Court Procedures and Rules of Court

Publication produced by Student Legal Services of Edmonton.

This publication provides step-by-step general information about what is involved in going to Provincial Court in Alberta (now the Alberta Court of Justice).

An instructional video from the Canadian Bar Association Alberta branch demonstrates the basics of procedure in civil court for non-lawyers. It is about 25 minutes in length, and uses common types of courtroom disputes to explain the kinds of evidence you may need for your case as well as how to organize and present that evidence to the judge.

Court and Justice Services (CJS) provides administrative support to all the courts within the province, including electronic legal information services through Alberta Law Libraries.

CJS offer: legal information services for the public on court procedures and legal services options; assistance with locating and filling out court forms; referrals to other community legal services, as well as dispute resolution services for child support, family and child medication, conflict intervention, family mediation, and civil mediation. 

The Rules of Court as published by Alberta King’s Printer are available for free download in PDF format: Volume 1 – Alberta Rules of Court AR 124/2010 at 692 pages and Volume 2 – Alberta Rules of Court Supplemental Information at 506 pages.

The Calgary Drug Treatment Court has been in operation since 2007, providing the only community alternative to incarceration for non-violent drug-addicted offenders whose crimes are driven by drug addiction. CDTC is an evidence-based program that integrates court intervention and treatment services to end drug-driven crime and assist participants to return to family, work and community.

CCAA is supports professionals, communities, victims and witnesses involved in the investigation of child abuse through the development and delivery of educational products and services; promotion of a coordinated, interdisciplinary approach to child abuse investigations; identification and response to key issues and concerns of child abuse investigators; advocacy for excellence and professionalism in the investigation of child abuse; promotion of the well-being of children and families going through the investigative process; provision of professional training and research.

This website offers information to consider before you sue, if you are being sued, and the process that is involved. Information that is available on this website includes: The Basics; Civil Claim Flowchart; Before You Sue; Is it Worth Suing?; If You Have to Sue Someone; Forms Needed for a Civil Claim; Service of Documents; If You are Being Sued; Mediation and Pre-Trial Conferences; Adjournments; Default Judgment; Preparation for the Hearing; Witnesses; Courtroom Etiquette; After the Appearance; and Appeals.

The “Civil Matters: What to Do in Court” video provides tips and information on how to prepare for a Civil Claims trial if you are a Plaintiff, Defendant or Witness, including what documents you may need, how to present evidence, and how to address the judge. Video Transcripts are available in:  English | Spanish | French | Arabic | Hindi | Punjabi | Urdu

You have been successful in obtaining a Judgment of the Civil Division of the Provincial Court or the Court of Queen’s Bench and you would like to collect on it from the defendant/enforcement debtor. This can be a difficult process and you should consider seeing a lawyer. If you decide to act on your own behalf, this brochure outlines the procedures and forms required by the Court of Queen’s Bench Clerk’s office. It is for information only, and is not to be interpreted as the law. Forms can be purchased from Queen’s Printer Bookstores and most stationery stores. (PDF – 40 pages)

This primer, published by the National Self-Represented Litigants Project, is packed with the information and practical self-help tips for preparing yourself, emotionally and technically, for court. It includes a section on self-care tips; a section on preparing for court; a section on appearing in court (generic and not specific for any one jurisdiction, family or civil courts); and finally a collection of ten top practical tips from self-represented litigants on “what works”. This 25-page PDF is available for free download.

The booklets area series of plain language family court booklets to enable parties to better understand and access the court for applications dealing with custody, access, child support or spousal support under the Divorce Act.

This website has multimedia presentations (videos) that provide information on presenting a family matters case in Chambers. The website was created by the Law Courts Education Society of  British Columbia but a lot of the information is relevant to other jurisdictions.

Going to court? Here are some tips and information on what to do in court. (Video) Produced in coordination with PBLA and Alberta Courts.

The purpose of this guideline is to set out the criteria to be considered in initiating, prosecuting, and discontinuing appeals to the Court of Appeal of Alberta.

Going to court? Here are some tips and information on understanding your foreclosure matter. (Video) Produced in coordination with PBLA and Alberta Courts.

