Legal Resources

Find websites and materials written in plain language.

Logo with the words "British Columbia" and a sun rising behind mountains.

Birth, Adoption, Death, Marriage and Divorce

Vital Statistics Agency (Government of BC)
Provides information to help you register and order certificates for vital events, such as a birth, death, or marriage. Also provides online application for certificates.
Last reviewed September 2026
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Getting a Divorce

Family Law in BC (Justice Education Society)
Describes contested and uncontested divorces in BC and explains how laws in other countries might affect the process. Also includes step-by-step guides on how to do your own divorce without going to court.
Last reviewed September 2026
Logo with six rectangles and a circle in six bright colours to represent people, and "People's Law School."

Dial-a-Law: Desk-Order Divorce: The Do-It-Yourself Divorce Process

People’s Law School
If you and your spouse agree on the issues of parenting, support, and property, there is a fast-track way to get a divorce. You can apply for a “desk-order divorce.”
Last reviewed September 2026
Thumbnail of the cover, with title and logo, illustrated with a photo of three generations of women's hands one on top of the other, with the elder's hand at the bottom and the youngest at the top.

Women’s Right to Be Safe

Native Courtworker and Counselling Association of British Columbia
This resource introduces Indigenous children, girls, and women to community services that provide culturally-appropriate support for safety concerns.
Last reviewed September 2026
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Domestic Violence

Government of British Columbia
Describes the different forms of domestic violence and links to the help available for victims of domestic violence, including a resource list and help line numbers. Also find tips and resources for people in abusive relationships, information about peace bonds and protection orders, and information about counselling for children.
Last reviewed September 2026
Logo with six rectangles and a circle in six bright colours to represent people, and "People's Law School."

Dial-a-Law: Deciding Who Will Move Out When You Separate

People’s Law School
Provides information about who will move out when a couple separates. Learn your rights when deciding who goes and who stays — and how to enforce the decision. It also covers information about renting. Find out your next steps, and the answers to some common questions.
Last reviewed September 2026
Logo with the words "British Columbia" and a sun rising behind mountains.

Help for Child or Young Victims

Explains the help available for children who are victims of crime. This includes agencies that can help and the PEACE (Prevention, Education, Advocacy, Counselling and Empowerment) programs which provide group and individual counselling for children aged three to eighteen.
Last reviewed September 2026
Logo with two swoops and a circle to represent a person, and "Legal Aid BC."

Your Home on Reserve — Who Can Stay in the Family Home on Reserve

Aboriginal Legal Aid in BC (Legal Aid BC)
Describes the laws about homes on reserve. This resource has information on who can stay in the family home on reserve after a separation or a partner dies, who these laws apply to, and where to get help with this issue.
Last reviewed September 2026
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Protection Orders If There Is a Potential for Violence

Provincial Court of British Columbia
Guides on protection orders against family members, or against anyone else you feel is a danger to you.
Last reviewed September 2026
Logo with six rectangles and a circle in six bright colours to represent people, and "People's Law School."

Dial-a-Law: Dividing Property and Debts

People’s Law School
When their relationship ends, spouses are presumed to keep property they brought into the relationship and to share in property they acquired during their relationship. The same goes for debt.
Last reviewed September 2026