Glossary of Legal Terms

A PID is the unique nine-digit number assigned to a parcel of land in British Columbia. It stays with the parcel even when ownership changes.

Parental responsibilities are the important decision-making responsibilities guardians have for a child. They can include decisions about health, education, religion, and protecting the child’s legal and financial interests.

Parenting arrangements describe how guardians will parent a child after separation. They include the allocation of parenting time and parental responsibilities.

A parenting assessment is a professional assessment used in some parenting disputes to help the court understand a child’s needs and the parenting arrangements that may best serve those needs.

A parenting coordinator is a professional who helps separated parents implement, manage, and in some cases resolve certain disputes about parenting arrangements after separation.

A parenting order is a court order that sets out parenting arrangements for a child. It may deal with parenting time, parental responsibilities, and related child-focused issues.

Parenting time is the time a child spends with a guardian. During that time, the guardian is responsible for the child’s care and makes day-to-day decisions.

A payor is the person who must make support payments under an agreement or court order. The term is commonly used for child support and spousal support matters.

A personal representative is the person with legal authority to administer an estate, whether as an executor named in a will or as an administrator appointed by the court.

The possession date is the day the buyer is legally entitled to take physical possession of the property. This is often the day the buyer receives the keys.

A power of attorney is a legal document that lets one person authorize another to handle financial or legal matters on their behalf. It does not authorize personal care or health care decisions by itself.

Probate is the court process used to confirm that a will is valid and that the executor has legal power to act. It helps banks, the Land Title Office, and other organizations know they can rely on the will and the person handling the estate.

Property transfer tax is a provincial tax that is generally payable when someone purchases or gains an interest in property that is registered at the Land Title Office. Exemptions may apply in some situations.

A protection order is a court order made to help protect a person and, in some cases, a child from family violence. It can place conditions or restrictions on the person the order is made against.

Provincial Court is one of the courts that deals with many family law matters in British Columbia. Its jurisdiction depends on the type of family issue involved.

A recipient is the person who receives support payments under an agreement or court order. The term is commonly used in child support and spousal support matters.

A records office is the B.C. location where a company must keep important corporate records. These records can include incorporation documents, registers, and other records required by the Act.

A registered office is the company’s official B.C. office for service and formal delivery of records. A company must maintain a registered office in British Columbia.

A registered owner is the person shown on title as the legal owner of the property or of a registered interest in the property. Land title records identify registered ownership.

A representation agreement is a legal document used in British Columbia to authorize another person to help make or make certain personal and health care decisions. It is part of incapacity planning.