The content of this website was created entirely by a group of dedicated family lawyers from the Simcoe County Law Association. The NCLA wishes to extend our sincere thanks to them for generously granting their permission for its use in, and adaptation for, the needs of the Northumberland County Family Court.

 

What is Binding Judicial Dispute Resolution?

 

Binding Judicial Dispute Resolution (“JDR”) is a pilot project in our region that has been developed to provide a way to reach a final resolution of less complex family law cases. Once parties have completed a case conference, they can request that the next (and final) step in their proceeding is a Binding Judicial Dispute Resolution hearing. The parties should only request a JDR hearing if they both agree that the court can fairly decide their case in a hearing of three hours or less, based only on the evidence of the two parties, without the need for cross-examining each other. The judge at a JDR hearing will first hear the parties' proposals and discuss possible resolutions. If the parties cannot agree about some or all of the terms of their final court order, the same judge will make a final decision about any outstanding issues based on the affidavits of the parties and what they have said in the JDR hearing.

A JDR hearing requires the consent of both parties. The links on this page provide all of the information required to prepare for and obtain your Binding Judicial Dispute Resolution Hearing. Although the information may appear lengthy, the process is fairly simple. We have tried to include samples of each form you will need and instructions for preparing them. If you do not have a lawyer, there is also information about how you can obtain legal advice and assistance in completing the forms.

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Key Documents

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Notice to the Family Law Bar and Family Law Litigants - Binding Judicial Dispute Resolution

Step-By-Step Guide: How to Obtain a Binding JDR Hearing Date and Participate in Your JDR Hearing

 

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Sample Forms

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Forms to Obtain a Date (if not approved at the case conference)

Sample 14B Motion Form

Sample Affidavit in Support of 14B Motion

Sample Endorsement Approving JDR

Request and Consent Form for the JDR

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Note:

These are sample clauses only and may not apply to all cases. If you need help completing these forms, please contact Legal Aid Ontario: 1.800.668.8258 (provincially) or 1.888.616.0119 ext.18 (Cobourg, Peterborough, and Lindsay).

 

These documents should be submitted electronically through this link: www.one-key.gov.on.ca. 

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If you haven't heard back in three weeks, please contact the trial coordinator at : peterborough.scj.tc@ontario.ca.

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