You have decided the court needs to be involved, so you ask a friend who went through it what to expect. If that conversation is describing anything before this year, much of it no longer applies. On January 2, 2026, the Court of King's Bench of Alberta brought in the Family Focused Protocol, and the family focused protocol Alberta now uses front-loads a great deal of work before you are permitted to file anything.
Edmonton family lawyers are often asked the same question: what do I actually have to do before I can file? This guide explains, in plain language, what the Family Focused Protocol (FFP) is, what you must finish before filing, what happens in the courtroom, and how a file moves from the first step to a final order.
Short answer
The Family Focused Protocol is the Court of King's Bench of Alberta's family litigation process, effective January 2, 2026 under Notice to the Profession and Public NPP #2025-04, which requires parties to complete four Mandatory Requirements before filing and routes most cases into a one hour Mandatory Intake Triage Conference before an assigned Justice.
- The Family Focused Protocol replaced Family Docket Court in Edmonton and Calgary.
- It applies only to Court of King's Bench of Alberta family matters, not to family matters in the Alberta Court of Justice.
- Before filing, parties generally must complete the Parenting After Separation seminar, take part in alternative dispute resolution, exchange financial disclosure, and (for self-represented parties) meet a Family Court Counsellor.
- Files are directed into one of three streams: the Regular Family Process, the Desk Process, or the Urgent Process.
- After the Mandatory Intake Triage (MIT) Conference, further interim applications are permitted only in exceptional circumstances.
What is the Family Focused Protocol, and when did it start?
The Family Focused Protocol is the Court of King's Bench family process for managing family law files in Alberta. It sits at the centre of the Alberta family court changes in 2026. It took effect on January 2, 2026, and it is set out in Notice to the Profession and Public NPP #2025-04, which was revised on June 11, 2026. The Notice is published on the Alberta Courts website.
The purpose of the Family Focused Protocol is to move families toward resolution earlier and with fewer court appearances. Instead of a file drifting through repeated short hearings, the Court asks the parties to do the groundwork first, then gives them meaningful time in front of a Justice.
For most Edmonton families the result is the same: more to do before you file, and fewer chances to return for interim orders afterward. That change catches many people by surprise.
What did the Family Focused Protocol replace?
The Family Focused Protocol replaced Family Docket Court in Edmonton and Calgary. Family Docket Court was the entry point where family matters were spoken to briefly, often in a crowded list.
Under the old system you could file first and sort out disclosure, parenting courses and settlement discussions later. Under the Family Focused Protocol, those steps come first.
Family Docket Court vs the Family Focused Protocol
| Feature | Family Docket Court (before January 2, 2026) | Family Focused Protocol (from January 2, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| When you could file | File first, complete steps later | Four Mandatory Requirements generally completed before filing |
| First court appearance | Short docket appearance in a busy list | One hour Mandatory Intake Triage Conference before an assigned Justice |
| Alternative dispute resolution | Encouraged, often deferred | A Mandatory Requirement before filing, subject to waiver or deferral |
| Financial disclosure | Frequently chased through applications | Exchanged and packaged before the intake materials are accepted |
| Interim applications | Generally available as needed | After the MIT Conference, permitted only in exceptional circumstances |
| Streams | One general path | Regular Family Process, Desk Process, Urgent Process |
| Where it applies | Edmonton and Calgary docket courts | Court of King's Bench of Alberta family matters province-wide |
Which courts and cases does the Family Focused Protocol apply to?
The Family Focused Protocol applies to family matters in the Court of King's Bench of Alberta, province-wide. That includes divorce and corollary relief under the Divorce Act (Canada), and Court of King's Bench claims under the Family Law Act (Alberta) for parenting, contact, child support and partner support.
The Family Focused Protocol does not apply to family matters in the Alberta Court of Justice. If your parenting or support matter is proceeding in the Alberta Court of Justice, the Mandatory Requirements and the Mandatory Intake Triage Conference described in this guide do not govern your file.
What must you do before you can file?
Under the Family Focused Protocol, four Mandatory Requirements generally must be completed before your intake materials are accepted, unless they are waived or deferred or the matter qualifies as urgent.
- Parenting After Separation (PAS) seminar. A free Alberta seminar available online. Proof of completion goes in your package.
- Alternative dispute resolution. Parties are expected to have genuinely attempted a resolution process, commonly family mediation.
- Financial disclosure exchange. Each side exchanges financial disclosure before filing rather than fighting about it afterward.
