FAMILY DIVISION
About Family Law Courts in NL
There are two levels of Family Court in Newfoundland and
Labrador: Provincial and Supreme.
The Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador has two divisions
– Family and General.
The Provincial Court and the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and
Labrador hear family matters dealing with custody, access, child
support and spousal support. However, only the Supreme Court has
the authority to deal with divorce and the division of
matrimonial property.
Judicial areas
In certain areas on the East and West coast of Newfoundland and
Labrador, the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador Family
Division has exclusive jurisdiction for all family law matters
which arise in its geographical jurisdiction. This means that in
those areas (called judicial areas), all family law cases are
dealt with in the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador
Family Division and none will be heard in Provincial Court.
The judicial areas that come under the exclusive jurisdiction of
the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador Family Division
include:
East Coast:
The Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador Family Division
has exclusive jurisdiction over all family matters arising on
the Avalon Peninsula (as far as Holyrood and including Bell
Island). This also includes the St. John’s metropolitan area.
This means any family law applications arising in these areas
must be filed with the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and
Labrador Family Division. The Provincial Court in these areas
does not accept family court applications.
West Coast:
The Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador Family Division
has exclusive jurisdiction over all family matters arising in
the area from Grey River west along the South coast of the
island portion of Newfoundland and Labrador to Channel-Port aux
Basques, then north to include the whole of the Great Northern
Peninsula and west to the turnoff of the Trans Canada Highway to
routes 420 and 421 to Jackson’s Arm and the Beaches
respectively, to include all of the communities along both
routes 420 and 421. This means any family law applications
arising in these areas must be filed with the Supreme Court of
Newfoundland and Labrador Family Division. The Provincial Court
in these areas does not accept family court applications.
Expanded Service Area
There are some communities which are considered to come within
the “expanded service area.” In these communities, people have
the option of filing certain types of family law applications
(such as custody, access, child support and spousal support)
with the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador Family
Division or with the Provincial Court since the two Courts have
concurrent jurisdiction in these communities. Communities which
fall into the “expanded service areas” include:
East Coast:
The expanded service area on the East Coast includes the
communities from Holyrood to Port Blandford, including the
Bonavista Peninsula.
West Coast:
There is no expanded service area on the West coast of the
province.
What about other areas of the province which are not located
within the “judicial area” or “expanded service area” of the
Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador Family Division?
In all other areas of the Province (including Labrador), an
application for custody of or access to a child and an
application for child and/or spousal or partner support may be
filed in either the Provincial Court or the Supreme Court of
Newfoundland and Labrador General Division. However, only the
Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador General Division has
the authority to deal with divorce and the division of
matrimonial property.
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