to  attend.    

3    

48   Travel  by  a  solicitor  to  attend  at  any  trial,  hearing,  application,  examination,  reference,  inquiry,  assessment,  or  other  analogous  proceeding  where  held  more  than  40  km  from  the  place  where  the  solicitor  carries  on  business  for  each  day  upon  which  solicitor  travels    In  addition,  reasonable  travelling  and  subsistence  

2    

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expenses  shall  be  allowed  as  a  disbursement       TOTAL  UNITS              *       MULTIPLY  BY  UNIT  VALUE                  $110.00       SUBTOTAL:   $*       GST:   *       PST:   *       TOTAL   $*    

DISBURSEMENTS     Taxable  Disbursements         Photocopies*   $*       Postage*   *       Facsimile*   *       Long  Distance  Telephone   *       Courier   *       Court  Reporters/Transcripts   *       Travel  Expense   *       Clinical  Records   *       Medical  Report  of  Dr.  *   *       Outside  Photocopies   *       Travel   *       Total  Taxable  Disbursements                     GST:                  $       PST  on  in  house  disbursements*:         Total  Taxable  Disbursements  and  Tax   $               Non-­Taxable  Disbursements         Filing  Fees   $       Total  Non-­Taxable  Disbursements   $               TOTAL  DISBURSEMENTS  including  Tax   $    TOTAL  FEES  AND  DISBURSEMENTS  including  Tax   $*    TOTAL  FEES  AND  DISBURSEMENTS  ALLOWED     $                                                  

Sample  Form  49:  Appointment  

   (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  13-­1  (12),  14-­1  (21),  (24)  and  (25)  and  18-­1  (6))    

 No.    S123456    

                  Vancouver  Registry    

  In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia    Between:  

Jane  Doe     Plaintiff    

Use  this  section  for  all  of  your  out-­of-­pocket  expenses.    These  are  examples  of  what  expenses  you  might  have  incurred.  Feel  free  to  change  these  entries  to  match  your  expenses.  

Total  all  units  in  the  first  column  and  multiply  by  unit  value  $110  if  regular  costs  –  that  is  the  unit  value  most  typically  used.  If  Judge  orders  a  different  value  –  change  to  that.  

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and:  John  Smith  

  Defendant  

APPOINTMENT  

I  appoint:  

Time:  .......................................................  

Date:  ................[dd/mmm/yyyy].................  

Place:  .......................................................  

as  the  time  and  place  for  the:  [Check  the  correct  box(es)  and  complete  any  required  information.]  

[  ]  assessment  of  the  Bill  of  Costs  of  .........................[party(ies)].........................  

[  ]  review  of  the  bill  of  ................[name  of  lawyer  or  law  firm]................  

[  ]  examination  of  the  agreement  between  ...............[lawyer]...............  and  ...............[client]...............  

[  ]  settlement  of  the  terms  of  the  order  of  ........[Mr.  Justice,  Madam  Justice  or  Master]........  made  ........[dd/mmm/yyyy]........  

[  ]  passing  of  accounts  of  ..........[executor,  administrator,  receiver  or  other]..........  

[  ]  reference  under  the  Court  Order  Enforcement  Act  

[  ]  reference  ordered  by........[Mr.  Justice,  Madam  Justice  or  Master]........  

[  ]  assessment  of  sheriff's  fee  

[  ]  other  

Attached  to  this  Appointment  ......[is/are]......  the  [  ]  bill(s)  of  costs  [  ]  lawyer's  bill(s)  [  ]  sheriff's  bill(s)  [  ]  agreement(s)  [  ]  order(s)  that  ......[is/are]......  the  subject  of  this  Appointment.  

Date:  ................[dd/mmm/yyyy].................     ................................................................................  Master,  Registrar  or  Special  Referee.    

To:  ........................[name]........................        

TAKE  NOTICE  of  the  above  appointment.  

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The  person  seeking  appointment  believes  the  matter  for  which  this  appointment  was  sought:  

[Check  all  of  the  following  boxes  that  are  correct  and  complete  the  required  information.]  

[  ]  is  [  ]  is  not  of  a  time  consuming  or  contentious  nature  

[  ]  will  require  approximately  ........[time  estimate]........  to  complete    

Date:  ................[dd/mmm/yyyy].................    

 

.................................................................................    

  Signature  of  [  ]  person  seeking  appointment      [  ]  lawyer  for  person  seeking  appointment    

...........................[type  or  print  name]..........................      

Address  and  telephone  number  of  person  seeking  appointment  or  lawyer  for  person  seeking  appointment:  

Name:  .......................................................  

Address:  ...................................................  

..................................................................  

Telephone:  ................................................  

Sample  Form  64:  Certificate  of  Costs  

 (Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  14-­1  (27))  

No.    S123456                         Vancouver  Registry  

  In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia    Between:  

Jane  Doe     Plaintiff    and:  

John  Smith     Defendant  

CERTIFICATE  OF  COSTS    

I  CERTIFY  

[  ]  by  consent  of  the  parties  

[  ]  following  assessment  

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that  on  ........[dd/mmm/yyyy]........,  the  costs  of  ....................[party(ies)]....................  have  been  allowed  against  ....................[party(ies)]....................  in  the  amount  of  $.............  .  

Consented  to:  

[If  this  certificate  is  filed  by  consent,  a  signature  line  in  the  following  form  must  be  completed  and  signed  by  or  for  each  consenting  party.]  

..............................................................................  JANE  DOE  Plaintiff      

..............................................................................  BOB  CLARKE  Lawyer  for  the  Defendant  

Date:  ................[dd/mmm/yyyy].................    .................................................................................  Registrar  

[This  certificate  may  be  set  out  in  a  separate  document  or  may  be  endorsed  on  the  Bill  of  Costs.]  

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Settlement  Offers  

What  is  a  Settlement  Offer?    A  Settlement  Offer  (which  is  also  commonly  referred  to  as  an  “offer  to  settle”)  is  an  offer  made  by  either  the  Plaintiff  or  Defendant  to  settle  and  end  the  action.      The  Settlement  Offer  will  usually  include  terms  to  the  agreement  including  an  offer  to  waive  the  party’s  fees  and  disbursements  spent  to  defend  the  action  and/or  to  pay  a  sum  of  money  to  end  the  action.  

What  is  a  Formal  Settlement  Offer?  A  Formal  Settlement  Offer  is  a  Settlement  Offer  that  is  governed  by  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  9-­‐1.      A  Formal  Settlement  Offer  must  be  made  in  writing,  served  on  all  parties  to  the  action,  and  must  include  the  following  sentence:  

“The  [parties],  [names  of  parties]  reserve(s)  the  right  to  bring  this  offer  to  the  attention  of  the  Court  for  consideration  in  relation  to  costs  after  the  Court  has  pronounced  judgment  on  all  other  issues  in  this  proceeding.”  (the  “9-­‐1  Settlement  Clause”)  

What  is  the  difference  between  a  Settlement  Offer  and  a  Formal  Settlement  Offer?  A  Settlement  Offer  can  be  informal,  does  not  need  to  be  made  in  writing,  and  does  not  include  the  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  9-­‐1  Settlement  Clause.  

