Family Law

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 […]

The Christmas holidays are supposed to be a time for fun and cheer.  However, for separated families they can also be a cause of tremendous stress and anxiety. This is especially true for high conflict separations where parents can’t agree on holiday parenting time, gifts for the children, or family vacations. Communication is key.  When

Regardless of being married, common-law or even having never been in a relationship with the other parent, moving with children can be a complex subject for parents. Recent changes to the Divorce Act and the Children’s Law Reform Act have modified how the Court will determine if a relocation will be permitted or not. The

If you are going through a separation or divorce it can be hard to know where to start. One of the first steps will be the exchange of financial information or “disclosure”, which is required pursuant to Family law legislation. Exchange of financial disclosure ensures that both parties have knowledge of each others’ assets and

For most families, summer is a time for bike rides, slushies and jumping through the sprinkler. However, for parents trying to navigate a divorce or separation, the summer holidays can be filled with stress and uncertainty. The implementation of a fulsome summer parenting schedule is the best way to alleviate as much stress as possible

In Ontario, you cannot cast me falsely in the public eye, online or otherwise. Doing so is considered a form of invasion of my privacy and, if online, cyberbullying. In this family law case, a spouse claimed intrusion on seclusion and invasion of privacy, because the other spouse had posted YouTube videos of his interactions

It can make a big difference, legally, whether you are married or “common law” if you and your partner separate, or one of you unfortunately passes away. In Ontario, common law spouses are treated differently than married spouses, at law, if there is a separation or a death during the relationship. For example, did you

The Ontario government released its plan today to modernize the child welfare system. The strategy focuses on strengthening families and communities through prevention, early intervention and seeking more permanent homes for children and youth in care when they cannot stay in their own homes or communities. The strategy to redesign the child welfare system has five

Generally, for a non-biological child, the Court will examine whether a person, for the purposes of having to pay support to that child, treated the person as his “child”, had a “settled intention” to do so and, in fact, had provided that person with financial support during the relationship. Even after death, for example, under Ontario’s

The Family Court has recently issued another stern caution and warning to those embroiled in Family Court litigation, including the lawyers who represent them.  This important guidance is in Alsawwah v. Afini, 2020 ONSC 2883, at paragraph 108, and is a must-read for every person who finds himself or herself in the challenging landscape of