Life is busy. Add in extra professional events, social get-togethers, cleaning, shopping, and school and religious commitments and your mind, body, and wallet will likely be stretched to the limit this time of year. This feeling of “too much” or “overload” we often experience during the “holidays” can lead us down a less-than desirable path. …
Read MoreA Manitoba Court recently examined the relationship between mental illness and parenting when it was asked to rule on the issue of custody with respect to the children of a divorced couple who were dealing with the mother’s Delusional Disorder diagnosis and the father’s violent temper. In Ulloa v. Ulloa, the parties each took the position that the …
Read MoreWhen parties with children go through a separation or divorce one of the most urgent issues to address is the visitation schedule. Whether one parent has sole custody or the parties have agreed to (or have been ordered to) share physical custody of the children, a child’s scheduled time with each parent must be given careful consideration. …
Read MoreWe recently highlighted a CBCNews article that discussed the plight of grandparents who have been denied access to their grandchildren after the separation or divorce of their child. An estimated 75,000 Ontario grandparents have been denied access to about 112,000 children. A private member’s bill that aims to ensure courts give grandparents a chance to make their case …
Read MoreJustice Grace of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice set a somber tone in his opening comments in Spero v. Dean: “Sadly, once married parties are no longer joined in heart, body or soul but as antagonistic parties in an ocean of family and civil litigation. This will form a small part of one chapter of the …
Read MoreIn Family Law Act (Re), Justice Fitzpatrick of the Supreme Court of British Columbia granted a same sex couple’s application for a declaration of parentage following the birth of their child. The child’s birth was made possible by the contribution of eggs from a female donor and the participation of a surrogate mother. In addition to …
Read MoreWhether it sneaks up on you every single time or you have it diarized years in advance, passport renewal time is never really something we look forward to. And when you are separated or divorced, the process can be even more burdensome. Passport Canada has very precise rules about children’s passport applications. The parent making …
Read More“Doctor sues gay friend for child support, 16 years after he first donated sperm to her” This eye-catching headline appeared recently in a national newspaper. The article, written by Ashley Csanady, explores the unique facts of this case, and questions whether Bill 28, the All Families are Equal Act, might help protect sperm donors, such as …
Read MoreWhat is a Separation Agreement? A separation agreement is a legally binding contract created between two partners, subsequent to their separation. It sets out each party’s rights on issues such as: child custody and access; division of property; debts; child support; and spousal support It’s possible for parties to draw up a separation agreement on …
Read MoreOne of the most important property-related issues that must be dealt with during a separation and/or divorce is the equalization of net family property. In a nutshell, Ontario’s property equalization scheme provides that when two people enter into a marriage, each spouse becomes automatically entitled to an equal share of the profits of the marriage. …
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