A  Formal  Settlement  Offer  must  be  set  out  in  writing,  served  on  all  parties  to  the  action  and  include  the  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  9-­‐1  Settlement  Clause.    A  Formal  Settlement  Offer  may  also  include  the  phrases  “Without  Prejudice”  and/or  “Made  pursuant  to  Rule  9-­‐1”.    A  Formal  Settlement  Offer  has  some  risk  to  the  party  receiving  it.  

What  does  “Without  Prejudice”  mean?  Without  prejudice  means  that  the  information  and  contents  in  the  communication  (in  this  case,  the  Formal  Settlement  Offer)  cannot  be  used  against  the  party  making  the  Formal  Settlement  Offer  in  the  action.    The  party  who  makes  a  without  prejudice  offer  does  so  on  the  basis  that  they  reserve  the  right  to  assert  their  original  position,  if  the  without  prejudice  offer  is  rejected  and  the  action  continues.  

What  is  the  purpose  of  a  Formal  Settlement  Offer?  The  purpose  of  a  Formal  Settlement  Offer  is  to:  

• Discourage  parties  from  making  trivial  claims;    Encourage  behaviour  that  will  reduce  the  time  and  expense  of  a  litigation;    

• Encourage  parties  to  settle  whenever  possible,  so  that  it  frees  up  the  Court’s  time  for  other    actions;    and  

• Forces  parties  to  always  think  carefully  about  whether  they  can  prove  their  case;  and  

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What  happens  if  a  Formal  Settlement  Offer  is  not  accepted?  If  you  refuse  a  Formal  Settlement  Offer  that  you  actually  should  have  accepted  at  the  time  it  was  made,  you  run  the  risk  of  the  Court  awarding  the  other  party  Costs  and  potentially  Double  Costs  against  you.    

Rule  9-­‐1(5)  of  the  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  sets  out  that  the  Court  may  do  one  or  more  of  the  following:  

(a)   Not   allowing   you   to   recover   any   or   all   of   the   Costs,   including   any   or   all   of   the  disbursements,  if  they  would  otherwise  ordinarily  be  entitled  to  get  for  all  or  some  of  the  steps  in  the  action,  from  the  time  the  offer  to  settle  was  delivered;    

(b)  award  Double  Costs  of  all  or  some  of  the  steps  taken  in  the  action  from  the  time  the  offer  to  settle  was  delivered;    

(c)  award  to  a  party,  in  respect  of  all  or  some  of  the  steps  taken  in  the  action  after  the  offer  to  settle  was  delivered,  Costs  to  which  the  party  would  have  been  entitled  had  the  offer  not  been  made;  

(d)   if   the  Defendant  made  an  offer   to   settle  and   the  amount  was  more  than  what  the  Plaintiff   won   at   Trial,   then   the   Plaintiff   would   have   to   pay   the   Defendant’s   Costs   in  respect   of   all   or   some   of   the   steps   taken   in   the   action   from   the   time   the   Defendant  delivered  the  offer  to  settle.        

 

What  are  double  costs?  An  award  of  double  costs  is  a  punitive  measure  that  the  Court  can  award  against  a  party’s  failure  to  have  accepted  a  Formal  Settlement  offer  that  should  have  been  accepted.    

Double  costs  will  allow  the  successful  party  (who  proposed  the  Formal  Settlement  Offer)  to  recover  their  costs  at  twice  the  original  rate.    

Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  9-­‐1(5)  sets  out  the  Costs  options  available  to  the  Court.  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rule  9-­‐1(6)  sets  out  considerations  of  the  Court  when  making  an  Order  under  sub-­‐rule  (5).  These  factors  include:    

(a)  whether  the  offer  to  settle  was  one  that  should  have  reasonably  been  accepted  on  the  date  served  or  on  any  later  date,    

(b)  the  relationship  between  the  terms  offered  and  the  final  judgment  of  the  Court,    

(c)  the  relative  financial  circumstances  of  the  parties,  and    

(d)  any  other  factor  the  Court  considers  appropriate.    

 

What  are  the  risks  for  refusing  a  Formal  Settlement  Offer?  You  must  consider  the  Formal  Settlement  Offer  carefully  with  a  clear  view  to  what  you  think  the  Judge  could  reasonably  award.    If  your  judgment  does  not  beat  the  offer  that  was  made  to  you,  you  

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could  be  required  to  pay  the  offering  party  all  of  their  Costs  and  disbursements  from  the  date  of  the  Formal  Settlement  Offer  to  the  date  of  the  Judgment.    Expenses  for  a  Trial  are  costly  and  this  could  lessen  some,  if  not  all  of  any  amount  that  may  be  awarded.    As  explained  above,  the  Court  also  has  the  ability  to  award  double  costs  against  you.      

When  does  a  Settlement  Offer  or  a  Formal  Settlement  Offer  occur?  

A  Settlement  Offer  and/or  a  Formal  Settlement  Offer  may  be  offered  at  any  time  during  the  action  and  before  the  Trial.  

How  long  does  a  Settlement  Offer  or  a  Formal  Settlement  Offer  last?  

A  Settlement  Offer  and/or  a  Formal  Settlement  Offer  may  or  may  not  have  an  expiry  date.    You  must  review  the  wording  carefully  and  note  any  dates  that  are  set  out.  

Other  information  about  Settlement  Offers  Supreme  Court  Civil  Rules  Rules  9-­1(5)  and  (6)  outline  the  options  at  a  Court’s  disposal  with  respect  to  awarding  costs,  and  what  factors  they  consider  in  doing  so.  

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Respectfully submitted this 25th day of September, 2014

Dom C. Bautista Executive Director Law Courts Center

Pat Terlecki Co-Chair PLUG 5 Twining, Short & Haakonson

Sharon Mah Writer in Charge PLUG 5 Bull Housser & Tupper LLP

Stacie Gin Secretary PLUG 5 Heritage Law

Mayette Ostonal Cultural Perspective and Subsection Senior MacKenzie Fujisawa

Carrie Sylvestre Subsection Senior Khanna Law Office

Tanya Vasto Whitelaw Twining

Claudia Au Subsection Junior Alexander Holburn LLP

Yvonne Choi Subsection Junior Harris LLP

Roxana Cvaci Subsection Junior ICBC

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Wendy Matthews

Rosalyn Lau Subsection Junior Dolden Wallace Follick LLP

Irfan Reayat

Pierre Olivier

Jennifer Muller  

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APPENDIX  A:  GLOSSARY    Action/Case/File When referring to an ‘action’, ‘case’, or ‘file’, one is

referring to the litigation proceeding. Once a Notice of Civil Claim is filed in Court, the Registry gives the file a specific number that is used to enter the claim into the Registry’s database for recordkeeping.

Admissible A term used to describe the information that is relevant to a determine the issues of a case so that such information can be properly considered by a judge or jury in making a decision.