- A meeting with a Family Court Counsellor. This applies to self-represented parties, where the service is available.
Remember, proof of compliance must accompany the intake package. If it is missing or incomplete, the materials are not accepted and the file does not move.
Financial disclosure is where most delay happens. That is why it pays to gather tax returns, notices of assessment, pay records, corporate documents and account statements early. That same work feeds directly into how Alberta treats family property on separation.
What are the three streams under the Family Focused Protocol?
The Family Focused Protocol sorts matters into three streams.
The Regular Family Process is the main path. It runs from the intake package through the Mandatory Intake Triage Conference to a Settlement Conference and, if the matter does not resolve, toward trial.
The Desk Process handles matters decided on the papers, without an oral hearing. Desk items include requests to waive or defer the Mandatory Requirements, requests to meet with Resolution Counsel, time-sensitive consent orders, Notice to Disclose applications and certain urgent requests. To request a Resolution Counsel meeting, parties must have completed the Parenting After Separation seminar and exchanged disclosure, and one party must earn under $90,000. Designated desk Justices are Loparco J for Edmonton and the north, and Kachur J for Red Deer and the south.
The Urgent Process is for matters that cannot reasonably wait, discussed further below.
What happens at a Mandatory Intake Triage (MIT) Conference?
The Mandatory Intake Triage (MIT) Conference is the first substantive court event under the Family Focused Protocol. It is a one hour hearing before an assigned MIT Justice, held in a courtroom and on the record. Remote attendance is available only with advance approval through a Hearing Mode Request Form.
Your MIT package generally includes:
- proof of compliance with the Mandatory Requirements, plus the Applicant's Disclosure Package;
- the commencement document, meaning a Statement of Claim, a Family Law Claim (Form FL-10), or an Originating Application;
- a Request for Mandatory Intake Triage (MIT) Conference Form;
- an MIT Summary Form; and
- an Application (Form FL-18) with a supporting affidavit, if you are asking for relief.
Remember, you must book the MIT Conference within 30 days of receiving the compliance approval email. If you miss that window, the materials must be resubmitted, which restarts work you have already done.
At the MIT Conference, the Justice may grant interim relief, make procedural orders, order reports, appoint Child's Counsel, engage in mediation, and make any other appropriate direction. This is not a formality. It is the hearing where the shape of your file is set.
What happens after the MIT Conference?
After the Mandatory Intake Triage Conference, further interim applications are permitted only in exceptional circumstances. This is a significant change for families who are used to bringing a series of applications as issues arise.
If something urgent develops afterward, the route is a Request for Meeting with Case Conference Justice rather than a fresh application. That is why you should raise everything that matters at the MIT Conference, including interim parenting time, support and disclosure, instead of saving issues for later.
What is the Settlement Conference, and how do you book one?
The Settlement Conference under the Family Focused Protocol is a structured settlement discussion before a Justice, booked using a Joint Request for Settlement Conference form. It runs roughly half a day, before a different Justice than the MIT Justice unless the parties consent.
Materials go to the regional Case Conference Coordinator. For Edmonton and northern Alberta, that is CaseConferenceCoordinator.KBJEdmonton@albertacourts.ca.
If issues remain after the Settlement Conference, the Court may direct a Consent Litigation Plan Order or a Streamlined Trial Order, a meeting with Resolution Counsel, or a Case Conference. Each narrows what a judge must actually decide.
How do you get to trial under the Family Focused Protocol?
Trial is the end of the road, and relatively few family files reach it. Under the Family Focused Protocol, a Pre-Trial Conference is required 90 days or more before the scheduled trial date.
That rule is worth planning around. Evidence, expert reports and valuations need to be ready before the Pre-Trial Conference, not in the weeks before trial.
What if your situation is urgent or unsafe?
The Urgent Process under the Family Focused Protocol exists for situations that cannot reasonably be delayed. It covers a risk of violence or harm, a risk of a child being removed, Emergency Protection Order reviews, and parenting or contact matters that cannot reasonably wait.
If your matter is urgent, the Mandatory Requirements can be waived or deferred. You file a Request to Waive or Defer Mandatory Requirements form along with a Desk Application. The respondent then has 5 clear days to return the Notice to Respond to Waiver Request.
Safety comes before process. If you or your children are at immediate risk, contact police first, then speak with a lawyer about an Emergency Protection Order.
Your file from start to finish under the Family Focused Protocol
- Get advice early and confirm whether your matter belongs in the Court of King's Bench of Alberta or the Alberta Court of Justice.
