British Columbia · Supreme Court

Documents and examinations for discovery in BC Supreme Court family cases.

In about 4 minutes, this page sets out the disclosure steps in Part 9 of the Supreme Court Family Rules: the list of documents and its 35-day deadlines, the oral examination for discovery and its 5-hour limit, how an examination is appointed, and the written alternatives, interrogatories and notices to admit.

The key steps and deadlines
  1. List of documents in Form F20: the claimant within 35 days after being served with a response; a respondent within 35 days after serving their response (Rule 9-1 (1) (b)).
  2. An examination for discovery is an oral examination on oath (Rule 9-2 (4)).
  3. 5 hours in total for examinations of a party by all adverse parties combined, unless the person examined consents to more or the court orders otherwise (Rule 9-2 (2)).
  4. Serve the Form F21 appointment, and tender witness fees, at least 7 days before (Rule 9-2 (12)).
  5. Interrogatories in Form F22 need consent or leave (Rule 9-3); a notice to admit in Form F24 is answered within 14 days (Rule 9-6).

Rules current to October 27, 2026 (Supreme Court Family Rules, B.C. Reg. 169/2009, as amended). Last reviewed November 2, 2026.

What this page does not do.

It describes what Part 9 of the Supreme Court Family Rules provides. It does not advise what documents to list or withhold, what to ask or answer at an examination, or whether to examine anyone. It is legal information, not legal advice, and it does not create a lawyer–client relationship.

On this page

  1. List of documents
  2. Examination for discovery
  3. Written alternatives
  4. Common problems, stated neutrally
  5. Questions people actually ask
  6. Where this comes from
Step one

1The list of documents (Form F20).

Supreme Court Family Rules, Rule 9-1 (1) (a)

Unless all parties consent or the court orders otherwise, each party prepares a list of documents in Form F20 listing 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 all other documents the party intends to refer to at trial.

  1. Rule 9-1 (1) (b) (i)A claimant serves their list on a party within 35 days after being served with that party's response to family claim or response to counterclaim.
  2. Rule 9-1 (1) (b) (ii)A respondent serves their list on a party within 35 days after serving their response to family claim on that party.
  3. Rule 9-1 (1) (b) (iii)A person who files a response to counterclaim serves their list within 35 days after serving that response, unless it has already been served.

Financial disclosure under Rule 5-1 (the Form F8 and its documents) is a separate obligation: the Form F8 →

Step two

2The examination for discovery.

Supreme Court Family Rules, Rule 9-2 (4)

“An examination for discovery is an oral examination on oath.”

Supreme Court Family Rules, Rule 9-2 (2) (condensed)

“Unless the court otherwise orders, the examinations for discovery … of a party … by any other party who is adverse in interest must not, in total, exceed in duration (a) 5 hours, or (b) any greater period to which the person to be examined consents.”

Ellipses mark omitted words, including the cross-references to subrules (16), (18) and (20).
Supreme Court Family Rules, Rule 9-2 (12)

Before an examination, the examining party ensures that, at least 7 days before, an appointment in Form F21 is served, and witness fees under Schedule 3 of Appendix C are tendered, on the person's lawyer if the person is a represented party, or otherwise on the person; and serves a copy of the appointment on all parties.

Rule 9-2 (10) sets the location (unless otherwise ordered or agreed, within 30 kilometres of the registry nearest where the person examined resides), and Rule 9-2 (11) requires the examination to be conducted before an official reporter who is empowered to administer the oath.

Step three

3Interrogatories and notices to admit.

  1. Rule 9-3 (1)A party may serve interrogatories in Form F22 on another party (or certain related persons) only if the person to be examined consents or the court grants leave.
  2. Rule 9-3 (4)Interrogatories are answered by affidavit within 21 days, or another period the court orders.
  3. Rule 9-6 (1)Once a response to family claim has been filed, a party may serve a notice to admit in Form F24, asking another party to admit the truth of a fact or the authenticity of a document.
  4. Rule 9-6 (2)The fact or document is deemed admitted unless a written response is served within 14 days after service.

