Family Law

People frequently ask us “when am I legally separated?” or “how to I legally separate?” In Ontario there is no formal process to declare you are separated. You can be considered legally separated as soon as you take actions to end your relationship, be it a marriage or a common law relationship.  The most obvious […]

Navigating a co-parenting relationship is difficult at the best of times. It is inevitable that eventually, one or both of you will meet someone new and form a relationship. A successful co-parenting relationship will face a new set of challenges when a new partner is introduced into the lives of your children. If a new

Treat your co-parenting relationship like a business transaction. This may sound like a harsh way to describe raising children as co-parents. However, after separation, there is a job to do that connects you with your former partner. That job is raising your children, your “product” as effectively and successfully as possible. Your former partner is

For families going through a separation, spousal support can be a complex issue.  It is a “hot button” topic that can significantly affect both parties.  Choosing between lump sum spousal support and monthly spousal support is crucial. A lump sum payment can be enticing to both the payor and the recipient. For the recipient, they

Often in Family Law matters the Court may recommend, or the parties may request, the appointment of the Office of the Children’s Lawyer (the “OCL”). The purpose of the OCL it to help children in certain type of legal cases. The OCL may be helpful when an independent third-party opinion and information is needed about

If you have an existing Agreement or Family Court Order that requires your former partner to pay ongoing monthly child (or spousal) support, it may be important to know what your options are if they stop making these payments. In situations where there is an existing domestic contract, such as a Separation Agreement or Parenting

You’ve likely heard about signing a ‘Pre-Nup’ or Prenuptial Agreement before getting married as a way to protect your assets. A Prenuptial Agreement (as it is commonly referred to in the United States) is actually more than just a security measure for those with valuable assets, allowing both partners to clearly set out their financial

Assessing the need for a family law lawyer can seem like an overwhelming task, but the following information will provide a few quick tips on how to make the process easier. Often, people can find themselves in intricate legal situations that may involve divorce, child custody, spousal support, and property division. In such cases, professional

Parental alienation is an unsettling issue that often surfaces in the realm of family law. It refers to a scenario where a child becomes estranged from one parent due to the manipulative actions of the other. Unfortunately, this issue isn’t uncommon. Parental alienation is a serious issue in family law, and the Court takes this

There are four ways to adopt a child in Ontario – public, private, international and relative or step-child adoption. This blog will discuss the differences between them. Public adoption is the adoption of a child or youth who is currently in permanent care (called extended care) of a Children’s Aid Society. Generally, these children are