Unified Family Court versus split family courts

This page is a public educational walkthrough. It is not a retainer, a court form, or a promise about your result. For legal advice, you should contact an appropriate Lawyer or Paralegal specializing in the area of law you need assistance with.

1. Ontario does not have one family court everywhere

   Some cities have a Family Court branch of the Superior Court of Justice, often called Unified Family Court. That branch can hear divorce, property, parenting, support, child protection and adoption in one file.

2. Everywhere else the work is split

   Divorce and property claims go to the Superior Court of Justice. Many parenting, support, child-protection and adoption files go to the Ontario Court of Justice. Filing a divorce application at an OCJ counter in a split city is the wrong door.

3. Confirm your city on the SCJ steps page

   If you are unsure, treat the city as split until you confirm it is a UFC city. File divorce and property at the Superior Court, and do not assume the OCJ criminal counter will issue a Form 8A.

4. The Family Law Rules and form numbers are the same idea

   Form 8, 8A, 14 and 15 still apply. The courthouse and the practice direction change.

5. Toronto OCJ family is split by riding between 47 Sheppard and 311 Jarvis

   New files follow the current OCJ boundary notice. Old files may stay where they started.

Official law on this site: family-law.

Disclaimer: Know The Law publishes legal information for the public, not legal advice. Court forms, fees and filing channels change. Read the official statute text and the official form page linked from this guide before you act. We do not represent you and we do not file documents for you. For legal advice, you should contact an appropriate Lawyer or Paralegal specializing in the area of law you need assistance with.