To attend a conference, you need to:

  1. ask the court for a conference date (unless one has already been scheduled) and any special arrangements
  2. identify and fill out the forms you need to serve on the other party
  3. serve and file your conference forms
  4. confirm that you will attend the conference
  5. go to your conference

Step 1: set a conference date

If a conference has not been scheduled and you would like to schedule one, you must:

  • go to the courthouse where the application was filed
  • speak to the clerk and ask them to schedule your conference

The court clerk will fill out part of Form 17: Conference Notice, sign and date it, and give you a copy.

Special arrangements

If you need an interpreter or any special arrangement because of a disability, ask for special arrangements in advance of your conference date. You can speak with any court staff or the Accessibility Coordinator at the courthouse about what you need.

Learn more about court interpreters.

You can also ask that the conference be held by telephone or video conference, with the judge’s advance permission.

Step 2: identify and fill out the forms you need to serve

Once a conference has been scheduled for your case, you will need to identify and fill out documents to serve on the other party. These forms may vary for the type of conference you are attending.

Case conference forms

If you are preparing for a case conference, you must usually prepare the following forms:

  • Form 17: Conference Notice
    • this is the form that was signed and dated by the court clerk at Step 1 (unless someone other than you scheduled the conference, such as a judge)

Your case conference brief (Form 17A) will not be included in the Continuing Record of your court file (unless the judge orders otherwise). Your discussions and offers to settle at a case conference are confidential. This means that what you and the other party say can’t be used later as evidence in your case at a motion or trial.

Settlement conference forms

If you are preparing for a settlement conference, you must usually prepare the following forms:

  • Form 17: Conference Notice
    • this is the form that was signed and dated by the court clerk at Step 1 (unless someone other than you scheduled the conference, such as a judge)

Your settlement conference brief will not be included in the Continuing Record of your court file (unless the judge orders otherwise). Your discussion and offers to settle at a settlement conference are confidential. This means that what you and the other party say can’t be used later as evidence in your case at a motion or trial.

Trial scheduling conference forms

If you are preparing for a trial scheduling conference in the Superior Court of Justice or Family Court Branch of the Superior Court of Justice, you must prepare a Trial Scheduling Endorsement Form.

You and the other party each complete Parts 1 and 2. The judge then endorses Part 3 by signing it. Please note that your trial will not be scheduled until a judge has endorsed this form.

Trial management conference forms

If you are preparing for a trial management conference, you must usually prepare the following forms:

  • Form 17: Conference Notice
    • this is the form that was signed and dated by the court clerk at Step 1 (unless someone other than you scheduled the conference, such as a judge)

Trial management conference briefs are included in the Continuing Record of your court file. However, your offers to settle are confidential.

Update your Financial Statement

If have asked the court for child support, spousal support or property orders, you had to file a Financial Statement at the beginning of your case to give the court information about your income, expenses, assets and debts.

If you filed a Financial Statement and it is more than 30 calendar days old, you have to update your financial information before a case or settlement conference.

Learn more about updating your financial disclosure.

Update your Certificate of Financial Disclosure

If you filed financial disclosure, you will have served and filed supporting financial document. At any stage in your case, if you realize that a supporting financial document you served or filed is incorrect, incomplete, or out-of-date, you must serve a corrected or updated document on the other party and, where required, file it with the court.

If you serve a corrected or updated supporting document, you must also serve and file an updated Form 13A: Certificate of Financial Disclosure before or with any settlement conference or trial management conference materials.

Learn more about updating your supporting financial disclosure documents.

Get help completing your court forms

If you want help filling out the forms and you do not have a lawyer, you can:

Learn more about these resources.

Step 3: serve and file your conference forms

After you fill out all your conference forms, you must:

  1. serve copies of all your completed forms on every other party in your case, using regular service or special service
  2. complete and swear or affirm Form 6B: Affidavit of Service in front of a commissioner for taking affidavits
  3. file your original conference forms and Affidavit of Service (Form 6B) with the court either online or in-person

Learn more about where and how to file your documents.

Your conference forms must be served and filed at least:

  • six business days before the conference date if you asked for the conference, or if you are the applicant and no other party asked for the date (for example, a judge scheduled the date)
  • four business days before the conference date if the other party scheduled the conference, or if you are the respondent and no other party asked for the conference

If you are attending a settlement conference and you are required to provide Form 13B: Net Family Property Statement, this form must be served and filed at least:

  • six business days before the settlement conference date if you asked for the conference or if you are the applicant and no other party asked for the date (for example, a judge scheduled the date)
  • four business days before the settlement conference date if the other party scheduled the conference or if you are the respondent and no other party asked for the conference

Learn more about serving documents and timelines to follow.

Step 4: confirm that you will attend the conference

You and the other party need to confirm with each other and the court that you will attend the conference. You must each:

  1. try to communicate (verbally or in writing) about the issues in your case, unless there is a court order that prohibits you from communicating
  2. complete Form 17F: Confirmation of Conference and include information about:
    1. the main issues you want to discuss at the conference
    2. the forms that the judge should read and where those forms are located in the Continuing Record (the volume and tab number)
  3. give a copy of your completed confirmation form (Form 17F) to the other party or their lawyer
  4. file your confirmation form (Form 17F) with the court no later than 2:00 p.m. three business days before the conference date.
    1. you can file your form in person at the courthouse or fax or email if the court allows it

If you and the other party do not file your confirmation forms with the court on time, your conference will be cancelled unless the court orders otherwise.

If you file your confirmation form (Form 17F) with the court but later realize it is incorrect, you must immediately give a corrected confirmation form to the other party and the court clerk before your conference date, if possible.

Step 5: go to your conference

Your conference will be held at the courthouse, either in a courtroom or in a conference room.

The conference can also be held by telephone or videoconference, with the judge’s advance permission.

You should arrive at the courthouse 30 to 60 minutes before the time your conference is scheduled to begin. This will give you time to find the room where your conference will be and get ready to see the judge. If you do not have a lawyer, you should try to speak to any available Duty Counsel, who may be able to give you legal assistance. Legal Aid Ontario provides Duty Counsel at certain times in many family courts across Ontario to people who are financially eligible for their services.

In order to find your conference room, look for your name and court file number on the case event list. The list is usually posted on a board near the entrance to the court or outside each courtroom. If you do not know where to go, ask court staff for help.

You should check in with the clerk when you find your conference room. If court is already in session, wait to talk to the clerk until there is a break in the session.

If you need an interpreter or any special arrangement because of a disability, ask for special arrangements. You can speak with any court staff or the Accessibility Coordinator at the courthouse about what you need.

Most of the discussions at a case conference or settlement conference are confidential or “without prejudice.” This means that your discussions can’t be repeated to others or used later as evidence in your case at a motion or trial. You also can’t order a transcript of the conference without the judge’s permission.

While conferences generally only take up to an hour, in some courts several cases are scheduled for the same timeslot, so you may have to wait for your turn to be heard by the judge. When your matter is called at the beginning of the list, the judge may give suggestions, ask you and the other party to speak outside the conference room to try to resolve your issues based on those suggestions, and then return later to see the judge.

During your conference, the judge also might make certain orders, such as:

  • an order based on an agreement that you and the other party reach
  • an order for one or both of you to give the other party certain documents
  • an order that one or both of you ask the other questions about the evidence filed with the court
  • an order identifying next steps in the case, which could include making one or both of you attend:
    • another conference
    • an intake meeting with a court-affiliated mediation service
    • a community program (for example, a parenting program)
  • a referral to an alternative form of dispute resolution, like mediation, if both you agree to it