How to prepare for a case conference

1. Purpose: what this process aims to do

A case conference is a working court event under Rule 17(4) and (8) ↗. It can narrow the case and set concrete next steps. It may also lead to orders; it is not limited to a discussion.Check: Family Law Rules — 17(4)

What Rule 17(4) says the conference can accomplish

• Explore settlement: identify what is agreed, what remains disputed, and ways to resolve those disputes.Check: Family Law Rules — Rule 17
• Get the necessary information: ensure disclosure of relevant evidence, including financial information for support or property issues; identify questions about expert evidence and reports.Check: Family Law Rules — Rule 17
• Simplify the case: record admissions that remove an issue from dispute.Check: Family Law Rules — Rule 17
• Set the path forward: set the date for the next event and a specific timetable before trial; arrange a settlement conference or hold one if appropriate.Check: Family Law Rules — Rule 17
• Plan a motion: give directions about an intended motion, including a schedule for exchanging material and, if appropriate, summaries of argument.Check: Family Law Rules — Rule 17
• For a motion to change: identify the process most likely to reach a quick and just result.Check: Family Law Rules — Rule 17

What can the judge order at a conference?

Under Rule 17(8), the judge may make an appropriate order in these categories. The power to make an order does not mean every request will be granted; the issue, notice, materials, and fairness to the other party matter.Check: Family Law Rules — 17(8)

• Disclosure and procedure: order documents, questioning, or motion summaries; set dates and directions for the next steps. The judge can also address expert opinion evidence and require trial scheduling or management endorsements.Check: Family Law Rules — Rule 17
• Programs and services: direct a party to attend the listed information, conference, mediation-intake, or community-resource steps.Check: Family Law Rules — Rule 17
• Temporary or final relief if notice has been served: Rule 17(8)(b.1) includes temporary preservation orders concerning assets, documents, insurance, benefits, and payments needed to preserve an asset or benefit. A contested substantive request needs clear notice and a fair chance to respond; do not assume a conference brief alone supplies the notice or evidence needed.Check: Family Law Rules — 17(8)
• Unopposed and consent orders: if no one opposes a properly raised order, or the parties agree, the judge may make that order under Rule 17(8)(c). On consent, the judge may refer an issue to alternative dispute resolution under Rule 17(8)(d).Check: Family Law Rules — 17(8)(c), 17(8)(d)

When you reach an agreement at the conference: Rule 17(19) says it is not effective until the parties sign it, it is witnessed, and any required approval for a special party is obtained. Ask that agreed terms be recorded clearly and check the resulting endorsement or order. A judge can also set a timetable even where the parties have not agreed on the underlying claim.Check: Family Law Rules — 17(19)

What it can and cannot do

What the brief can and cannot do: It helps the judge prepare for the conference. It is not automatically part of the continuing record and does not, by itself, replace proper notice and evidence for contested temporary or final relief. Rule 17(22) governs treatment of conference briefs after the event.Check: Family Law Rules — 17(22)

2. Forms and documents you need

Choose the documents that apply to your claims and this route. Use the current official forms and check the instructions printed on each form.Check: Official family forms — form instructionsCheck: Family Law Rules — Rule 17

3. Put the package together

1. Choose the decisions needed at this conference.List agreed and disputed issues, missing disclosure, possible settlement and the exact directions or next-event dates requested.Check: Family Law Rules — Rule 17(4), (8); Form 17A
2. Confer about the issues.Make the required efforts to confer about settlement, disclosure and procedure, subject to the no-contact and safety exceptions. Keep a practical proposal for the next steps.Check: Family Law Rules — Rule 17(3.1)Check: Provincial direction — paras. 104–106
3. Complete the brief and check formatting.Use Form 17A. Use at least 12-point font and double spacing. The 8-page limit includes the form and added facts or argument, even when labelled an appendix or schedule.Check: Provincial family direction — paras. 95–96, 99
4. Choose attachments by category.Use only the permitted relevant excerpts and separately required documents. The direction lists allowed parenting reports, educational information, disclosure lists, valuations and other categories. Do not attach long text, email or social-media dumps; use only necessary excerpts in the brief. Material outside the permitted categories needs leave in exceptional circumstances.Check: Provincial family direction — paras. 100–103
5. Check financial disclosure and the existing record.Update financial documents where Rule 13 requires. Identify relevant existing documents by the actual record tab; do not re-file a document already in the continuing record. A conference brief has its own record treatment under Rule 17.Check: Family Law Rules — Rules 13(12)–(12.1), 9(13), (15), 17(22)

