What Is Family Justice Services in Newfoundland and Labrador?

If you are separating and have children, someone may have suggested Family Justice Services. It is not always clear what it does, whether it replaces court, or whether you qualify.

This article explains what Family Justice Services (FJS) offers in Newfoundland and Labrador, how it differs from court, and how people reach it. It is general information and does not replace advice about your situation.

This article covers the law of Newfoundland and Labrador.

What Family Justice Services is

FJS is a division of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador. It helps families resolve parenting and child support issues outside the courtroom. It offers mediation and parent education sessions, it is free, and it does not provide legal advice.

Services are for residents of Newfoundland and Labrador who are involved in family law matters.

FJS sits alongside the courts that hear family matters. The Family Division of the Supreme Court exercises jurisdiction over almost all family law matters, including divorce, support, parenting and adoption. In the East Coast and West Coast judicial areas, it has exclusive jurisdiction. In the expanded service area, from Holyrood to Port Blandford and including the Bonavista Peninsula, it shares jurisdiction with the Provincial Court. Residents there can choose either court for parenting orders under the Children's Law Act, support applications under the Family Law Act, and adoption applications, but divorce is a Supreme Court matter. Which court applies to you depends on where you live, so it is worth confirming with your nearest FJS office or a lawyer.

How it differs from court

In court, a judge decides. In mediation, you and the other parent work toward your own agreement with help. The Divorce Act encourages this: before and during a proceeding, parties should try to resolve the issues through a family dispute resolution process, which the Act defines as a process outside of court, to the extent appropriate.

Whatever route you take, a court that decides parenting matters looks at the child's best interests. Under the Divorce Act, its primary consideration is the child's physical, emotional and psychological safety, security and well-being. Under the Children's Law Act, custody and access applications are also decided on the child's best interests.

FJS is not the only mediation option. In a custody or access application, a court may, at the parties' request, appoint a mediator the parties choose. In that case the parties pay the mediator's fees, and the court allocates the shares.

The Parent Information Program

The FJS Parent Information Program is a group session called "Living Apart… Parenting Together." The provincial government's page describes it as three hours and free, held at FJS offices across the province. It covers:

• Separation
• Family law information
• FJS services
• Child development
• Communication skills
• New partner issues

Each parent attends a separate presentation, and children cannot attend. Attendance is mandatory for parents involved in family court applications, and parents who are not going to court are encouraged to attend. The format and registration process may change, so confirm the current details with your regional FJS office.

Child support basics to know before you start

Child support is one of the issues FJS helps families work through. Under the Federal Child Support Guidelines, the presumptive order is the amount in the applicable table plus any amount for special or extraordinary expenses. The table amount depends on the payer's annual income and the number of children. A paying parent living in Newfoundland and Labrador generally uses the Newfoundland and Labrador table.

Updated tables took effect on October 1, 2025, so current amounts should be taken from the Schedule I version dated 2025-10-01. No table support is payable below $12,000 annual income. The table is not the whole story, because some situations are handled differently:

• If the payer's income is over $150,000, the court uses the table amount or, if that is inappropriate, the table amount for the first $150,000 plus an amount it considers appropriate for the balance.
• If each parent has not less than 40% of parenting time over a year, the court considers the table amounts for each parent, the increased costs of shared parenting, and each parent's circumstances.
• An additional amount may be allowed for special or extraordinary expenses such as child care, insurance premiums and education.
• A different amount may be allowed where a spouse or child would otherwise suffer undue hardship.

How to access FJS

There are two main routes:

• Both parties can sign and submit a Request for Service to the nearest FJS office.
• When an Originating Application raising a child support or parenting issue is filed with the Supreme Court, it is automatically forwarded to FJS.

Because the first route needs both parties to sign, it works best when you and the other parent are willing to talk. If you are worried about safety, speak with a lawyer or support service about what is appropriate. A court deciding custody or access must consider any violence by a person toward a spouse, child or household member.

What to do next

• Find the FJS office nearest to you.
• Talk to the other parent about whether a joint Request for Service is possible.
• Think about what you want to resolve: parenting time, decision-making, child support or all three.
• Gather income documents. A spouse applying for child support must give income documents, including the three most recent income tax returns.
• Because FJS does not provide legal advice, it can be worth talking to a lawyer about your own situation before you sign any agreement.

Frequently asked questions