Victoria Provincial Court experienced a 63 per cent reduction in family court time
Adopting an early resolution process in Victoria was “effective” in addressing family law disputes, a new report from the British Columbia government revealed.
On Jan. 31, the provincial government released the report evaluating the results of the pilot testing of the Early Resolution and Case Management Model (ER-CM Model) in the court registry in Victoria. The ER-CM Model allows parties to meet a family justice counsellor and receive early information, assistance and resolution regarding their family law disputes.
The BC. Ministry of Attorney General and the B.C. Provincial Court developed the ER-CM Model as part of the new Provincial Court Family Rules. It was first deployed as a prototype in Victoria in 2019.
Based on the report, only 31 per cent of the families that resorted to the ER-CM Model proceeded to the court. The report also showed that the Provincial Court in Victoria experienced a 63 per cent reduction in family court time for new family law cases, adjournments and court appearances.
“The evaluation from Victoria demonstrates that this process results in a significant number of families resolving their issues through consent agreements or consensual dispute resolution without having to come to court,” B.C. Provincial Court chief judge Melissa Gillespie said.
In addition, the provincial government surveyed parties regarding their experience with the ER-CM Model. Most of them found it “helpful and necessary for people facing family law issues.”
“Helping families prepare before they go to court is proving to be an incredibly positive change that reduces the conflict and expenses associated with many family law disputes,” Attorney General David Eby said. “From improvements in the well-being of children involved to reductions in court time and legal costs, I’d like to see everyone in the province who faces having to go to court for a family law issue benefiting from these important reforms.”
