Court System and Procedures
For information about Manitoba courts, go to the Manitoba Courts website. This website provides a wealth of information about the different levels of court, including:
- where they are located
- court rules, forms and fees
- notices and practice directions from the court to the legal profession
- information about new projects that are underway
There are three levels of court in Manitoba that deal with family cases:
The Provincial Court
The Provincial Court can hear some types of family cases, but only in northern communities and some rural areas, where the Court of King’s Bench (Family Division) does not have exclusive authority to hear family cases. The Provincial Court cannot deal with applications for divorce, division of family property, or adoption.
The Court of King’s Bench (Family Division)
The Court of King’s Bench (Family Division) is a unified family court that hears all family matters throughout Manitoba. The judges of the Family Division specialize in family law. The Family Division was created so the court could respond more sensitively to the needs of people involved in family disputes.
The Court of Appeal
The Court of Appeal hears appeals from people who are not satisfied with a decision of the Provincial Court or the Court of King’s Bench. From time to time, the Supreme Court of Canada will consider appeals from the Manitoba Court of Appeal on family law issues. The person seeking to appeal must first obtain permission (leave) from the Supreme Court of Canada.