- The Family Focused Protocol took effect January 2, 2026 and applies to Family and Divorce proceedings at all Court of King's Bench judicial centres.
- Unless your matter is urgent or you have a waiver, you generally must complete the Family Justice Strategy mandatory requirements before asking the court for relief.
- After the Mandatory Intake Triage Conference, further interim applications are allowed only in exceptional circumstances.
If you are separating or divorcing in Alberta, the way family cases move through the Court of King's Bench changed in 2026. A new set of rules, called the Family Focused Protocol, sets out the steps you take and the order you take them in.
This article explains the protocol in plain language: the three streams a case can follow, the steps to finish before you ask for anything, what counts as urgent, and the key scheduling rules. It is general information, not advice on your own case.
This article covers the law of Alberta.
What the Family Focused Protocol is
The Court of King's Bench Family Focused Protocol (FFP) took effect January 2, 2026. It applies to Family and Divorce proceedings at all Court of King's Bench judicial centres.
That matters because the King's Bench has sole jurisdiction over divorce and the division of property in Alberta, and it also presides over child and spousal support and custody and access matters. The Alberta Rules of Court apply equally whether you have a lawyer or represent yourself.
The protocol uses three streams. Which one fits your matter depends on what you are asking for and how pressing it is.
The three streams
| Stream | What it is for |
|---|---|
| Regular Family Process | One of the three streams under the protocol, alongside the Desk Process and Urgent Process |
| Desk Process | One of the three streams; Time-Sensitive Consent Orders are part of it and can be filed by email |
| Urgent Process | Urgent matters, such as risk of violence or immediate harm |
Time-Sensitive Consent Orders are part of the Desk Process. They can be filed by email and are referred to a designated Family Roster Justice.
Steps to finish before you ask the court for anything
Under the FFP, parties seeking relief in a family proceeding must complete the Family Justice Strategy mandatory requirements, unless the matter is urgent or a waiver has been obtained. These are:
- Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR): it applies if you disagree on any issue, must have been attempted within the past 6 months, and all parties must file a Participation in ADR form.
- Parenting After Separation course: it applies if children under 18 are affected, and the course must be retaken if your certificate is more than 2 years old.
- Financial disclosure: anyone filing for child support, spousal support, adult interdependent partner support or family property division, and the respondent, must each file a Financial Disclosure Statement.
- Family Court Counsellor meeting: it applies to people with dependent children who do not have a lawyer, where available. The counsellor is not a lawyer and cannot give legal advice. A self-represented person whose children live outside Calgary, Edmonton, Grande Prairie or Red Deer, or whose only claim is for child support, is not required to complete a counsellor intake before filing a parenting-related application.
The Alberta.ca description of these requirements ties them to Greater Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer and Grande Prairie. Because rules can differ by location, confirm what applies where your file is.
What counts as urgent
Urgent matters are exempt from the mandatory requirements. Under the FFP, urgent matters include:
- a risk of violence or immediate harm
- a risk of a child being removed from the jurisdiction
- Emergency Protection Order reviews
Issues about parenting time, contact or communication count only if they cannot reasonably be delayed. If you cannot complete a requirement for another reason, such as family violence concerns, technological or language barriers, or being unable to locate the other party, you must file a Request to Waive/Defer Mandatory Requirements form. If you have safety concerns, you can contact 211, which is available 24/7.
The waiver process was revised in June and August 2026. Check albertacourts.ca for the current waiver steps before you file.
Key scheduling rules
Parties must use the booking link to schedule the Mandatory Intake Triage (MIT) Conference within 30 days of the Court's email. Do not let that email sit unread.
After the MIT Conference, further interim applications are allowed only in exceptional circumstances, so raise what you need to raise early. Pre-Trial Conferences must be scheduled 90 days or more before the trial date unless otherwise ordered.
What to do next
- Check whether your matter could be urgent, and if so, get advice quickly.
- Find your Parenting After Separation certificate and check its date.
- Confirm whether you have attempted ADR in the past 6 months.
- Gather the financial information you need for a Financial Disclosure Statement.
- Watch your email for the Court's message about the MIT Conference and book within 30 days.
- Check albertacourts.ca for the current waiver steps if you cannot complete a requirement.
- Speak with a lawyer if you are unsure which stream or steps apply to you.
Court forms information coordinators give free help finding forms and understanding when to use them. They work Monday to Friday, 8:15 am to 4 pm.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Family Focused Protocol apply outside Calgary and Edmonton?
Yes. It applies to Family and Divorce proceedings at all Court of King's Bench judicial centres. Some Family Justice Strategy details, such as where the requirements are described as applying, vary by location, so confirm what applies to your file.
Do I have to complete the mandatory steps in an emergency?
Urgent matters are exempt from the mandatory requirements. Urgent matters include a risk of violence or immediate harm, a risk of removing a child from the jurisdiction and Emergency Protection Order reviews. Parenting time or contact issues count only if they cannot reasonably be delayed.
Can I file a consent order quickly?
Time-Sensitive Consent Orders are a Desk Process stream. They can be filed by email and are referred to a designated Family Roster Justice.
What happens if I miss the 30 days to book the MIT Conference?
The protocol requires you to use the booking link within 30 days of the Court's email. If you have missed it or cannot book, get advice promptly and check albertacourts.ca for the current process.
Sources
- Alberta.ca – Family Justice Strategy — alberta.ca
- Court of King's Bench – Family Focused Protocol notice — albertacourts.ca
- Alberta.ca – Support in preparing court forms — alberta.ca
- Court of King's Bench – Family — albertacourts.ca
Links go to official government, court and regulator pages. The law changes — confirm you are reading the current version.
This is a family law question
Ask our Team for a quote. We reply by email.