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 […]
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 now comprises about 20% of families across the country. For many people, a household based on a common-law relationship is something that sort of ‘happens’.
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 to the parties involved, not to a judge in court or the lawyers in the negotiation. Developed as an alternative to the stereotypical litigated divorce,
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
In another couple of months, many parents will be dropping off their kids at university for the first time. With this in mind, we’re bringing you one of our most popular articles – and one of the child-support questions we’re most often asked – on what happens to child support when the child goes to
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
By Litigation Associate Christine McKeating You may think that if you’ve already written your Last Will & Testament, you have your estate planning completed. However, you may be surprised to learn that Wills are not a single-task to be completed and then forgotten. In general, one’s Will needs period review so that it clearly states your
Persistent litigants make everyone suffer Persistent family law litigants who bring applications or motions to vary without pursuing them by consistently delaying proceedings are abusing the justice system and responding parties – and they typically don’t face any consequences, says Ottawa family lawyer Timothy N. Sullivan. “There should be a rule of court to address parties who
A topic that many people just don’t consider A recent Ontario Court of Appeal (OCA) ruling that allows a second wife and child to claim support from a deceased common-law husband’s life insurance policy raises some important questions and issues. The ruling overturned a Divisional Court decision that found the second wife was not a “creditor”
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
