Contents

Government

Ministry of Attorney General

The Justice Services Branch

The Justice Services Branch of the Ministry of Attorney General is responsible for all family justice programs and services delivered by or for the provincial government.

It is also responsible for encouraging and incorporating alternatives to court wherever possible, and for promoting the greatest possible public access to the British Columbia justice system as a whole.

The branch consists of four divisions:

  • The Dispute Resolution Office develops and promotes options - such as mediation - for resolving disputes without going to court. It also offers a range of public information, including bulletins on topics such as how to select a mediator and when to mediate.
  • Maintenance Enforcement and Locate Services (MELS) works to ensure that families receive the financial support they are entitled to under a court order or agreement. The division's programs include the Family Maintenance Enforcement Program, which monitors and enforces all maintenance orders and agreements that are filed with it, and the Reciprocals Program, which ensures the smooth flow of maintenance orders among the BC courts, the FMEP and reciprocating jurisdictions.
  • The Family Justice Services Division helps families resolve issues relating to their separation or divorce. The division is responsible for operating Family Justice Centres across the province, staffed by family justice counsellors specially trained to help families with child custody, guardianship, access and support issues, and for the Parenting After Separation program, which helps parents make careful and informed decisions about their children both during and after separation or divorce.
  • The Criminal Justice and Legal Access Policy Division works with the Legal Services Society, other government and non-government organizations and the public to ensure legal aid services in British Columbia are provided effectively and efficiently.
To find out more about the branch and its divisions, please click here.