Trial Management Conferences in Ontario Family Court: What They're For

If your family court case hasn't settled and a trial date is realistic or already set, the next stop on the calendar is usually a trial management conference. It's easy to confuse with the settlement conference that came before it, but the two serve genuinely different purposes, and treating a trial management conference as a formality to get through is a mistake.

This guide explains why the step exists, what a judge actually decides at one, and how to walk in prepared.

Why This Step Exists

A trial management conference (TMC) is the last organizational checkpoint before a family trial begins. By this stage, the case hasn't settled, and the parties are heading toward a contested hearing. The TMC exists to make sure that when the trial actually starts, it runs efficiently — no last-minute surprises about who's testifying, what documents are in play, or how long the trial will realistically take.

What a Judge Decides at a Trial Management Conference

• Confirming, or adjusting, the amount of court time the trial will need
• Identifying which witnesses will testify and reviewing whether all necessary disclosure has been exchanged
• Narrowing the issues that genuinely remain in dispute, after any partial settlement
• Addressing outstanding procedural matters, such as expert reports or unresolved production requests, before they can derail the trial
• Setting a trial timetable or sequence, including how documents will be entered as evidence
• In some cases, making a final attempt at settlement, since the parties and their lawyers are already assembled

How a Trial Management Conference Differs from a Settlement Conference

The two are often confused because both happen in the lead-up to trial, but they serve different purposes. A settlement conference is squarely about resolving the case. A trial management conference assumes the case is proceeding to trial and is instead about making sure that trial is organized and ready to go. Practice on this varies by courthouse and court level. At some locations the trial management conference is conducted by the judge who will hear the trial; at others it is handled like the earlier conferences, by a judge who will not preside at the trial, so that the judge can speak candidly without it affecting the outcome. Confirm the practice at your specific courthouse rather than assuming either way.

Preparing for Your Trial Management Conference

• [ ] Confirm your witness list is final and that each witness is available for the trial dates
• [ ] Make sure all disclosure obligations — financial, parenting, expert reports — are fully up to date
• [ ] Prepare a realistic estimate of how much trial time your evidence will actually take
• [ ] Identify any outstanding procedural issues that need to be resolved before trial starts
• [ ] Revisit settlement one more time — trial management conferences often prompt a final, focused negotiation

What Happens if You're Not Ready

Showing up without your disclosure in order, or without a clear sense of your witnesses and evidence, risks the judge adjourning the conference, issuing directions you'll need to scramble to meet, or, in more serious cases, affecting how the trial itself proceeds. Treat the TMC as a real deadline, not a formality to get through on the way to the date that matters.

Who Attends

Both parties and their lawyers, if represented, are expected to attend. Because the conference deals with concrete trial logistics rather than open-ended negotiation, it tends to be more focused and businesslike than earlier conferences — the discussion centres on what the trial will actually look like, not on whether it should happen at all. Come prepared to answer specific, practical questions about your evidence and your timeline, not just your position on the underlying issues.

Frequently asked questions