Self-Help Resource Rooms
Last updated on September 5, 2024On this page
- About Self-Help Resource Rooms
- Available resources
- Getting legal information
- How to prepare for the Self-Help Resource Room
- Family justice links
About Self-Help Resource Rooms
At Justice Access Centres, we know you may be able to solve your own problems and issues with easy access to the right information. That is why every Justice Access Centre has a staffed Self-Help Resource Room.
We're here to help you with family law issues, including:
- Separation and divorce issues
- Guardianship, parenting arrangements and contact with a child
- Child support
- Spousal support
- Ownership of companion animals
- Parenting after Separation
- Resolving family disputes (including court and non-court processes)
- Protection orders for family violence
The centres do not deal with criminal issues, or small claims court forms and filings.
Anyone can come to a Self-Help Resource Room to get information or one-on-one help from staff. We can provide information about:
- Court procedures
- Legal issues
- Services
If we don’t have what you need, we will refer to you resources outside of the Justice Access Centre that can help you.
Available resources
Self-Help Resource Rooms provide a wide range of information and resources to help you with your situation. You'll find:
- Justice Interviewers who can provide legal information and help with court documents
- Family law reference materials
- Printers and photocopiers
There are also computers, which can be used for:
- Research
- Accessing and completing court forms
- Completing Parenting After Separation courses
Please note: You cannot access email from the Self-Help Resource Room computers. So, if you would like to save your work, you may wish to bring a USB memory stick. Otherwise, you will need to print any documents you would like to keep.
Getting legal information
Self-Help Resource Room staff can provide legal information, but not legal advice.
Legal information is general information about the law that helps someone identify a legal issue and related options.
Legal advice involves applying the law to a particular situation and providing a legal opinion and specific advice.
How to prepare for the Self-Help Resource Room
When you contact us, be ready with:
- Addresses and phone numbers of any other people involved
- Dates of any scheduled court appearances
- Details of any previous related appointments
- Copies of all relevant documents, such as court papers, contracts, letters or receipts
Family justice links
Help and resources
- Family Justice Centres also operate throughout the province, with staff who can help you with issues related to separation or divorce.
- Visit Clicklaw and Family Law in BC for legal information
- Contact the Lawyer Referral Service to consult a lawyer for up to 15 minutes for free
- Resources from Legal Aid BC:
- Information about separation and divorce
- Guides for doing your own uncontested divorce
Child support information
- Visit the Government of Canada's child support table look-up to find the base amount of child support.
- Enroll your maintenance order or agreement with the BC Family Maintenance Agency (BCFMA).
- See if the Child Support Recalculation Service could help you annually recalculate child support without having to go to court.
Online Divorce Assistant
Joint divorce means making an application for a divorce together with your spouse. It means that you and your spouse agree about getting a divorce and that you agree about all of the family law issues relevant to your situation, such as spousal support, and the division of family property and debts.
International child abduction
British Columbia has a central authority that assists left-behind parents whose children have been abducted across international borders. For more information, including contact information, please see International Child Abduction.