- Complete the Parenting After Separation seminar and keep the certificate.
- Gather and exchange your financial disclosure in full.
- Take part in alternative dispute resolution, such as mediation, and keep proof.
- If self-represented, meet a Family Court Counsellor where available.
- Assemble the intake package: commencement document, Request for MIT Conference Form, MIT Summary Form, and Form FL-18 if you seek relief.
- Submit for compliance review and wait for the approval email.
- Book the MIT Conference within 30 days of that email.
- Attend the one hour MIT Conference and address every issue that matters.
- Follow the directions given, then book a Settlement Conference by Joint Request if issues remain.
- If the matter does not resolve, move to a Litigation Plan or Streamlined Trial, then a Pre-Trial Conference at least 90 days before trial.
What does the Family Focused Protocol mean for you in practice?
Starting a court file while your family life is in upheaval is stressful. The good news: the Family Focused Protocol rewards preparation. Four consequences follow.
The work is front-loaded. You will spend time and money before filing, on the seminar, on disclosure and on a resolution process. That changes how the first few months feel.
Disclosure discipline matters. Incomplete disclosure now stalls a file at the door rather than partway through.
The MIT Conference carries real weight. Because further interim applications are limited to exceptional circumstances, the relief you seek at intake should be complete and well supported.
Alternative dispute resolution is no longer optional. Mediation and negotiated settlement are built into the process. If you are at the beginning, our overview of divorce and separation in Alberta is a useful starting point, and if you already have an order, see our guide to changing parenting orders when circumstances change. Background on Alberta's family statutes is available from the Government of Alberta.
Frequently asked questions
When did Alberta's Family Focused Protocol take effect?
The Family Focused Protocol took effect on January 2, 2026 at the Court of King's Bench of Alberta, under Notice to the Profession and Public NPP #2025-04, revised June 11, 2026. It replaced Family Docket Court in Edmonton and Calgary and now governs how family files are started province-wide.
Does the Family Focused Protocol apply to the Alberta Court of Justice?
No. The Family Focused Protocol applies only to family matters in the Court of King's Bench of Alberta. Matters in the Alberta Court of Justice are not governed by the Mandatory Requirements or the Mandatory Intake Triage Conference. Because the two courts run different processes, get advice about which fits your circumstances.
What are the Mandatory Requirements before filing in Alberta?
There are four. You generally must complete the Parenting After Separation seminar, take part in alternative dispute resolution such as mediation, exchange financial disclosure, and, if self-represented, meet a Family Court Counsellor where available. Proof of compliance must accompany your intake package, and the requirements can be waived or deferred in appropriate cases.
How long do I have to book my MIT Conference?
You must book the Mandatory Intake Triage Conference within 30 days of receiving the compliance approval email from the Court. If you do not book within that window, your materials must be resubmitted and reviewed again. Calendar the deadline as soon as the approval email arrives.
Can I still bring an interim application after the MIT Conference?
Only in exceptional circumstances. After the Mandatory Intake Triage Conference, the Family Focused Protocol limits further interim applications. If something urgent arises, the route is a Request for Meeting with Case Conference Justice. The practical lesson is to raise every interim issue, including parenting time, support and disclosure, at the MIT Conference.
What if my situation is urgent or there is a safety concern?
The Urgent Process covers a risk of violence or harm, a risk of a child being removed, Emergency Protection Order reviews, and parenting or contact matters that cannot reasonably be delayed. The Mandatory Requirements can be waived or deferred using a Request to Waive or Defer Mandatory Requirements form with a Desk Application. The respondent has 5 clear days to respond.
Talk to an Edmonton family lawyer
The Family Focused Protocol changed what you need ready before a family file can begin, and that is a lot to take in. The team at Demas Schaefer focuses exclusively on family law and can help you complete the requirements, assemble your intake package and prepare for your Mandatory Intake Triage Conference. We offer a free 15-minute telephone or video consultation so you can see how we can help. Call 780-423-2643 or set up an appointment with one of our family lawyers.
About the author
Mark Demas is a partner at Demas Schaefer LLP in Edmonton, Alberta. His work focuses on divorce and separation, parenting, support and family property, and he is also a mediator. You can read more about his practice on his lawyer profile.
Last reviewed: August 24, 2026.
This article provides general information about family law in Alberta and is current as of August 24, 2026. It is not legal advice and does not create a lawyer-client relationship. Family law outcomes depend on the specific facts of each case. If you need advice about your own situation, speak with a lawyer.