Few people enter into marriage thinking it will end in divorce. Despite this, couples throughout Canada regularly decide to end their unions. According to information Canadians provided in the 2011 census, rather than marriage, residents are increasingly opting to be involved in common-law relationships. A study recently released that was based on that information, focused specifically on women age 15 and older, and their preferences…
The end of any relationship is usually difficult. This is particularly true when, regardless of whether a marriage is involved, a couple has created a home together. While a cohabitating couple that decides to call it quits does not have to go through a divorce, it is possible many of the same issues–such as the division of property, child support and “spousal” support–will need to…
For many couples in Canada, marriage has lost its appeal. As a result, some couples decide to live together, without an actual ceremony. While they may feel as though they are married, should they decide to end the relationship, they will likely quickly be reminded that they are in fact not married. This is because common-law couples who cohabitate do not have the same rights…
When a long-term relationship comes to an end, the assets the couple shares often need to be divided. This is true regardless of the whether the couple was ever married. While some items are easy to divide, if a couple that has a common-law marriage, the matter may be complicated. Before the assets can be divided, however, it must first be established that the couple…
It has been a while since we discussed the determination of child support amounts and the kinds of documents the paying parent may be required to provide to the other parent and the court. Because certain rules apply to family court proceedings, and because a paying parent must make an accurate disclosure of income, it is important to have a family lawyer on your side…
How Can Domestic Violence Affect Rights to the Family Home? Domestic violence is a serious matter in Ontario family law and the Canadian Criminal Code. In addition to the impact domestic violence allegations can have on child custody and spousal support, the court may grant one spouse exclusive possession of the matrimonial home if the other spouse has committed violence or made threats of violence…