Discovery can also be addressed at conferences: Rule 7-1 (15) (i) and (j) allow orders about discovery at a judicial case conference, and Rule 7.1-3 (1) allows them at a case planning conference.

Watch out for

Common problems, stated neutrally.

  1. Counting the list-of-documents deadline from the wrong event: for a claimant it runs from being served with the response; for a respondent, from serving their own response (Rule 9-1 (1) (b)).
  2. Forgetting witness fees: Rule 9-2 (12) requires them to be tendered with the Form F21 appointment at least 7 days before.
  3. Assuming unlimited time: Rule 9-2 (2) caps examinations by adverse parties at 5 hours in total unless the person consents or the court orders otherwise.
  4. Serving interrogatories without consent or leave: Rule 9-3 (1) requires one or the other.
  5. Leaving a notice to admit unanswered: under Rule 9-6 (2) the facts are deemed admitted after 14 days.
FAQ

Questions people actually ask.

How long can an examination for discovery last in a BC family case?

Rule 9-2 (2) of the Supreme Court Family Rules provides that, unless the court orders otherwise, examinations for discovery of a party by any adverse party must not, in total, exceed 5 hours, or any greater period to which the person to be examined consents.

When is the list of documents due?

Rule 9-1 (1) (b) provides that a person who files a notice of family claim serves their Form F20 list of documents on a party within 35 days after being served with that party's response, and a person who files a response serves theirs within 35 days after serving the response on that party, unless all parties consent or the court orders otherwise.

How much notice is given for an examination for discovery?

Rule 9-2 (12) requires the Form F21 appointment to be served, and witness fees tendered, at least 7 days before the examination, with a copy of the appointment served on all parties.

What are interrogatories?

Interrogatories are written questions answered on affidavit. Rule 9-3 (1) allows them in Form F22 only with the consent of the person to be examined or the leave of the court, and Rule 9-3 (4) sets 21 days to answer unless the court orders otherwise.

What is a notice to admit?

Under Rule 9-6 (1), once a response to family claim has been filed, a party may serve a notice to admit in Form F24 asking another party to admit a fact or the authenticity of a document. Under Rule 9-6 (2), it is deemed admitted unless a written response is served within 14 days.

Official sources

Where this comes from.

  1. Supreme Court Family Rules, B.C. Reg. 169/2009, consolidated (table of contents) — https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/169_2009_00
  2. Supreme Court Family Rules, Parts 1 to 9: Part 9 (Rules 9-1, 9-2, 9-3, 9-6), Rules 7-1, 7.1-3 — https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/169_2009_01
  3. Supreme Court Family Rules, Appendix A: Forms F20, F21, F22, F24 — https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/169_2009_04
  4. Province of British Columbia, Supreme Court Family Rules forms — https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/justice/courthouse-services/documents-forms-records/court-forms/sup-family-forms

This page provides general legal and procedural information for British Columbia. It describes what the Supreme Court Family Rules provide. It does not advise what to disclose, ask or answer. It is not legal advice. Rules and forms are amended; always confirm the current requirements against the Supreme Court Family Rules before acting. Rule text on this page was checked against B.C. Reg. 169/2009 as consolidated on BC Laws, current to October 27, 2026 (last amended October 1, 2026 by B.C. Reg. 105/2026). Last reviewed November 2, 2026.

Next step

Keep going.

Next: The settlement conference (Rule 7-2)

At any stage, the parties can jointly ask for a settlement conference with a judge, or the court can direct one.

Read: The settlement conference (Rule 7-2) →

← Interim applications (Rule 10-6) · Settlement conference (Rule 7-2) →

The Supreme Court family process, in order

  1. How a BC Supreme Court family case works
  2. Notice of family claim (Form F3)
  3. Response to family claim (Form F4)
  4. Counterclaim (Form F5) and response (Form F6)
  5. Financial statement (Form F8)
  6. Judicial case conference (Form F19)
  7. Interim applications (Rule 10-6)
  8. Documents and examinations for discovery (this page)
  9. Settlement conference (Rule 7-2)
  10. Case planning conference (Part 7.1)
  11. Setting a family trial (Part 14)