Adjourn To postpone or put off a scheduled date to a later time.

Affidavit A written statement setting out facts and evidence. The statement is sworn or solemnly affirmed by the person making the statement before another person, who is authorized to administer oaths (i.e., a lawyer or Notary Public).

Allegation A claim that a person has done something wrong.

Alternative Dispute Resolution When the parties use other means of resolving the matter without going to Court. Some forms of Alternate Dispute Resolution include Mediation, Arbitration or negotiation.

Application A request for an Order.

Appointment A document to set a hearing before a Registrar.

Arbitration A hearing where an impartial third party is hired by the parties to listen to their arguments and makes a decision that is final and binding on the parties and is enforceable by the Courts.

Certificate of non-appearance A document prepared by a court reporter at an Examination for Discovery where the party that was supposed to attend to respond to questions (also known as giving evidence), did not attend at the time and place that was arranged. This document may be filed with the court by a party who arranged the Examination for Discovery.

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Application Applications requesting the Court’s assistance usually dealing with procedural issues that come up as a court case progresses.

Clerk’s Notes A record of orders granted at a court hearing or Application. The information set out in the notes would show when the hearing happened, who attended, who heard the application, and the result of the hearing.

Conduct Money Money paid to a person for their attendance and travel expenses related to their their attendance at a hearing, Examination for Discovery, or Trial. Conduct money paid includes the costs for each day the party is required to attend the hearing or Trial.

Confer To have a discussion or exchange ideas.

Costs in the Cause The party that wins at Trial may get his/her costs against the person that lost the trial. This is awarded by on a case-by-case basis.

Costs in any event of the cause An award of costs made by a judge to compensate a party for attending a hearing, no matter what the outcome is later at Trial.

Costs thrown away Costs a party incurred unnecessarily as a result of a procedural error committed or are improperly incurred or wasted as a result of a subsequent act of the other party.

Cross-examine The act of questioning a witness who has testified in an Action on behalf of the opposing party. The questions on cross-examination are limited to the subjects covered in the direct examination of the witness. This is an opportunity for the person asking the questions to evaluate the opposing party’s testimony and evaluate is the person is telling the truth.

Damages The sum of money awarded in an Action to compensate a Plaintiff for their claim of loss or injury.

Default Judgment Judgment awarded to a party based on the other party's failure to act in some way. (e.g. a Plaintiff can ask for default judgment if the Defendant does not file a response to the claim on time, or at all).

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Defendant A person against whom the action/claim is filed.

Deponent A person that gives evidence, under oath or affirmation, at an Examination or Discovery, or under oath by swearing an Affidavit.

Direct Evidence Evidence in the form of testimony from a witness who actually saw, heard, or touched the subject of questioning.

Disbursements Any out-of-pocket expenses of a party that were required to be paid out with respect to the court action – i.e. expert report or travel expenses.

Disclose/Disclosure A fact, or a document that is made known or provided to the other party of the case.

Double Costs / Double the Money A method of “punishing” an opposing party for not accepting an offer that should have been accepted to avoid further litigation. This is a “remedy” available to a successful party in a particular situation where the opposing party rejected an offer to settle and further litigation could have been avoided had the offer been accepted.

Enactment Cite the Act or Rule of Court that you are relying on.

Examination for Discovery An Examination for Discovery is a process for obtaining evidence before an Action goes to Trial. This is an informal proceeding where a court reporter attends and records the discussion, as well as the person or party that is asking the questions to obtain information about the issues of the Action and the person being discovered (responding to the questions).

Examination in Chief The questioning of a witness during a trial that is conducted by the side for which that person is acting as a witness.

Exemption A freedom from an obligation; or requirement to do something in a proceeding or Action. For example, a person may have an exemption from jury service.

Exhibit Typically in an Action, an exhibit is physical object or document that is evidence brought before a judge or a jury. For example, a document can be “marked” is an Exhibit at

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an Examination for Discovery and copies are delivered to all parties in the Action.

Evidence Facts and/or information that can prove or disprove whether a claim is true.

Final Order An Order finally resolving a claim in a case even though the Order can be changed by the Court in certain, limited circumstances. It is meant to apply to both parties for the foreseeable future.

A Court can make a Final Order

• at the end of a trial (including a summary trial),

• whenever both spouses agree to an Order (called a ‘Consent Order’).

Forthwith To be done immediately, promptly, without delay; within a reasonable time under the circumstances of the case.

Garnishing A type of enforcement order involving the payment of money. When all the efforts to convince the debtor to make a payment fail, the Court takes the extreme step of garnishing a debtor’s wage and/or bank account. The money from the bank account/salary/wage of the debtor is deposited into the court and from the Court it is paid to the Creditor/Claimant until the full amount of the debt is paid. The Creditor/Claimant has to follow the procedure laid out in the Court Order Enforcement Act, RSBC 1996, c 78 in order to get the garnishing order.

General Damages These are the "pain and suffering" awards, and do not have a specific monetary value that can be assigned to it. The amount of these awards are generally determined using past cases with similar facts to decide what range of money would be appropriate to award. (e.g. a Plaintiff who suffered from neck strain after their car is rear-ended at a stop light may receive between $5,000 and $15,000 in general damages, depending on the how seriously their injuries affected their life.)

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Injunction An interim Court Order to protect certain rights and/or stop someone from doing something, usually on short notice, until a final Order in a matter can be made.

Interim (Application) An interim application is also called an "interlocutory application." This kind of application is made after the start of a Court proceeding but before the end, usually for a temporary fix before the final conclusion of the Court file at a trial or by a settlement.

Interim (Order) A temporary Court Order for a limited period of time (while the parties are waiting for the trial), usually only in effect until the Court has had an opportunity of hearing the full case and making a Final Order. A party can apply to change an interim Order.

Judge A person appointed by the federal or provincial governments to manage and decide Court proceedings in an unbiased or impartial manner, independent of influence by the parties, the government, or agents of the government. The decisions of a Judge are binding on the parties. The decisions can be appealed by the parties if they believe an error was made.

Judges decide interim applications, trials and applications to change Final Orders.

A list of the types of applications and/or hearings that must be conducted before a Judge are set out in the Appendix “Jurisdiction Guide: Judge and Master”.

Judicial District In British Columbia, this is the area in which your Court case will be started and carried through to trial if required. The British Columbia Supreme Court sits in eight judicial districts called “counties". The judicial districts are: Cariboo; Kootenay; Nanaimo; Prince Rupert; Vancouver; Victoria; Westminster; and Yale. The Counties of Vancouver and Westminster are collectively one judicial district under the name of the "Vancouver Westminster Judicial District". Within each county, or judicial district, justices are resident in the following locations: Chilliwack; Cranbrook; Kamloops; Kelowna; Nanaimo; Nelson; New Westminster; Prince George; Prince Rupert; Victoria; and

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Vancouver. The British Columbia Supreme Court also holds sittings in the following court locations for which there is not a resident justice: Campbell River; Courtenay; Dawson Creek; Duncan; Fort Nelson; Fort St. John; Golden; Penticton; Port Alberni; Powell River; Quesnel; Revelstoke, Rossland; Salmon Arm; Smithers; Terrace; Vernon; and Williams Lake.

