Two registries at almost the same distance
A parenting or support case that starts in the Provincial Court has to be filed at a particular registry, and the Provincial Court Family Rules decide which. If you and the other parent already have a case somewhere, it stays there. If not, the case goes to the registry closest to the home where your child lives most of the time, or, when no child issue is involved, closest to the home of the person who files first.
From central Langley the answer is clear: Surrey. From Fort Langley it is not. Measured from Glover Road at Mavis Avenue on October 26, 2026:
| Registry | By road | In a straight line |
|---|
| Port Coquitlam Law Courts, 2620 Mary Hill Road | about 22.0 km, over the Golden Ears Bridge | about 17.7 km |
| Surrey Provincial Court, 14340 57 Avenue | about 22.2 km | about 19.3 km |
| Abbotsford Law Courts, 32375 Veterans Way | about 26.5 km | about 22.4 km |
The rule does not say whether “closest” means by road or as the crow flies, and a home a few streets away from the corner we measured could tip the comparison either way. So before anything is filed, give the registry the child’s address and ask which registry is correct. Getting it right at the start matters, because later documents follow the first filing.
Both Port Coquitlam and Surrey are early resolution registries, but the help comes from different offices. For Port Coquitlam it is the Family Justice Centre at 2610 Mary Hill Road (604-927-2217). For Surrey it is the Langley Family Justice Centre on 64th Avenue in Langley (604-501-3100) or the Surrey Justice Access Centre. The sequence is the same at both: a Form 1 notice to resolve served on the other parent, an intake interview (the needs assessment), a parenting course, and a mediation or similar session, all before an application is filed, with the responding parent completing the interview, course and session before filing a reply. There is no charge, and much of it can be done remotely. Urgent matters are carved out: an application limited to protection, a priority parenting issue, relocation, case management, enforcement or a consent order skips the sequence, and protection and priority parenting applications may be filed before it is complete.
The Supreme Court side
Only the Supreme Court grants divorces, and only it divides real estate, investments, businesses and pensions (the Provincial Court’s single property power concerns a pet). Its registries are not assigned by address: we have found nothing in the Supreme Court Family Rules that sends a Fort Langley claim to one in particular. Port Coquitlam, which became a full Supreme Court registry in June 2025, is again the nearest by road, with Abbotsford and New Westminster close behind. Whoever files names a place of trial, which a judge can move. Where the other spouse lives, and how easily you can get to case conferences, are the sensible tests.
Jurisdiction needs one spouse to have been habitually resident in BC for the full year before filing. Breakdown of the marriage is the sole ground, established by twelve months of living separately, or by adultery or cruelty. Absent an appeal, the order takes effect on the 31st day. See how to file for divorce in BC and our divorce lawyers page.
Children, support and property in brief
Parenting arrangements are decided on the child’s best interests only. Under the Family Law Act, guardians share parental responsibilities unless an agreement or order divides them, and a guardian who plans to move with a child may have to give written notice to other guardians; read about co-parenting responsibilities. Child support follows the Federal Child Support Guidelines. Spousal support is decided on entitlement first, with the Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines as a guide to amount. See child support and spousal support.
The starting point under the Family Law Act is an equal split of family property and family debt. Assets one spouse owned at the start, or was given or inherited, may be excluded, but any increase in their value while the couple were together is family property, and the court may depart from equal shares if an even division would be significantly unfair. Our property division page explains more.
Watch the two-year limit in section 198(2). Married spouses have two years from the divorce order to claim a share of property or a pension, or spousal support; unmarried partners have two years from separating. Under section 198(5) the time stops running during family dispute resolution with a professional the Act recognises, but whether particular talks count can be disputed, so note the dates and get advice.
Agreements settle many cases without a court. A separation agreement, or a marriage or cohabitation agreement made in advance, holds up best when both sides disclosed their finances and each had a lawyer.
Who you will work with
Judith A. Janzen heads the family group. A principal of the firm, she joined forces with Candace Cho, KC in 2012. The group also includes Rupinder Shoker, Susan Kim, Rasjovan Dale and Katya Richardson (associate counsel), with Mason Heller, Shivleen Sidhu and Louisa Ledesma (associate lawyers).
Fort Langley family files are handled from our office at 26 Fourth Street, New Westminster. For the rest of the Township, see our Langley family lawyers page; for a will or an estate, our Fort Langley estate lawyers.
Common questions
Which registry is ours: Port Coquitlam or Surrey?
It depends on where your child lives most of the time and on any existing case. From central Fort Langley the two are almost equally close, so ask the registry with your child’s address before filing.
Is the Langley Family Justice Centre the same as a court?
No. It is a government service that runs the early resolution steps for the Surrey registry. It does not make orders.
Can the Provincial Court divide our house?
No. Dividing a house, a pension or other property is for the Supreme Court. The Provincial Court can deal with parenting, support and protection orders.
If we move across the Golden Ears Bridge, is that a “relocation”?
Possibly. Under the Family Law Act a relocation is a move that can reasonably be expected to have a significant impact on the child’s relationship with a guardian or another important person, not a move over a set distance. If a written agreement or order about parenting is in place, a guardian planning a relocation must give at least 60 days’ written notice of the date and the new location. A short move that keeps school and schedules intact may not qualify; a move that ends weekday contact may.
Can we use the Port Coquitlam centre if our registry is Surrey, or the other way round?
Family justice counsellors offer general services by phone and video to people anywhere in BC. The early resolution steps for a particular registry, though, are run by the centres assigned to it, so once you know your registry, contact one of its centres.
How is a family file billed?
By the hour; family files at Onyx are on an hourly rate. Ask what an initial meeting costs on (604) 900-2538.