When you are going to court, there are some procedures and protocols that you need to follow. You will find information here on court etiquette, court procedures, and appeals and transcripts.

This booklet outlines some basic information you must be aware of if you plead not guilty to an offence and are planning to represent yourself without a lawyer at your trial. It also provides some advice on how to find a lawyer.

This booklet explains what happens during the criminal trial process. This information will help you prepare for your trial if you don’t have a lawyer. If you choose to represent yourself, you are
still subject to the law, including rules of procedure and the laws of evidence.

This booklet offers some basic information that you should be aware of if you choose to represent yourself in Provincial Court – Family. The booklet focuses on preparing for and conducting a trial when you are not represented by a lawyer. This booklet includes information about:

• Resolution options and services that can help you solve your family law issues
• Making a Family Law Act application in the Provincial Court of Alberta
• Answers to questions many people have
• Court processes and court language
• How to find a lawyer
• Preparing for trial if you do not have a lawyer

Trial by jury is a cornerstone of our criminal justice system. Through participation in the jury system, people in a community play a direct role in the administration of justice and help to maintain all of our own rights and freedoms. On this webpage you will find information on serving on a jury, eligibility and information regarding a Juror Summons.

This project assists self-represented litigants with their civil claims in Calgary’s Queen’s Bench Masters and Justice Chambers. The project includes a “storefront” afternoon shift where self-represented litigants and get summary legal information regarding civil matters in the follow areas of law: civil, bankruptcy, real estate, and court procedure. Hours of operation are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday morning and afternoon.

Information on how to appeal a decision made in the Court of King’s Bench, including small claims, family law claims and conviction offences.

This court procedure booklet tells you what steps to take when:

1. You are making an application in the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta;
2. You already have a court file (e.g. divorce, family property, common law property);
3. The application you want to make is NOT under the Family Law Act; and
4. You have chosen not to get a lawyer and will be representing yourself throughout the court process.

The publication of these guidelines received the endorsement of the Canadian Judicial Council. For the jury to follow and apply the guidelines, they must be clear, complete and accurate. A directive model meets these objectives. However, the existence of model guidelines does not mean that there is only one way to instruct a jury on a given topic. A model directive aims to convey essential information that should be provided to a jury in a simple, understandable and correct language. These guidelines provide an example of how this can be done.

The National Self-Represented Litigants Project (NSRLP) is committed to advancing understanding of the challenges and hard choices facing the very large numbers of Canadians who come to court without counsel. The Project works to promote dialogue and collaboration among all those affected by the self-represented litigant phenomenon, both justice system professionals and litigants themselves. They publish resources designed specifically for SRLs, as well as research reports that examine the implications for the justice system.

How to order a Provincial Court or Court of King’s Bench courtroom transcript.

Publication produced by Student Legal Services of Edmonton.

Includes information about: The Case Is Called; The Trial Begins; The Exclusion Order; The Crown’s Case; The Defence’s Case; Submissions; Decision; Vocabulary.

This online resource from the Nova Scotia Public Prosecution Service takes you—step-by-step—through a Canadian criminal case. It explains the process clearly and simply and will help you to understand how a Canadian criminal prosecution works

Traffic Court is part of the Alberta Court of Justice. It deals with offences pursuant to many provincial statutes and regulations, municipal bylaws and a few specified federal statutes. In spite of its name, Traffic Court is not limited to only hearing traffic related offences. Traffic Court does not deal with most offences created by federal statutes such as the Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

Young persons aged 12-17 years of age who are charged with a Provincial offence are dealt with in the Youth Division of the Alberta Court of Justice. In some court locations there is a distinct Youth Traffic Court.

Trials in Traffic Court, whether involving an adult or a young person, are usually heard by a Justice of the Peace. However in some locations trials are heard by a Justice of the Alberta Court of Justice.

This online publication is provided by the Government of Alberta and is divided into sections including: You’ve been charged… now what?; Duty Counsel; If you don’t have a lawyer; How do you get a lawyer?; Legal Aid; Other Services; Where will the trial be?; Pleading guilty; Getting ready for trial when you have pled not guilty; What happens in court?; and Sentencing.