Judgment A Court’s final determination of the rights and obligations of the parties in a case.

Judgment Creditor The party to whom the judgement is owed.

Judgment Debtor The party who owes a judgement.

Jurat A person that has taken an oath or performs a duty on oath, for example a juror. This is a certificate of an officer such as a Commissioner for Taking Affidavits, that a legal document, such as an Affidavit or Statutory Declaration, was sworn by the person who signed it.

Jurisdiction Refers to the legal authority or power of the Court to decide on specific claims or issues. Sometimes, jurisdiction is restricted to certain locations, for example, the location where the cause of action or issue arose or on the basis of the subject matter, or it can be pecuniary (based on the amount claimed).

Sometimes Courts are delegated the power to decide on specific issues/subjects. If a Plaintiff makes a claim worth $25,000 or less, then they will have to file a claim in Small Claims Court. If the amount claimed is more than $25,000 then the claim is made in Supreme Court.

Jury A group of people who are members of the public and are chosen by the parties to a case to make a decision in a legal case after the evidence is provided to them.

Leading Questions A question that prompts or encourages the desired answer.

Leave of the Court Asking the Court for ‘permission’ to go ahead with an issue in an Action. For example, a person may seek leave of the Court to file an application when a deadline to do so has

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expired. If this ‘permission’ of the Court is not obtained, it would be unlawful to proceed.

Legal Basis If you are relying on an Act or a Rule of Court, you must set out what specifically your case has to do with that Act or Rule, ie. Negligence Act– set out how the party has been negligence or BC Supreme Court Rules – list which Rule affects your case – costs, etc.

Litigation A judicial process for bringing a civil lawsuit. The whole process starting from the filing of a claim until the judgment of a Court is called ‘litigation’.

Litigation Guardian A person that is under the age of majority (19 years old in British Columbia) In British Columbia many laws refer to "infants." An "infant" is a person who has not reached the age of nineteen years. The Small Claims Rules refer to infants as "young persons."

Master A judicial officer of the Supreme Court who can listen to and decide certain applications, including interim applications for parenting or support Orders. Masters can hear most interim applications and are addressed as “Your Honour”.

A list of the types of applications and/or hearings that may be conducted before a Master are set out in the Appendix “Jurisdiction Guide: Judge and Master”.

Mediation A process where parties can resolve their own disputes, with the help of a neutral third party. The mediator, also known as a facilitator, never forces a decision onto the parties. The mediator’s job is to keep the parties talking and to help move them through the more difficult areas of conflict.

Non-pecuniary Loss A loss that cannot be calculated in financial or monetary terms. For example, pain and suffering.

Notice of Application A document filed in the Registry to give notice to a party or person and the Court of an application for relief. It is supported by Affidavit material. The Notice of Application

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sets out what relief the party is seeking and the Affidavit sets out the facts supporting the request.

Omission A party neglects or fails to perform an act that is agreed to or what the law requires or inadvertently leaving out a word, phrase or other language from a contract, deed, judgment or other legal document.

Order A ruling made by the Court that tells a party to do something or not to do something. It can also refer to the document that sets out the decision of the Court.

Parties of Record A person who has filed a pleading, petition or a response in an Action (or proceeding).

Pecuniary Loss Relates to financial penalty to a party in an Action. These are also financial losses that may involve out of pocket expenses for things like medical treatment, travel expenses or funeral expenses. Typically the largest pecuniary loss that most personal injury victims suffer is their loss of income.

Personal Property Movable property; belongings exclusive of land and buildings.

Personal Service Personal service is when the document(s) must be physically handed to the party.

Plaintiff Person who files an Action in Court. The party who wants the matter to be evaluated by the Court in hopes of being awarded compensation.

Pleadings Formal legal documents filed with the Court that states the party’s basic position. Pleadings include the Notice of Civil Claim, Response to Civil Claim, a Counterclaim, a Response to Counterclaim.

Privileged Confidential information or communication, such as a letter or email correspondence, that is kept confidential in a court proceeding for reasons that benefit the party producing the document. For example, parties to an Action generally have access to information. However, a privilege communication or information is exempt.

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Process Server A professional document server who serves/delivers legal documents to a party. The party who is served by the Process Server may or may not be a party to the action.

Real Property All land, structures of a home or building that firmly attached such as light fixtures or a built-in dishwasher, or anything growing on the land, which may be the right to future ownership of a property.

Relief The legal remedy awarded by the judge or jury in a court action. This could be in the form of money (e.g. $10,000 for pain and suffering or $3,000 to repair a botched roof), action to be taken (e.g. paying back a debt owed within a year), or stopping things from happening (e.g. preventing a neighbour from cutting down trees along a shared property line).

Registered and Records Office A Registered Office is the official legal address of a company. Any legal document may be sent to the company’s registered office. A Records Office is the official address and location where a company keeps its corporate records. The Registered and Records Office for a company may be at the same legal address.

Registrar A person who performs duties as set out in the Supreme Court Family Rules, and under other laws. They can make decisions on assessments relating to bills of costs, reviewing of lawyers' accounts (if any), settling Orders, conducting references of different types and dealing with bankruptcy discharge applications.

Registry The Registry (or Court Registry) receives and keeps a copy of all pleadings and documents filed in relation to an action. The Registry is located in the courthouses all over the province.

Requisition A document (Form 17) used to make a request to the Court or Court Registry.

Reserving Judgment A delay in the process of judging or giving an opinion. A judge may announce at Trial or a hearing that he/she may “reserve” judgment to a later date.

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Serve/Service To serve a person is to provide one party with the document(s) of another party in the action. Service occurs when the party receives and/or is personally handed the document(s) of the other party.

Special Damages These are damages that can be measured by actual money spent by the Plaintiff in order to make right the wrong that they claim was caused by the Defendant (e.g. If a Plaintiff brings a claim for breach of contract because a contractor failed to complete a remodeling job, the Plaintiff's special damages may include the extra money they had to pay to have someone else complete the job.)

Style of Proceeding/Style of Cause The heading on a court document that includes the type of Court (Supreme or Small Claims) the action number, the registry location, and the names of the parties defining their role ie. Plaintiff or Defendant.

Tender To present to another person an unconditional offer. For example, to offer another person to enter into a contract. This term is used to reference an offer to pay money. However, it may also be used to offer other kinds of property to another person.

Transcript A written record prepared by a court reporter of what was spoken during a proceeding.

Trial When both parties and their witnesses go to Court to present their case and appear before a Judge. They give their evidence speaking under oath. A trial results in a final decision by a Judge.

Without Notice When there is no requirement to advise the other party of the action of your request or intention.

When an application is brought by one party without giving notice to the other party. These applications may be used in an urgent or emergency situation and the party needs to have the matter decided quickly. After the determination in the application, the other party will be served with the judgment and have the opportunity to defend the matter.

