Mandatory Information Program

The Mandatory Information Program (MIP) is a crucial component of family court proceedings in Ontario, designed to help individuals understand the complexities of separation and divorce. Available at family court locations across the province, the MIP provides essential information about the legal process, family law issues, and resources available to support families during challenging times. […]

Importance of Mobility Clause in An Agreement

A separation agreement is a legally binding agreement between two spouses which addresses the issues of property, support, access and custody. One vital clause that is occasionally overlooked in a separation agreement is the issue of mobility. It is very important that the issue of mobility is addressed in a separation agreement. Mobility involves the […]

Section 7 Expenses

Section 7 of the Federal Child Support Guidelines (Guidelines) specifically addresses those “special or extraordinary expenses” which the basic monthly child support or table amount does not include. Section 7 outlines the categories of special or extraordinary expenses which include: child care expenses incurred as a result of the custodial parent’s employment, illness, disability or […]

3 Things Every Parenting Plan Should Have

A parenting plan is a useful document all separated spouses should have as part of their parenting arrangement. These plans outline parents’ respective rights and the extent of their involvement with their children. They are more than mere time-splitting schedules; parenting plans are a contract between parents about childrearing and provide consistent structure in kids’ […]

Travel Consent

What is a Travel Consent? Travel consent applies to a child who is either traveling alone, with only one parent/guardian, friends, relatives or a group (e.g. sports, school, musical, religious). Although there is no Canadian legal requirement for children to carry a travel consent, a travel consent may be requested by immigration authorities when a […]

Child Support

Child support refers to a child’s right to be financially supported by the non-custodial parent. This financial support is generally paid on a monthly basis. The amount of child support a payor parent is obligated to pay is often referred to as the ‘table amount’ as this number is derived from a table of calculations set out in the Federal […]

Misconception of Sole Custody

The Meaning of Sole Custody To get to the misconceptions of sole custody it is important to outline its meaning. Sole custody outlines how decisions are made for the child and who can make them. It does not outline the physical care or the amount of time spent with the child. Sole custody is also […]

What are the Child Support Guidelines?

The Federal Child Support Guidelines contain an easy to use table for each province and territory to determine how much child support needs to be paid from one parent to the other. The set-formula: The table uses a set formula which considers: The number of children that child support should be paid for, and The […]

Dispute Resolution Officers

Dispute Resolution Officers (“DRO’s”) are experienced family law lawyers in all areas of family law who has been carefully selected by the court to meet the parties and assist them in settling their matter. The DRO will not only speak with parties and their counsel, but also suggesting different mechanisms for resolution which will satisfy […]

Benefits of the Collaborative Process

Collaborative Family Law is also known as the CFL process. It focuses on an interest-based negotiation method and is a voluntary process. The parties resolve their disputes respectfully, with the assistance and guidance from their lawyers (and other professionals if necessary) to achieve a settlement that meets the specific needs of all parties involved. One […]

Category Archives: Family Law Articles