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Only top-level descriptions Divorce--British Columbia
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New Westminster Supreme Court civil cause books and case record cards

  • GR-1564
  • Series
  • 1881-1977

Series consists of civil cause books and case record cards from the New Westminster Supreme Court from September 1881 to April 1977. There are no cause books for November 1947 to August 1949 or for July to December 1975 and volume 11 (1956) is missing. Cause books and case records cards provide the framework for Supreme Court civil action cases and may include the names of parties, the dates when proceedings occurred, and can be used to determine volume and folio numbers for locating final orders and/or judgements. Cause books were used by the courts until approximately the mid-1970s. They were replaced by case record cards, which were replaced by digital systems in the 1990s. They are often the only source of information for divorces that were not finalized since no final order would have been granted and case files are destroyed.

Records are arranged chronologically by the date a case was initiated. Case file numbers were then assigned sequentially and include the year a case was initiated. Original textual records prior to 1949 were destroyed after microfilming. Retrieve records using microfilm reels The records were scheduled for retention under Court Services ORCS (schedule 100152) 53200-20.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (New Westminster)

Victoria Supreme Court civil orders

  • GR-1566
  • Series
  • 1880-2008

The series consists of civil orders issued by the Supreme Court in Victoria between 1880 and 2008. Orders dating from 1880 until December 1946 were microfilmed and the originals destroyed. Records after this period are maintained in their original form. Many, but not all, volumes dating up to the late 1970s include nominal indexes. Orders are the formal expression of the ruling of the court. The records relate to a variety of civil matters including adoptions, divorces, and bankruptcies.

The records were scheduled for full retention under Court Services ORCS (schedule 100152) 51400-25.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (Victoria)

Vancouver Supreme Court divorce indexes

  • GR-1586
  • Series
  • 1893-1994

The series consists of indexes for divorces at the Vancouver Supreme Court between 1893 and 1994. Entries may provide a case number, which can be used to locate an associated record within a cause book or case record card. Entries may also provide a volume and folio number, which can be used to obtain a copy of the final divorce order.

Over time, index entries vary and may be searchable by only the name of the plaintiff or by either the name of the plaintiff or the defendant. The records were scheduled for full retention under Court Services ORCS (schedule 100152) 53200-20.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (Vancouver)

Victoria Supreme Court divorce orders

  • GR-1587
  • Series
  • 1877-1998

The series consists of divorce orders issued by the Supreme Court of Victoria between 1877 and 1998. After October 1998, divorce orders were filed in the Supreme Court order books.

Records from 1877 to December 31, 1948 have been microfilmed. Records from 1949 onward are original paper records. The records consist of decrees nisi and absolute.

Volumes in containers 830561-0001 to 830561-0020 contain indexes.

Until 1968, divorces in BC were granted under the English Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act of 1857 (amended 1858). Selected sections of the Act were incorporated into BC’s Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act in 1897 (RSBC 1897, c. 62) and remained largely unchanged until 1968 when the Federal government passed the first national divorce act. This act superseded existing provincial legislation, and a Central Registry of Divorce Proceedings was also created at this time.

In 1972, BC’s Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act was repealed and replaced with the Family Relations Act, which included provisions for issues related to custody. In 1985, the federal Divorce Act was passed, and came into effect in 1986. Under the 1985 Act, the use of decrees nisi was discontinued. Decrees nisi, which had been used inconsistently prior to the 1930s, required a waiting period before a decree absolute – the finalization of the dissolution of the marriage – could be issued. Between 1968 and 1985, decrees nisi required a three-month waiting period. After this time, a decree absolute could be applied for. During this time, a divorce was not legally in effect without a decree absolute.