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Without Prejudice A phrase that has the effect of excluding from evidence the document on which the phrase is written. This is usually used in settlement negotiations so the document cannot be brought to the Court’s attention to “cloud” or prejudice any decision made by the Court.

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APPENDIX  B:  Cultural  Diversity  and  the  Canadian  Legal  Process  For  all  self-­‐represented  litigants,  the  judicial  process  can  be  overwhelming  and  intimidating.    When  you  are  also  new  to  the  country  and  are  unfamiliar  with  cultural  processes  as  well  as  judicial  processes,  any  legal  matter,  regardless  of  how  minor,  is  going  to  be  a  challenge.  

You  might  find  these  tips  helpful.  

Respect  for  time  and  time  limits  In    Canada,  time  and  time  limits  must  be  respected.  In  fact,  it  is  seen  as  being  inconsiderate  when  you  are  late  for  an  appointment  without  good  reason  (for  example,  your  car  broke  down  on  the  way  to  the  appointment  or  your  child  was  sick  and  you  need  to  take  them  to  the  doctor).    Reasons  such  as  “I  forgot  what  time  the  appointment  was”  or  “I  took  the  wrong  bus”  are  not  as  acceptable.      

Always  be  early  when  you  go  to  court.        It  will  give  you  time  to  observe  your  surroundings  and  in  some  cases,  watch  how  other  people  conduct  themselves.      

The  same  goes  for  deadlines  for  filing  documents  or  serving  documents  –  you  can  be  early,  but  do  not  be  late.    In  some  instances,  filing  or  serving  a  document  outside  of  the  time  limits  allowed  will  prevent  you  from  taking  further  legal  action  and  it  will  cost  you  more  time  and  money  to  fix  things.      

Do  not  be  late!  

Tell  the  truth  Always  tell  the  truth  when  you  are  giving  evidence  under  oath.    Lying,  telling  “half-­‐truths”  or  withholding  information  when  you  have  sworn  to  tell  the  truth  is  punishable  by  law.    While  sometimes  it  is  difficult  to  tell  the  truth  about  a  situation  (e.g.  because  it  is  embarrassing  to  you  or  shameful  for  your  family),  it  is  important  that  the  Judge  or  Master  know  all  the  facts  so  that  they  can  make  an  informed  decision.    Always  give  brief  and  clear  answers  to  questions  that  are  asked  of  you.      

Language  You  may  be  fluent  in  English  or  French,  but  “legalese”  or  the  specific  language  that  is  sometimes  used  in  Court  by  lawyers  and  Judges,  is  different.    It  may  sound  like  English,  but  it  may  not  have  the  same  meaning  in  Court  as  it  does  in  regular,  everyday  life.    If  you  do  not  understand  what  the  Judge,  Master  or  other  lawyer  is  talking  about,  ask  them  to  clarify.    You  do  not  want  to  agree  to  something,  or  not  agree  to  something,  that  you  do  not  fully  understand.      

There  is  no  shame  in  asking  for  help  if  you  do  not  understand  what  is  going  with  the  court  proceedings.    If  someone  is  speaking  too  quickly,  ask  the  Court  to  have  them  speak  slower.    If  you  need  something  repeated,  ask  the  Court  to  have  the  person  repeat  what  they  are  saying.    If  English  is  your  second  language,  consider  hiring  a  court  certified  interpreter.    These  are  special  interpreters  that  have  lots  of  experience  with  legal  hearings  and  not  only  will  they  be  able  to  interpret  for  you  but  also  understand  the  process.    It  is  better  for  you  to  understand  what  is  going  on  than  to  be  too  proud  to  ask  for  help.      

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Be  respectful  Use  respectful  language  when  speaking  in  Court  and  do  not  interrupt  someone  if  they  are  already  speaking.    Refer  to  the  Judge,  to  the  lawyers  and  to  the  other  parties  as  “sir”  or  “madam”.    You  want  to  be  treated  with  respect  as  your  case  is  being  heard,  and  the  Judge  and  lawyers  feel  the  same.    You  may  come  from  a  culture  where  the  justice  system  is  flawed,  and  you  may  have  formed  ideas  about  Courts  and  Judges  based  on  your  previous  experiences.    Do  not  bring  those  biases  into  a  Canadian  courtroom.    Prepare  your  case,  learn  the  basic  procedures  of  the  courtroom,  be  respectful  to  all,  and  trust  in  our  justice  system.      

When  you  are  providing  information  to  a  Judge  or  lawyer,  do  your  best  to  give  direct  answers  and  do  not  add  any  extra  pieces  of  information  unless  they  ask.    For  example,  if  you  are  being  questioned  on  the  witness  stand  and  the  lawyer  asks  you  what  time  of  day  an  event  occurred,  tell  them  what  time  of  day  it  was  (e.g.  “It  was  morning”  or  “It  was  about  4:30  p.m.”).  You  do  not  need  to  include  how  you  came  to  that  answer  (e.g.  “The  sun  was  just  rising  and  I  had  just  fed  the  baby,  so  it  was  morning”  or  “I  had  just  gotten  off  work,  but  it  was  earlier  than  normal  because  I  had  to  pick  up  a  friend  from  the  airport  and  their  flight  was  arriving  at  5:30,  so  it  was  probably  around  4:30  when  the  incident  occurred”).    Too  much  information  becomes  confusing  and  can  lead  to  more  questions  that  the  lawyer  would  not  have  otherwise  realized  was  available.  

Body  Language  You  may  not  believe  it,  but  what  you  do  not  say  in  a  courtroom  is  as  important  as  what  you  do  say.    That  is,  your  body  language  may  convey  that  you  are  thinking  one  thing  while  you  are  saying  another  thing.  

For  example,  in  some  cultures,  it  is  a  sign  of  respect  not  to  make  eye  contact  with  someone  you  are  speaking  with  or  someone  of  a  higher  position  in  society  as  you.    In  Canada,  that  can  be  taken  as  a  sign  that  the  person  is  shy  or  it  could  be  taken  that  the  person  is  lying.    Try  to  look  the  person  that  is  speaking  to  you  in  the  eye.    Speak  loudly  and  clearly,  and  sit  up  straight.      

Other  Cultural  Issues  You  might  feel  ashamed  to  talk  about  your  personal  life  in  front  of  strangers,  however,  it  is  very  important  to  tell  the  truth  when  you  are  being  questioned  regarding  your  case.      

If  being  open  and  honest  about  your  life  in  Court    will  put  you  in  some  sort  of  danger  (either  physically  or  emotionally),  this  should  be  addressed,  either  with  the  lawyer  on  the  other  side  of  the  matter  or  with  the  Judge.      If  there  is  a  reason  you  do  not  feel  you  can  give  your  evidence  fully,  let  it  be  known.    No  one  involved  wants  you  to  be  harmed  in  any  way  because  you  spoke  the  truth.      

