For the regular FFP route, work out which mandatory requirements apply, complete them and keep the evidence. They concern parenting education, dispute resolution, financial disclosure and, for unrepresented parties where available, a family court counsellor. A request for a waiver or deferral needs a court decision; it is not a box you can mark yourself.
Start with the court and the route
This guide concerns King’s Bench’s regular Family Focused Protocol. The FFP operates across its judicial centres. The Family Justice Strategy describes services and requirements in particular regions; that regional information does not mean FFP ends at those boundaries.
An urgent application, a desk application and the filing of a document to start an action are different steps. Before using a checklist, identify what you are trying to file and any order or direction already made. Use the Court’s current notice and included-and-excluded matters list to establish the route.
Further detail: Court of King’s Bench: Family Focused Protocol · Court of King’s Bench: FFP Notice, revised August 10, 2026 · Court of King’s Bench: Included and Excluded Matters, June 2026
What does each requirement involve?
Keep the record showing completion, not just a note that you attended or sent something. For each item, identify the date, the issues it covers and the document available as proof.
| Requirement | What it concerns | What to keep |
|---|---|---|
| Parenting After Separation (PAS) | Education about separation, communication and children. Where required, check that the certificate meets the applicable recency requirement. | Completion certificate and course date. |
| Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) | An appropriate attempt to resolve the disputed issues. The FJS guidance calls for an attempt within the preceding six months and safety screening. | Participation record, dates and issues covered; any relevant direction. |
| Financial disclosure | The financial information required for the issues, including supporting records. | The disclosure provided, delivery record and list of missing items. |
| Family court counsellor | An applicable intake requirement for unrepresented parties, where the service is available. | Appointment and completion information; confirmation supplied by the service. |
Further detail: Government of Alberta: Family Justice Strategy · Government of Alberta: Parenting After Separation course · Government of Alberta: Family court assistance
Make the unfinished work visible
A useful tracker can be simple: requirement / proof held / gap / next action. Keep “completed,” “booked” and “requested” separate. Booking an appointment is useful progress, but it does not show attendance.
In a fictional example, Priya has her PAS certificate and a financial document list. Mediation is booked for next month, and an income record is still missing. Her next actions are to keep the booking details, obtain the record and identify whether the timing creates a problem. Labelling the whole list “done” would hide both gaps.
What if something prevents completion?
Describe the actual barrier: a safety concern, difficulty accessing a service, a missing document or a refusal to participate. Record what has been tried and what remains possible. The separate waiver-and-deferral guide explains the request; an obstacle is not automatic permission to omit a requirement.
For help locating services, Alberta’s Family Resolution Hub and family court assistance pages are useful starting points. A counsellor can help unrepresented people understand options and prepare; that support is different from legal advice about the result to seek.
Further detail: Government of Alberta: Family Justice Strategy · Government of Alberta: Family court assistance · Government of Alberta: Family Resolution Hub
Questions you might have
Does an old course certificate settle the question?
Check the date. Alberta’s FJS guidance requires PAS to be retaken when the certificate is more than two years old. Keep the actual certificate available so the applicable requirement can be checked.
Do I need to reach an agreement at ADR?
The requirement concerns participation in the applicable resolution process. It does not promise settlement. Record what was addressed and what remains unresolved; do not assume an exchange of settlement emails qualifies as the required ADR.
Take something useful with you
Mandatory-requirements working sheet
0 of 6 items marked
This page stores no checklist answers. A reload clears your selections. The download is a blank preparation aid, not a court form.
Sources & further help
- Court of King’s Bench: FFP Notice, revised August 10, 2026
- Court of King’s Bench: Family Focused Protocol
- Court of King’s Bench: Included and Excluded Matters, June 2026
- Government of Alberta: Family Justice Strategy
- Government of Alberta: Parenting After Separation course
- Government of Alberta: Family court assistance
General information only. The applicable rules, court directions and circumstances of your matter determine the next step.