Under the 1985 Divorce Act, a single court order of dissolution was issued, under which the divorce automatically comes into effect 31 days after the divorce has been granted.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (Victoria)

Vancouver Supreme Court civil cause books and case record cards

  • GR-1608
  • Series
  • 1893-1994

This series consists of cause books and case record cards from the Vancouver Supreme Court for civil cases between 1893 and 1994. Cause books and case records cards provide the skeletal framework for Supreme Court civil action proceedings and may include the names of parties, the dates when proceedings occurred, and can be used to determine a volume and folio number for locating final orders. Cause books were used by the courts until approximately the mid-1970s. They were replaced by case record cards, which were used until the courts turned to digital systems in the 1990s. Cause books and case record cards are also often the only source of information for divorce cases that were dropped and never completed, as no final order would have been granted, and case files would have been destroyed.

The records are arranged by case number, which can be found by using the indexes in GR-1704. Some years, the case numbering sequence was re-set. As such, case numbers within this series have been used repeatedly. Make note of the case number and year when the case started when matching records. The original bound volumes for records 1/1893 to 3300/1961 were destroyed after microfilming; retrieve records using microfilm. The records were scheduled for retention under Court Services ORCS (schedule 100152) 53200-20.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (Vancouver)

Grand Forks Supreme Court cause books

  • GR-1635
  • Series
  • 1900-1969

The series consists of four volumes of indexed cause books, created in the Grand Forks registry between 1900 and 1969. A typical cause book entry lists the style of cause, solicitors' names, nature of claim, and the dates of various proceedings in each case. The entry also provides the case file number. For Supreme Court cases, cause books are often used as a starting point for research. The cause books include information on adoption, divorce, chattel mortgages, and other civil proceedings.

The records are arranged by case number and are also chronological.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (Grand Forks)

Vernon Supreme Court cause book

  • GR-1851
  • Series
  • 1914-1937

This series consists of one cause book from the Vernon Supreme Court for civil cases between Sep 1914 and May 1937. Cause books provide the skeletal framework for Supreme Court civil action proceedings and may include the names of parties, the dates when proceedings occurred, and can be used to determine a volume and folio number for locating final orders. Subjects include a variety of financial matters, divorces, probates and estate administration, adoption orders, and other civil cases.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (Vernon)

Vernon Supreme Court orders

  • GR-1853
  • Series
  • 1901-1930; 1958-1959

The series consists of orders issued by the Supreme Court in Vernon between 1901-1930 and 1958-1959. Researchers should note that orders for the period 1931 to 1957 are missing. Orders are the formal expression of the ruling of the court and judgements are the final orders issued in a case. Records relate to a variety of civil matters including divorces, bankruptcies, foreclosures, and some adoptions.

Microfilm reel B16147 contains volume 1 (May1901-November 1916) and volume 2 (October 1916-July 1920) of the orders. Container 831041-0001 contains original paper copies of orders as well as several indexes, although it is unclear to which orders these refer. They appear to index more than what was transferred in the box. When the records arrived at the Archives, they had been divided into folders based on year, and are arranged in rough chronological orders. Records relating to the same case can be found across several folders. The paper records also contain a small number of interfiled judgments.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (Vernon)

Grand Forks Supreme Court orders

  • GR-1880
  • Series
  • 1900-1947

The series consists of original civil orders created between 1900 and 1947 by the Grand Forks Supreme Court registry. Orders are the formal expression of the ruling of the court. Records relate to a variety of civil matters including divorces, bankruptcies, foreclosures, and some adoptions.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (Grand Forks)

Vancouver Supreme Court civil orders

  • GR-2011
  • Series
  • 1944-1976; 1980-2006

The series consists of Vancouver Supreme Court civil orders between 1944-1976 and 1980-2005. Orders dating from April 1944 until December 1945 were microfilmed and the originals destroyed. Between ca. 1980 until 1994, civil orders were separated into different series by the court registry: statutes (“A”), motor vehicle (“B”), general civil (“C”), and foreclosures (“H”). Beginning July 1994, civil orders and judgements were once again combined into a single series of numbered volumes prefixed by the letter “S”.

