Which court, and where it sits
Fort Langley has no courthouse, and neither does the rest of the Township. That matters less for an estate than for a family dispute. Estate work is Supreme Court work: WESA defines the court as the Supreme Court, and the Province confirms a grant can be sought at any of its registries. From the corner of Glover Road and Mavis Avenue, the nearest by road are:
- Port Coquitlam (Mary Hill Road): about 22 km over the Golden Ears Bridge; full Supreme Court registry services began in June 2025.
- Abbotsford (Veterans Way): about 27 km.
- New Westminster (Carnarvon Street): about 30 km; the court’s June 2026 directory gives it, alone of the three, a dedicated probate phone line.
Free-flow road estimates, measured October 26, 2026. The P1 notice to the family names the registry, so settle the choice first, and if it is Port Coquitlam or Abbotsford, phone that registry about its estate procedure.
Where a dispute becomes a lawsuit, the plaintiff proposes a place of trial in the notice of civil claim, and the trial happens there unless the court moves it. Since June 2025 a claim filed anywhere can name Port Coquitlam as the place of trial, and the court schedules civil trials there, although civil jury trials were excluded when the registry opened. With older witnesses on both sides of the river, the choice between Port Coquitlam, New Westminster and Abbotsford is worth discussing at the outset.
The 180-day clock on a wills variation claim
One part of the Wills, Estates and Succession Act that catches people off guard is the time limit on a wills variation claim, and it starts running from an event the claimant may not hear about: the issue of the grant. A spouse or child asking for a variation has 180 days from the BC grant to sue, and 30 days beyond that to serve the executor. Only the service window can be extended by the court. If the will-maker left minor children, or a spouse or child lacks capacity, a copy also goes to the Public Guardian and Trustee.
Two practical consequences follow. A family member who expects to object should not wait to be told the grant has issued; the P1 notice, which must reach them at least 21 days before the application, is the signal to get advice. And an executor should keep the estate intact until the 210-day period in section 155 has passed, unless everyone who could bring a claim consents to an earlier distribution.
Steps for the executor
The application, by an executor or (without a will) an administrator, follows Part 25 of the court’s civil rules:
- Wills notice search. Every application includes a Vital Statistics certificate about wills notices. There is no Service BC office in the Township, and Surrey’s does not handle these searches, but the Maple Ridge office across the Golden Ears Bridge does. Searching by mail is the alternative. It costs $20, and a mailed result can need as long as 20 business days.
- Notice and waiting period. Form P1 is delivered to any co-executor, each beneficiary, those entitled on an intestacy and sometimes the Public Guardian and Trustee. The application can go in no sooner than 21 days after delivery.
- Assets and fee. WESA section 122 requires a diligent search for assets and debts. Under the Probate Fee Act the first $25,000 is fee-free; each $1,000 (or part) from there to $50,000 costs $6, and each $1,000 (or part) beyond costs $14. Jointly held property passing by survivorship is outside the calculation.
- Distribution. The 210-day hold in section 155 applies unless a court lifts it or the required consents are given.
Challenging a will, or defending one
- Notice of dispute. Before the grant issues, a person entitled to the P1 notice, or relying on another will, can file a Form P29 notice of dispute. No grant issues while it is in effect, and it lapses a year after filing unless renewed.
- Wills variation. Under WESA section 60 the court can order the provision it finds adequate, just and equitable for a spouse or child the will leaves short; the time limits are above. A partner in a marriage-like relationship of two or more years qualifies only if the relationship existed at the death.
- Validity. A will can be challenged for lack of capacity, defective signing or witnessing, or undue influence. Section 52 shifts the burden to the person defending the will once the challenger shows a position where the potential for dependence or domination existed. Section 58 can uphold a document that misses the formalities if it reflects the deceased’s testamentary intentions.
- The executor. Under section 158, anyone with an interest can apply to remove an executor or pass one over.
Planning ahead
A will, an enduring power of attorney for finances and a representation agreement for health and personal care are the three documents that let a family act if someone dies or loses capacity. Owners of a family home they hope one child will keep can use the will to say so plainly and to set out how the others are to be treated. Once a will is signed, register a wills notice with Vital Statistics ($17) so an executor can find it; the notice says where the original is kept, not what it says. It can be filed online or by mail, or at the Maple Ridge Service BC office. A will made by video under the electronic presence rules in WESA is valid too, which can spare an older will-maker the drive into the city, though an in-person meeting is the safer course where capacity may later be questioned.
Our estate lawyers
Candace Cho, KC leads estate litigation; she and Judith A. Janzen are the principals and joined forces in 2012. Veronica Manski runs probate and estate administration and Sandy Minh Abley runs estate planning, both as associate counsel. The litigation team also includes associate counsel Jackson Todd, Valerie LeBlanc, Katya Richardson and Susan Kim, and associate lawyers Kevin Campbell, Louisa Ledesma, TJ Garcha, Jesse Patrao and Julia Pinnock.
Common questions
Where is probate filed for a Fort Langley estate?
At any BC Supreme Court registry. By road, Port Coquitlam is closest (about 22 km), then Abbotsford and New Westminster. The P1 notice must name the registry you choose.
Do we have to travel to New Westminster?
No. We can meet by phone or video, and documents can be signed in counterpart over video where WESA allows it. Some steps, such as swearing certain affidavits, may still need an in-person meeting with a lawyer or notary.
Do you charge for the first meeting?
For an estate dispute, yes, for the first 30 minutes. For probate or planning, ask about terms when you book.
