Small Claims Court in Ontario: Do you need a lawyer?
The advice may be good, but the financial advantage can be small. Recently we discussed what Small Claims Court in Ontario is, and what kinds of legal issues it’s designed [...]
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ASK A LAWYER: What do common-law partners get in a split?
“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 [...]
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It’s great that you made a Will. Does anyone know where it 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 [...]
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Joint tenancy: It sounds simple, but is often a double-edged sword
by Timothy Sullivan What is joint tenancy? Generally speaking, property can be owned either personally or jointly. Joint tenancy is when people own a property together and the right to [...]
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Wills & Estates and Common Law Couples: navigating tense waters
In the past 10 years, the number of common-law couples in Canada has grown at something like 4 times the rate of married couples. So it’s not surprising to lawyers, [...]
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So you need to hire a lawyer
So you have a problem you think you need to talk to a lawyer about. How do you hire a lawyer? Every lawyer or firm may have different procedures. [...]
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The matrimonial home is a special kind of asset*
Remember Eddie Murphy’s comedy video Raw diatribe on splitting assets in a divorce? To paraphrase: “she gets half!!”¶. For all his talent, the voice of ShrekŦ is not an Ontario [...]
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What happens if you die without a Will in Ontario?
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 [...]
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Not being ‘married’ doesn’t mean you don’t need a lawyer
Common-law relationship splits have unique challenges. In the past 10 years, the number of common-law couples (non-married couples who have a household together) in Canada has continued to grow, and [...]
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Collaborative divorce: Because divorce doesn’t have to be difficult and stressful
Collaborative Law is a confidential, out-of-court alternative based upon mutual respect Collaborative Family Law differs from traditional litigation and negotiation, based in mutual respect and giving control of the process [...]
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