What happens at the court hearing?

What happens at the hearing will depend on whether you’re in Provincial or Supreme Court, and whether you have a lawyer or not.

If you have a lawyer, they will explain why you need the order and what you’d like in it, and present the affidavits you have to support your case.

In Provincial Court hearings, you may be asked to do this yourself. (In Supreme Court, you won’t usually be asked to speak unless you go to a trial, which is rare.)

If you don’t have a lawyer, the judge will ask you to explain your situation, what you want in the order, and to present your own affidavit evidence and affidavits from any other witnesses.

You (or your lawyer) may also call witnesses to speak to support your story, although this isn’t necessary — your spoken evidence and affidavit evidence is enough.