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APPENDIX  C:  Calculating  time  

The  Supreme   Court   Civil   Rules   set   out   “instructions”   as   to  when   certain  matters   need   to   be   done  within  certain  time  periods.    

In   order   to   avoid   missing   deadlines,   you   need   to   know   how   to   properly   calculate   time.     It   is  important  to  look  for  specific  wording,  such  as  the  words  “at  least”,  “within”,  and  “business”  days.    

It  is  also  important  to  know  that  if  service  of  a  document  is  after  4  pm,  then  it  is  considered  to  have  been  served  the  next  day.  For  example,  a  document  served  at  4:30  pm  on  September  2,  2014,  is  deemed  to  be  served  on  September  3,  2014.  

When  calculating  clear  days,   the  wording  “at  least”  is  used.  This  means  you  do  not  count  the  first  or   last   days,   and   the   specific   number   of   days   must   be   in   between   the   first   and   last   days.   For  example,   a   summary   trial   application   must   be   heard  at   least   42   days   before   the   scheduled   trial  date.  If  the  trial  is  set  for  September  2,  2014,  then  you  must  calculate  backwards  42  clear  days  from  September  2nd,  which  would  be  July  21st.    

When  calculating  a  time  period  “within”  a  specific  number  of  days,  you  do  not  count  the  first  day,  but   you   do   count   the   last   day.   For   example,  within   21   days   of   service   on   September   2nd,   2014,  would  be  September  23rd.  

An  exception  to   the  “within”  and  “at  least”  calculations  is   if  a  period  of  time  is  less   than  7  days,  then  you  do  not  count  holidays.  If  a  period  of  time  is  more  than  7  days  you  do  count  holidays.    

Sunday  is  considered  a  holiday,  while  Saturday  is  not.  All  Statutory  holidays  are  not  counted  if  the  calculation  period  is  less  than  7  days.  If  a  document  is  served  on  a  holiday,  then  service  is  deemed  to  have  been  effected  on  the  next  day  which  is  not  a  holiday.  

When  calculating  “business”  days,  this  refers  to  days  when  the  Registry  is  open.  The  Registry  is  not  open   on   Saturdays,   Sundays,   or   Statutory   holidays.   The   reference   to   business   days   is   used   with  Applications.  For  example,  a  person  who  wishes  to  respond  to  a  Notice  of  Application  must  file  an  Application  Response  within  5  business  days  of  being  served.  If  they  were  served  on  September  2,  2014,   then   within   5   business   days   would   be   September   9th   (not   counting   the   days   when   the  Registry  is  closed).  

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CALCULATING  TIME  LINES  

 Time:  Service  after  4  pm  is  deemed  to  be  served  the  next  day  Holidays:  Service  on  a  Sunday  or  statutory  holiday  is  deemed  to  be  served  the  next    day  which  is  not  a  Sunday  or  a  statutory  holiday  For  calendar  of  statutory  holidays  and  dates  when  the  court  registries  are  open,  see  website:  www.courts.gov.bc.ca/supreme_court/scheduling    Within    Do  not  count  the  day  served  but  do  count  the  last  day  

At  Least  (aka  Clear)    Do  not  count  the  day  served  or  the  day  for  court  

Business  days  are  when  the  court  registry  is  open  

 

 July  1st  is  a  statutory  holiday.    Example:    Within  8  days  from  July  15th    is  July  23rd.      

 

 July  1st  is  a  statutory  holiday.    Example:  At  least  8  days  before  July  15th  is  July  4th  (as  no  court  on  Saturday  or  Sunday).      

 

 July  1st  is  a  statutory  holiday.    Example:    Within  8  business  days  from  July  15th  is  July  25th      (do  not  count  days  when  court  is  not  open).  

Exceptions:  If  calculating  less  than  7  days,  do  not  count  holidays  If  calculating  more  than  7  days,  do  count  the  holidays  

No  exceptions  

 

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APPENDIX D: Further Resources and References If  you  are  looking  for  information  about  the  court  process  

• Supreme  Court  of  BC:  http://courts.gov.bc.ca/supreme_court/    

This  link  will    take  the  litigant  to  the  Supreme  Court  of  BC.  There  is  a  specific  section  for  self  represented  litigant.  This  section  provides  different  resources,  information  hand  book,  guide  books,  and  organizations  working  to  provide  free  legal  advice  to  self  represented  litigants.    

• Justice  Education  Society  of  BC:  http://www.justiceeducation.ca/    

This  link  provides  services  educating  a  lay  man  about  the  BC's  justice  and  court  system.  It  explains  the  criminal,  civil,  administrative,  family  law,  appeals  and  procedure  to  be  followed.    

If  you  are  looking  for  legal  advice  

• The  Legal  Services  Society:  http://www.lss.bc.ca/    

The  Legal  Services  Society  provides  information  about  the  resources  for  legal  aid  in  BC.  Such  information  include  legal  information,  advice  and  representation  services,  free  publication,  links  to  other  community  and  legal  resources.  It  also  a  good  source  for  information  on  Family  Law  in  BC.    

• Access  Justice  Pro  Bono:  http://www.accessprobono.ca/    

Access  Justice  Pro  Bono  provides  information  on  scheduling  appointments  for  half  hour  free  consultation  with  volunteer  lawyers.    

• UBC  Law  Students’  Legal  Advice  Program:  http://www.lslap.bc.ca/main/    

Non-­‐profit  organization  run  by  law  students  providing  services  to  people  who  cannot  afford  to  engage  a  lawyer.  The  organization  clinics  are  located  in  lower  mainland  of  BC.  The  organization  works  in  areas  including  criminal,  employment  standards,  employment  insurance,  consumer  protection,  WCB,  Wills  and  Estate,  residential  tenancy  board,  incorporation  of  non  profit,  civil  liberties,  immigration,  etc.  

• The  Law  Center  University  of  Victoria:  http://www.thelawcentre.ca/    

It  provides  the  same  services  as  provided  by  LSLAP  program  of  UBC.  In  addition  to  those  services  it  provides  services  in  family  law,  child  support,  divorce,  human  rights,  and  Canada  Pension  Plan  (CPP).  

• Community  Legal  Assistance  Society:  http://www.clasbc.net/    

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CLAS  provides  free  legal  service  including  services  in  poverty  law  that  includes  housing,  human  rights,  income  security,  mental  health,  and  workers'  rights.    

• Lawyers  Referral  Service:  http://cbabc.org/For-­‐the-­‐Public/Lawyer-­‐Referral-­‐Service    

Lawyers  Referral  Service  is  a  program  funded  by  the  Law  Foundation  of  BC  and  Canada  Bar  Association  BC  Chapter.  This  program  connect  the  public  with  the  lawyers  for  consultation.  The  lawyer  provides  legal  consultation  for  30  min  in  lieu  of  $25.    