Check each proposed attachment

Some relevant excerpts are permitted outside the 8 pages: parenting assessments, OCL or Voice of the Child reports; documents establishing a child’s educational needs such as report cards or IEPs; outstanding disclosure lists; certain valuations and income proof; and relevant domestic contracts. Relevant prior orders and endorsements, updated financial statements, litigation expert reports, support calculations, and specified police or CAS materials are also listed separately. See the exact categories in the practice direction, paragraphs 100–101 ↗.Check: Provincial family direction — paras. 100–101 (complete permitted categories)

4. Get it before the court

1. Check the route before booking.A case conference can address settlement, disclosure and directions. Identify the issues and orders you want discussed.Check: Family Law Rules — Rule 17(4), (8)
2. Canvass dates and request the event.Ottawa uses Calendly for family case conferences and regular motions. Check availability and confer about dates before one party submits the booking. Keep the booking email. Use the current Ottawa court contacts for long, urgent or other events outside that booking route.Check: SCJ Calendly guide — opening guidance; locations list — East Region / Ottawa
3. Check what was booked.Prepare the notice and brief for that conference date. A booking request does not file your documents or confirm attendance. Follow the court’s response and any existing order.Check: SCJ Calendly guide — booking is separate from filing and confirmation

Filing and Case Center are separate. In regions outside Toronto, court staff upload accepted pretrial filings for self-represented people. A Case Center upload does not file a document.Check: Provincial family direction — paras. 29–33

5. Once you have a date: serve, file and confirm

Work backward from the booked date. Check any order setting a different timetable. Use the effective service date under Rule 6 and count each period under Rule 3.Check: Family Law Rules — Rules 3 and 6

1. First: request the Ottawa date.Confer about availability and use Ottawa family Calendly for an ordinary case conference. Keep the booking email and follow any judge-specific direction. Booking is separate from filing and confirmation.Check: SCJ Calendly locations — East Region / Ottawa; booking instructions
2. At least 6 days before the conference.The requesting party ordinarily serves and files the Rule 17 conference documents, including Form 17A. File Form 6B proof of service as required.Check: Family Law Rules — Rule 17(13.1); Rule 3 for counting days
3. At least 4 days before the conference.The other party ordinarily serves and files its conference documents. The East Region also sets a 5 p.m. deadline four business days before for required conference materials; plan to meet both applicable cutoffs.Check: Family Law Rules — Rule 17(13.1); Rule 3 for counting daysCheck: East Region direction — para. 88 (5 p.m. four-business-day cutoff)
4. By 2 p.m. 3 business days before.Give every other party Form 17F Confirmation of Conference, then deliver it to the court. Ottawa’s local notice lists confirmation forms for email to the family court counter.Check: East Region direction — paras. 80–85 (confirmation)Check: Family Law Rules — 17(14)
5. After the conference.Read the endorsement for disclosure, next-event, and service deadlines made specifically in your case.Check: Family Law Rules — Rule 17

Rule 17 supplies the province-wide deadlines. The East Region and Ottawa directions add filing and scheduling steps; use Rule 3 to count the days. Check the current Family Law Rules ↗Check: Family Law Rules — 17, 3

6. Hot points to remember

• Rule 17 does not contain the eight-page number.Read it alongside the Superior Court practice direction and any current Ottawa notice or case-specific order.Check: Family Law Rules — 17Check: Provincial family direction — paras. 96, 100–103
• Not “no evidence at all.”Relevant documents in the permitted categories may accompany the brief. The conference is a different stage from proving disputed facts at a motion or trial.Check: Family Law Rules — Rule 17
• Ask for the next step explicitly.If settlement is not possible, seek a timetable for disclosure, a further conference, a motion, or trial preparation as appropriate.Check: Family Law Rules — Rule 17
• Costs are possible for an unproductive conference.Rule 17(18) addresses failures such as being unprepared, missing required documents or disclosure, or otherwise not following the rules.Check: Family Law Rules — 17(18)
• You can ask for a timetable: Rule 17(4) expressly includes dates for the next step, a specific pre-trial timetable, and directions for an intended motion. Put the proposed dates and tasks in your brief so the judge can consider them.Check: Family Law Rules — 17(4)
• Conferences may be combined: Rule 17(7) permits the judge to combine all or part of a case conference, settlement conference, and trial management conference. A combined case/settlement conference has its own conditions and Form 17C brief under Rule 17(7.1)–(7.2); check the direction before treating a regular case conference as a settlement conference.Check: Family Law Rules — 17(7), 17(7.1)
• Preparation can affect costs: Rule 17(18) addresses costs when a conference is adjourned because a party was unprepared, failed to serve the brief, failed to disclose, or otherwise failed to follow the rules.Check: Family Law Rules — 17(18)