Search

Practice Before the Registrar

Practice Point

Home   /   Practice Before the Registrar

Know what to expect at your registrar’s hearing

This publication is essential for: anyone requiring guidance for appearing before a master or registrar in BC.

Faced with a hearing before a Supreme Court or Court of Appeal registrar and don’t know what to do?  Turn to Practice Before the Registrar for guidance from the Registrars themselves and from experienced practitioners. Learn when and why to seek a hearing, the procedure to get your hearing, what happens at the hearing, and steps to take after the hearing. With clear discussions of the law and procedure and 80 sample forms, this resource will help you smoothly navigate the many types of hearings before the registrar, from costs assessments, family law references, bankruptcy matters, and settling orders to reviews and appeals.

With this resource, you will be able to:

  • understand when to go before a registrar in your client’s case
  • efficiently prepare for a registrar’s hearing
  • confidently advocate at a registrar’s hearing with knowledge of practice and procedure

Read a sample from the book

Features and Highlights

Highlights of the 2025 update:

  • enhanced discussion of affidavit evidence at registrars’ hearings
  • Rules changes for virtual registrars’ hearings
  • requisition requirements for virtual registrars’ hearings and pre-hearing conferences
  • 60-day-in-advance requirement for pre-hearing conferences
  • updated document requirements for hearing record
  • time limits for approving or objecting to family law orders drawn up by a party
  • urgent applications to the Court of Appeal registrar
  • referrals to Court of Appeal where frivolous or vexatious or capable of summary dismissal
  • Court of Appeal registrar case management powers
  • sequencing applications to quash an appeal
  • requests to appear remotely before Court of Appeal registrar
  • Court of Appeal registrar’s hearings in writing
  • updated discussion of transcript preparation
  • new BCCA and BCSC case law in appellate matters, Legal Profession Act reviews, family, estates, bankruptcy matters before the Registrar

Contributors

Editorial Board
Registrar Meg Gaily — Supreme Court of BC, Vancouver
Master Scott A. Nielsen — Supreme Court of BC, Vancouver
Gregory T. Palm — Hamilton Duncan Law Corporation, Surrey

Authors
John C. Fiddick — Whitelaw Twining Law Corporation, Vancouver
Registrar Meg Gaily — Supreme Court of BC, Vancouver
Laurel Hogg — Rush Ihas Hardwick LLP, Kelowna
Associate Judge Scott A. Nielsen — Supreme Court of BC, Vancouver
Registrar Timothy Outerbridge — Court of Appeal for BC, Vancouver
Gregory T. Palm — Hamilton Duncan Law Corporation, Surrey

Table of Contents

Chapters

1.  General Advice on Practice Before the Registrar

2.  Assessment of Costs Before the Registrar

3.  Legal Profession Act Proceedings Before the Registrar

4.  Family Law References to the Registrar

5.  Subpoena to Debtor Hearings Before the Registrar

6.  Court Order Enforcement Act Applications Before the Registrar

7.  Passing Accounts Before the Registrar

8.  Settling Orders Before the Registrar

9.  Practice Before the Court of Appeal Registrar

10. Reviews of Assessments and Appeals of Reviews

11. Bankruptcy Matters Before the Registrar

Forms and Precedents

Tables
Case Table
Statutes and Related Material Table
Index

Buy Now

“As Registrar, the most common saying I hear is ‘I’ve never done [a registrar’s hearing] before’. The manual puts you in the position of knowing what needs to be done. Essentially, [Practice Before the Registrar] provides a measure of experience in a single volume.“

~ Scott Nielsen, District Registrar, Supreme Court of BC