• Justice  Access  Center  BC:  http://www.ag.gov.bc.ca/justice-­‐access-­‐centre/vancouver/index.htm    

Located  in  Vancouver  Law  Courts  downtown,  the  Center  assist  self  represented                  litigants  on  family  and  civil  justice  problems.  Depending  upon  the  nature  of  the                  problem  an  appointment  can  be  scheduled  with  the  family  counsellor  or  civil  law                  coordinator.  If  the  nature  of  the  problem  is  different  then  the  litigant  will  be  referred  to  the  relevant  agency  working  in  that  area.    

If  you  are  looking  for  information  about  a  specific  area  of  law  

• The  People's  Law  School:  http://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/organization/solveproblems/1004    

Non-­‐Profit  organization  providing  public  legal  education  and  information  to  the  public  in  British  Columbia.  It  publishes  various  booklets,  handbooks,  and  produced  video  lessons  on  judicial  system  and  court  procedure  in  BC.    

Provides  information  in  the  form  of  publication,  videos,    

• Dial  a  Law:  http://www.cbabc.org/For-­‐the-­‐Public/Dial-­‐A-­‐Law    

Dial  a  Law  is  a  library  providing  legal  information  compiled  by  lawyers.  It  provides  information  to  the  public  on  various  legal  topics.  The  information  is  provided  in  English,  Cantonese,  Mandarin,  and  Punjabi.    

• Courthouse  libraries  BC:  http://www.courthouselibrary.ca/    

It  provides  advance  resources  of  research  on  different  legal  topics.  The  library  staff  provides  assistance  to  public,  students,  lawyers  as  well  on  using  digital  resources  for  the  purpose  of  legal  research.  The  library  also  provides  CBA's  list  of  freelance  legal  research  lawyers  doing  extensive  research  on  various  legal  topics  for  reasonable  price.  

If  you  are  looking  for  a  case  for  your  application  for  to  waive  fees  

Hopkins  v.  Hill,  2000  CarswellBC  1021;  2000  BCSC  637  

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APPENDIX  E:  JURISDICTION  GUIDE:  JUDGE  OR  MASTER  

In  the  Supreme  Court  of  British  Columbia,  court  hearings  may  be  held  before  a  Master  or  a  Judge.    “Jurisdiction”   refers   to  what   a   Judge   or  Master   has   authority   under   law   to   deal  with.     Judges   can  hear  all  court  hearings,  while  Masters  are  limited  to  applications  and  some  final  orders  (i.e.  certain  types  of  judgments).      

What   Masters   can   and   cannot   hear   is   set   out   in   Practice   Direction   PD-­‐42   found   on   the   court  website:    www.courts.gov.bc.ca/supreme_court/practice_and_procedure/civil_practice_direction    

In  summary,  Masters  cannot  hear  applications  that  relate  to:  

-­‐   where  an  Act  or  rule  requires  a  judge  to  make  the  decision;  

-­‐     any  Appeal  matters;  

-­‐     where  any  party  in  a  proceeding  is  under  a  legal  disability;  

-­‐   criminal  proceedings;  

-­‐     contempt;  

-­‐     an  injunction  (requiring  or  preventing  an  act)  in  lieu  of  a  monetary  award;  

-­‐   orders  under  the  Judicial  Review  Procedure  Act  or  a  prerogative  writ;  

-­‐   staying  a  court  proceeding  where  there  is  an  arbitration;  

-­‐   declarations  under  the  Survivorship  and  Presumption  of  Death  Act;  

-­‐   removing  a  suspension  from  the  practice  of  a  profession;  

-­‐   to   set   aside,   vary   or   amend   a   final   order   of   a   judge,   other   than   to   shorten   or   lengthen   a     time  line  allowed  by  the  Order  if  the  Order  was  one  that  a  Master  could  have  made.  

Masters  can  hear  applications  that  relate  to  varying  an  interim  order  of  a  judge  and  enforcement  of  orders,  as  well  as  the  following  final  orders:  

-­‐   orders  by  consent;  

-­‐     orders  regarding  non-­‐compliance  with  the  rules;  

-­‐   orders  for  summary  judgment  where  there  is  no  triable  issue;  

-­‐   orders  striking  out  pleadings  so  long  as  there  is  no  determination  of  a  question  of  law;  

-­‐   orders  granting  default  judgment;    and,  

-­‐   orders  relating  to  foreclosures,  other  than  approving  a  sale.  

In  family  law  actions,  Masters  can  also  make  or  vary  any  interim  orders  made  under  the  Divorce  Act,  as  well  as  interim  orders  made  under  the  Family  Law  Act  for:  

-­‐   guardianship;  

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-­‐   parenting  arrangements;  

-­‐     contact;  

-­‐   child  and  spousal  support;  

-­‐   protection  orders;  

-­‐     restraining  orders;  and,  

-­‐   exclusive  occupancy  of  a  family  residence.  

If   a   matter   can   be   heard   before   a   Master,   you   should   always   request   for   a   Master   in   your  application.  

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APPENDIX  F:  SELF-­REPRESENTED  LITIGANT’S  SCBC  CIVIL  ACTION  CHECKLIST    

Client Name: Date of 1st AC Session:

Paralegal:

Date of 2nd AC Session:

Paralegal

Date of 3rd AC Session:

Paralegal

Action Required Date(s)

Due:

__________________

Filed:

__________________

Served:

__________________

Renewed on:

__________________

Notice of Civil Claim (Form 1)

Rules 3-1, 3-2, 3-7, 4-1, and 4-3

The Plaintiff files a Notice of Civil Claim within 2 years of the date of loss. After the Notice of Civil Claim is filed, it must be served within 12 months.

If the Notice of Claim is not filed within 12 months, the Notice of Civil Claim may be renewed for a further 12 months.

Served:

__________________

Due:

__________________

Filed:

__________________

Response to Civil Claim (Form 2)

Rules 3-3, 3-7, 4-1, and 4-3

The Defendant files and serves the Response to Civil Claim within 21 days of being served the Notice of Civil Claim (in BC).

Served

__________________

Served:

__________________

Received:

__________________

List of Documents (Form 22)

Rule 7-1

The Plaintiff and Defendant each prepare and serve a List of Documents that sets out the documents in his/her possession that (a) he/she intends to rely on at Trial (b) could Amended

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Action Required Date(s)

prove or disprove a material fact within 35 days after the pleadings period ends.

LOD: __________________

Examinations for Discovery

Rule 7-2 and 15-1(12) EFD Date:

__________________

Court Report + Location

Booked:

__________________

Appointment to Examine for Discovery (Form 23) Served:

__________________

The Examinations for Discovery must be completed at least 14 days before the Trial begins, unless otherwise ordered by the court or consented to by the parties.

EFD Deadline:

__________________

Deadline:

__________________

Expert Report(s)

Rule 11-16

The Plaintiff and Defendant may serve Expert Report(s) no later than 84 days before the scheduled Trial date. Served:

__________________

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Action Required Date(s)

Deadline

__________________

Filed:

__________________

Rebuttal Expert Report(s)

Rule 11-6(4)

The Plaintiff and Defendant may choose to serve Rebuttal Expert Report(s) to any expert report(s) he/she receives. The Rebuttal Expert Report(s) must be served at least 42 days before Trial. Served:

__________________

Deadline:

__________________

Notice of Expert Required for Cross-Examination

Rule 11-7(2)

The Plaintiff and Defendant may require an expert to attend Trial for cross examination. To require an expert’s attendance, written notice must be given at least 21 after the expert report is served advising that the expert’s attendance is required.

