The case planning conference in BC Supreme Court family cases.

1Who can request one, and when.

Any party may make the request, whether or not they have a lawyer, but only once a judicial case conference has been held. Under Rule 7.1-1 (2) the court may also direct a case planning conference. The Supreme Court states that its Online Booking System (COBS) is available for booking case planning conferences, and that conferences can still be booked by phone or in person at the registry.

Part 7.1 was added by B.C. Reg. 176/2023, in force September 1, 2023. The rules call it a case planning conference; the Supreme Court Family Rules have no separate procedure named simply a “case conference”.

2Notice and the case plan proposals.

1. Rule 7.1-1 (3)Unless the court orders or the parties agree otherwise, the filed notice is served at least 35 days before the first case planning conference, and at least 7 days before any later one (or a shorter period the court orders).
2. Rule 7.1-1 (4)An application to shorten that period is made by requisition in Form F18.1 and, unless the court orders otherwise, may be made without notice.
3. Rule 7.1-1 (5)Before the first case planning conference, the requesting party files and serves a case plan proposal within 14 days after serving the notice; each other party files and serves theirs within 14 days after receiving it.
4. Rule 7.1-1 (6)A case plan proposal is in Form F19.3 and summarises the party's proposals on document discovery, examinations for discovery, the views of a child if appropriate, dispute resolution, expert witnesses, witness lists, and the type of trial, its estimated length and preferred periods for the trial date.

3Who conducts it, and who attends.

1. Rule 7.1-2 (1)A case planning conference is conducted by a judge or associate judge.
2. Rule 7.1-2 (2)Unless the court orders otherwise, each lawyer representing a party must attend, and so must a party who is not represented by a lawyer or who is ordered to attend.
3. Rule 7.1-2 (3)Attendance may be in person, or by telephone, video or another medium if everyone can communicate.
4. Rule 7.1-2 (4), (5)An exemption is sought by requisition in Form F19.1, which may be made without notice unless the court orders otherwise, and is available on health or compassionate grounds or other extraordinary circumstances.
5. Rule 7.1-2 (6), (7)If someone fails to attend, the court may proceed, adjourn or order costs. The conference is recorded, and the recording may not be used without a court order.

4What a case planning conference can order.

Rule 7.1-3 (1) lists the orders that may be made. In the rule's own lettering, orders about:

1. (a) a timetable for the case
2. (b) amending a previous case plan order
3. (c) any order under Rule 21-2 (2)
4. (d) amending a pleading to set out the facts, relief and legal basis in more detail
5. (e) the length and content of pleadings
6. (f) documents, including electronically stored information, and limits on them
7. (g) discovery, examination or inspection
8. (h) interrogatories
9. (i) third party claims
10. (j) witness lists
11. (k) experts, including a joint expert, the number of experts, conferring, report dates and issues
12. (l) admissions
13. (m) offers to settle
14. (n) the conduct of any application
15. (o) requiring mediation, a settlement conference or another dispute resolution process
16. (p) trying issues independently
17. (q) the length of trial
18. (r) the place of any step
19. (r.1) official-language orders in a Divorce Act proceeding
20. (s) setting the case for trial on a date or list
21. (t) striking out or severing a counterclaim
22. (u) adjourning the conference
23. (v) a further case planning conference
24. (w) any other order that furthers the object of the rules

1. Rule 7.1-3 (2)A case planning conference must not hear an application supported by affidavit evidence, or make an order for final judgment, except by consent or under the non-compliance provision in subrule (6).
2. Rule 7.1-3 (3), (4)At its conclusion, the judge or associate judge makes a case plan order, in Form F19.4.
3. Rule 7.1-3 (8)To amend a case plan order by consent, the parties apply under Rule 10-7; otherwise, a party must request a subsequent case planning conference under Rule 7.1-1 (as amended by B.C. Reg. 152/2025).

5JCC, case planning, settlement and trial management conferences compared.

Each row below is drawn from the rule cited in it.

Judicial case conference → · Settlement conference → · Trial management conference and trial →

Common problems, stated neutrally.

1. Requesting one before a JCC: Rule 7.1-1 (1) makes it available only after a judicial case conference has been held.
2. Serving the notice late: Rule 7.1-1 (3) requires at least 35 days before the first case planning conference.
3. Missing the Form F19.3 deadline: 14 days after serving the notice, or after receiving the other party's proposal (Rule 7.1-1 (5)).
4. Expecting a hearing on affidavit evidence: Rule 7.1-3 (2) bars it, except by consent or under subrule (6).
5. Treating the case plan order as informal: changing it without consent means requesting another case planning conference (Rule 7.1-3 (8)).