The records are arranged within volumes by folio number. They were scheduled for full retention under Court Services ORCS (schedule 100152) 51400-25.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (Vancouver)

New Westminster Supreme Court orders and judgements

  • GR-2018
  • Series
  • 1940-1945, 1948-2004

This series contains New Westminster Supreme Court orders from January 1940 to May 1945 and January 1948 to December 2004 (predominantly up to April 2001). Orders are the formal expression of the ruling of the court and judgements are the final orders issued in a case. Records relate to a variety of civil matters including divorces, bankruptcies, foreclosures, probates, and some adoptions.

Records are arranged by volume and folio number as assigned by the court registry. Beginning in May 1950, orders and judgements were separated and volume numbers 49-108 are duplicated. Beginning in March 1976, orders and judgements are interfiled. Between October 1990 and December 2004, orders, default judgements, certificates, and determinations related to financial cases were separated into their own volumes, 148-204, once again creating duplicated volume numbers. Researchers are encouraged to check volume numbers against dates when searching for specific records. Most, but not all, volumes include indexes or volume file lists. However, beginning in July 1990, volumes include a file list by case number only. The records were scheduled for full retention under Court Services ORCS (schedule 100152) 51400-25.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (New Westminster)

Barkerville Supreme Court divorce case files

  • GR-2022
  • Series
  • 1939-1951

The series consists of six Barkerville Supreme Court divorce case files from 1939 to 1951.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (Barkerville)

Chilliwack Supreme Court cause books

  • GR-2126
  • Series
  • 1916-1969

This series consists of cause books from the Supreme Court of Chilliwack, 1916-1969. The books include primarily civil cases including adoption and divorce.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (Chilliwack)

Fernie Supreme Court civil cause books

  • GR-2148
  • Series
  • 1905-1977

Series consists of cause books from the Fernie Supreme Court for civil cases between 1905-1977. Cause books provide the framework for Supreme Court civil action cases and may include the names of parties and their solicitors; the dates when proceedings occurred, including the issuing of orders; and fees charged. They are often the only source of information for divorces that were not finalized since no final order would have been granted and case files are destroyed.

The records are arranged chronologically by the date a case was initiated. Case file numbers were then assigned sequentially and include the last two digits of the year (e.g., 1/24 for the first case initiated in 1924). The records were scheduled for retention under Court Services ORCS (schedule 100152) 53200-20.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (Fernie)

Rossland Supreme Court cause book

  • GR-2153
  • Series
  • 1946-1978

This series consists of cause books from the Supreme Court of Rossland from 1946-1967 and 1974-1978. The books include primarily civil matters, as well as probates, estate administration, divorce, and adoption. May include some criminal cases.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (Rossland)

Prince George Supreme Court divorce case files

  • GR-2237
  • Series
  • 1919-1949

The series consists of divorce case files. Files from 1919-1923 are from the Fort George registry and from 1925-1949 are from Prince George registry.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (Prince George)

Vernon Supreme Court judgements

  • GR-2315
  • Series
  • 1887-1934

The series consists of judgments issued by the Supreme Court in Vernon between 1887 and 1934. Microfilmed records are covered by indexes in containers of original paper records. The records consist of judgments on a variety of matters, including libel, divorce, foreclosures, debtors and creditors, and other civil matters. Records are arranged in rough chronological order.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (Vernon)

Penticton County Court and Supreme Court orders and judgements

  • GR-2332
  • Series
  • 1914-1938

Series consists of original civil orders and judgements created between 1914 and 1938 by the Penticton County Court and Supreme Court. Orders are the formal expression of the ruling of the court and judgements are the final orders issued in a case. Records relate to a variety of civil matters including divorces.

British Columbia. County Court (Penticton)

Vancouver Supreme Court divorce case files

  • GR-2334
  • Series
  • 1945-1949, 1975-1980

The series consists of originals of divorce case files from the years 1945, 1946, 1948-1949, and microfiched divorce case files from 1975 to 1980. Typical divorce case files can contain affidavits, petitions, correspondence and other records relating to the case.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (Vancouver)

Duncan Supreme Court divorce case files

  • GR-2340
  • Series
  • 1939-1949

The series consists of Duncan Supreme Court divorce case files from 1939, 1944-1948.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (Duncan)

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