Notice Served:

__________________

Deadline

__________________

Filed:

__________________

Notice to Mediate

See Notice to Mediate (General) Regulation

The Plaintiff or Defendant may schedule a mediation which can take place any time between 60 days after the Response to Civil Claim has been filed and 120 days before the date of the Trial. The mediation must be held no later than 7 days before the schedule Trial date. Served:

__________________

Filed:

__________________

Notice of Trial (Form 40)

Rule 12-1

Once the Trial date is booked with the Supreme Court Scheduling, the Notice of File must be filed and served within 30 days of the Trial date being booked. Served:

__________________

Application Date:

__________________

Deadline:

__________________

Filed:

__________________

Notice of Application (Form 32)

Rules 8-1 to 8-6 and 9-7

The Plaintiff or Defendant may bring an application during the course of the case to apply for an Order from the Court. The Plaintiff or Defendant (also referred to as the “Applicant”) can start the application by preparing, filing and serving a Notice of Application and any Affidavit evidence (in Served:

__________________

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Action Required Date(s)

Form 109) at least 8 business days for applications pursuant to Rule 8-1. If the application is made pursuant to Rule 9-7, it must be filed and served at least 12 business days before the application hearing date.

Deadline::

__________________

Filed:

__________________

Application Response (Form 33)

Rules 8-1(9) to 8-1(12)

The party who is served with a Notice of Application (the “Application Respondent”) who wishes to respond to the application or be notified of any orders must file and serve an Application Response and Affidavit evidence within 5 business days of being served the Notice of Application (if the application is pursuant to Rule 8-1) or within 8 business days of being served the Notice of Application(if the application is pursuant to Rule 9-7) Served:

__________________

Deadline:

__________________

Filed:

__________________

Application Record

Rules 8-1(15), (17), (19), (20), and (21)

The Applicant must prepare and file with the Supreme Court Registry an Application Record and Application Record Index that sets out all the materials relied on in the Notice of Application and Application Response. The Application Record must be filed one full business day before the date of the application hearing. The Applicant must also serve the Application Respondent with a copy of the Application Record Index at least one full day before the date of the hearing. Served:

__________________

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Action Required Date(s)

Endorsed:

__________________

Entered:

__________________

Orders Made After Application (Form 35)

Rules 8-1 to 8-5

An Order Made After Application is prepared after the application hearing which sets out the terms that the Judge or Master orders. The draft Order Made After Application is circulated between the parties to confirm that the Order terms are correct and for the parties to sign. After the Plaintiff and Defendant (or their lawyers) have agreed to the wording and have signed the Order Made After Application, it must be entered with the Supreme Court Registry. Served:

__________________

CPC Date

__________________

Filed:

__________________

Case Planning Conference (Form 19)

Rule 5-1

The Plaintiff or Defendant may request for a Case Planning Conference. The Case Planning Conference is scheduled by (a) booking a time and date through the Supreme Court Registry and (b) filing a Notice of Case Planning Conference. Served:

__________________

Case Plan Proposal Deadline:

__________________

Filed:

__________________

Case Plan Proposal (Form 20)

Rule 5-1(5) and 5-1(6)

Both the Plaintiff and Defendant must file and serve a Case Plan Proposal at least 14 days before the Case Planning Conference date.

Served:

__________________

Endorsed:

__________________

Entered:

__________________

Case Plan Order (Form 21)

Rule 5-3

A Case Plan Order is prepared after the Case Planning Conference hearing to set out any orders that the Judge or Master makes. The draft Case Plan Order is then circulated between the parties to confirm that the terms are correct and for the parties to sign. After the Plaintiff and Defendant (or their lawyers) have agreed to the wording and have signed the Served:

__________________

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Action Required Date(s)

Case Plan Order, it must be entered with the Supreme Court Registry.

TMC Date

__________________

Filed:

__________________

Trial Management Conference

Rule 12-2

The Plaintiff, Defendant and their counsel must attend a Trial Management Conference at least 28 days before the Trial date.

A Requisition (Form 17) must be filed with the Registry and served on the other party to confirm the date and time reserved for the Trial Management Conference. Served:

__________________

Trial Brief Deadline:

__________________

Filed:

__________________

Trial Brief

Rule 12-2(3)

Both the Plaintiff and Defendant must file and serve a Trial Brief (Form 41) at least 7 days before the Trial Management Conference date.

Served:

__________________

Endorsed:

__________________

Entered:

__________________

Trial Management Order

Rule 12-2(9)

A Trial Management Order is prepared after the Trial Management Conference hearing to set out any orders that the Judge or Master makes. The draft Trial Management Order is then circulated between the parties to confirm that the terms are correct and for the parties to sign. After the Plaintiff and Defendant (or their lawyers) have agreed to the wording and have signed the Trial Management Order, it must be entered with the Supreme Court Registry. Served:

__________________

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Action Required Date(s)

Deadline

__________________

Filed:

__________________

Trial Certificate (Form 42)

Rule 12-4

The Plaintiff and Defendant are both required to file and serve a Trial Certificate at least 14 days before but not more than 28 days before the scheduled Trial date.

Served:

__________________

Deadline

__________________

Filed:

__________________

Trial Record

Rule 12-3

The party who books the Trial date must prepare, file and serve a Trial Record at least 14 days before but not more than 28 days before the scheduled Trial date.

Served:

__________________

Filed:

__________________

Trial Book of Documents

The Plaintiff and Defendant must prepare and organize a Book of Documents containing all the evidence that will be referred to at the Trial. The Plaintiff and Defendant must prepare and provide enough copies of their Book of Documents for the Judge, any witnesses, the other party and themselves. Served:

__________________

Deadline:

__________________

Filed:

__________________

Evidence: Plan(s), Photograph(s) or Object(s)

Rule 12-5(10)

Any plans, photographs or objects to be used as evidence at Trial must be served on all parties at least 7 days before the Trial date.

Served:

__________________

Deadline:

__________________

Filed:

__________________

Notice to Produce (Form 43)

Rule 12-5

The Plaintiff and Defendant can serve a Notice to Produce at least 2 days before the scheduled Trial date.

Served:

__________________

Order After Trial (Form 48)

Rule 13

After the trial, the successful party prepares Endorsed:

__________________

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Action Required Date(s)

Entered:

__________________

the Order After Trial based on the Orders pronounced by the Judge at the Trial. The draft Order After Trial is circulated between the parties to confirm that the Order terms are correct and for the parties to sign. After the Plaintiff and Defendant (or their lawyers) have agreed to the wording and have signed the Order After Trial, it must be entered with the Supreme Court Registry. Served:

__________________