Category Archives: Family Law
Looking on the Bright Side About Divorce and Finances
Many divorced people now think of their divorce as something to celebrate, even if they were originally devastated when their spouses announced their intention to divorce. Some people even celebrate the anniversary of their divorce, and newly divorced people sometimes have divorce parties to celebrate being single again. It is hard to see the… Read More »
You Might Have to Continue Paying Alimony, Even After Your Ex-Spouse Remarries
Alimony, which is a series of payments made after divorce from the higher income ex-spouse to the lower income ex-spouse, used to be nearly universal in divorce cases two generations ago. Divorce was rare, but most divorced women had no means of financial support except their former husbands. Today, nearly half of marriages end… Read More »
Ontario Marriage Annulment Laws
Compared to some other countries, Canada lets couples’ actions speak for themselves about whether they are a family unit. You and your partner can form a common law marriage without the court’s intervention, and you can end your marriage without the court’s intervention. If you get legally married, and the government issues a marriage… Read More »
Cohabitation Agreements
Common law spouses have more rights in Canada than they do south of the border in the United States. Since couples who have not legally formalized their marriage do not need the court’s permission to separate, the court also does not intervene in decisions about dividing their property; there is no marital property without… Read More »
Family Mediation – Is It Right For Me?
Going to trial in your divorce case is as ugly as it sounds, but working out all of the details of your divorce with your spouse and then walking into the courthouse together to finalize your divorce as the best of friends is an unattainable ideal. There must be some middle ground, and for… Read More »
Your Divorce Anniversary Can Be a Time for Celebration or Self-Care
Divorce lawyers and divorced friends may try to encourage you and cheer you up by telling you that the hardest part of divorce is while your case is pending, that it all gets easier once the court formally dissolves your marriage. They are correct to some extent, and for the months following your divorce… Read More »
How to Avoid Letting Your Co-Parent Get Under Your Skin
Some couples divorce after years of a high-conflict relationship. Ever since their oldest child was born, they could not stand to keep it to themselves when the other spouse didn’t dress the baby warmly enough for the weather or waited too long before taking a trash bag full of stinky diapers to the trash… Read More »
When Does Spousal Support End in Ontario?
Whether you’re paying or receiving alimony in Ontario, you might be wondering when it will end. Those paying spousal support may be eagerly counting down the days till they can stop sending their exes money, while receiving spouses may be concerned about the financial impact of losing this support. The end date of spousal… Read More »
How Addictions Affect Divorce in Ontario
According to the Ontario Human Rights Commission, almost 5% of the province’s population struggles with some kind of addiction-related mental health issue. This is higher than the national average of about 4%. Addictions often appear during marriage, and in some cases they cause marriages to end. How might an addiction affect your divorce in… Read More »
Why You Need an Ontario Family Lawyer for Marriage Contracts
Marriage contracts get a bad name for being among the most non-romantic topics to address before getting married, but the poor reputation is not entirely deserved. The Ontario Family Law Act allows people who intend to marry to enter into an agreement in which they lay out their respective rights and duties upon separation… Read More »