“My common-law partner just cheated on me, so we’re breaking up. Will he still get half the house, even though I’m the one who put up the down payment and paid most of the mortgage?” It depends. If the house was jointly owned – so both names are on the deed – the likelihood is […]
Preparing estate documents is one thing. Accessing them is another. Last Monday morning I got a call from an old friend in Vancouver. “My mother’s in the hospital and they don’t expect her to regain consciousness,” he said. “I need to find her Will and the Power of Attorney paperwork she did with her lawyer
Making a Will isn’t fun. Dying without one is worse. If ‘making a Will’ has been one of those things on your long-term to-do list but doesn’t seem to ever become a top priority, you’re not alone; studies show that as many as 74% of Canadians don’t have an up-to-date Will, and about half of Canadians don’t
Sure, ‘without prejudice’ seems like a real legal term. But what is it, exactly? The traditional meaning of ‘without prejudice’ it is to allow communications between parties without worrying that those communications, like letters or emails, will be used in court against the writer. However, it’s a term often misused by lawyers. It should be
Asking the right questions will help you find the right fit The truth is that sometimes in life, you need a family lawyer: To help with estates, Wills and powers of attorney; for property division and mortgage agreements; for marriage and co-habitation agreements; and, yes, for separation, divorce and child custody agreements. It’s a
As with most things in law, the answer is “It depends.” Mediation is one way of resolving a dispute. It’s not the only way. It can be a great way to solve differences in family disputes – but isn’t always the best approach. It’s complicated. Lawyers typically have very little to do with mediation, so
It’s not as hard as you think I have to be honest: I’ve been a lawyer for a long time now with the gray to show for it and I’ve always thought November was the best month to be ‘make-a-will month’. The other eleven are also great months to update your Will or get to it the
“I paid a contractor $35,000 to renovate the kitchen. It’s been 6 months, it’s only half-done, and I’m pretty sure he’s not going to finish it. What are my remedies in civil court?” Before we consider suing, we have to understand the reasons for the delay. The desire of the homeowner is to have the
“I’m still married, but now I have a live-in girlfriend. We both have kids. What does this mean, legally speaking?” Whenever a married couple separates – especially if there are young children involved – it’s best to document any custody and parenting arrangements, even if they’re only to be used on an interim basis.
Special and extraordinary expenses for children “My ex-wife said our daughter had been accepted to a prestigious, but expensive, dance camp. So I gave her $3000 as half of the tuition – but now I’m almost positive my daughter never actually went to the camp. What should I do?” Special and extraordinary expenses are governed
