Family Law Services

A Divorce is the finalizing of the end of a marriage. Some people manage to sort out all of the other issues arising from their separation, such as parenting issues, support issues and property issues. However, they may not actually formalize their divorce until necessary, for example, in order to get remarried.

A Simple Divorce is a process used after the separated couple have already resolved all other issues arising from their separation. This is achieved by way of a Separation Agreement or court Order in which the only relief claimed is a divorce. We can assist you throughout this process in order to ensure that it goes as smoothly as possible

A Separation Agreement is a legally binding contract that is entered into by you as separated spouses, parents, and/or common law partners (known as the parties). It addresses, in detail, all issues arising from a separation.

For instance, a Separation Agreement will address such issues as:

• Whether the family home will be sold or whether one party will transfer their ownership interest in the home to the other.
• The residency/parenting time (access) arrangements for your children.
• Decision-making responsibility regarding your children.
• Child support and special or extraordinary expenses.
• Whether either party will be required to pay spousal support to the other and if so, how much and for how long.
• The division of the parties’ properties.

We can assist you with respect to all aspects of this process including:

• Reviewing a previously prepared Separation Agreement.
• Drafting a comprehensive Separation Agreement that reflect the sort of settlement that you wish to enter into with the other party.
• Negotiating the terms of a Separation Agreement with the other party and/or their lawyer.
• Negotiating and drafting an Amending Agreement that will vary the terms of a Separation Agreement that was previously entered into by the parties.

Please contact us before entering into any Separation Agreements so that you can be made fully aware of your legal rights and obligations.

In most situations, you should try and resolve the issues arising from your separation through a negotiated Separation Agreement instead of through court.

However, contested family court proceedings maybe the preferred option in terms of resolving the issues arising from separation in certain situations including:

• Situations where you cannot reach an agreement regarding the issues arising from your separation despite your efforts.
• Situations in which the other party has already brought court proceedings against you.
• Urgent situations such as in the cases of one parent denying the other contact with the children or one parent refusing to return the children to the other.

We offer legal advice and guidance to help you decide if court is the right route for you and your circumstances. We also prepare court documents on behalf your behalf, attend court proceedings on your behalf and assist you with all aspects of such contested family court proceedings.

If you are:

• A married couple
• A couple living common-law
• Two persons who are about to marry and/or who are about to reside with each other

You may decide to enter into an agreement that will set out how your property is to be divided if you separate or if one of you dies before the other while you’re still together.

A marriage agreement (marriage contract) specifies how your joint assets should be divided should you divorce. Sometimes known as a pre-nuptial agreement or pre-nup, a marriage contract is a legally binding document in Ontario.

We offer legal advice to help you decide whether a marriage/cohabitation agreement is right for you and provide you with legal advice regarding the terms of such an agreement.

Please contact us before entering into any Marriage/Cohabitation Agreement so that you can be made fully aware of your legal rights and obligations before signing such an important agreement.

Sometimes a parent’s new partner will want to adopt the other’s child so as to ensure that for all intents and purposes, each of them are recognized as being the child’s parents. This typically occurs in situations in which the other biological parent has not been a part of the child’s live for an extended period of time.

We can help you determine whether pursuing such an adoption is the right thing for you in the circumstances and we can assist you with respect to all aspects of this process.

Sometimes a person will decide to donate reproductive material to another person in order to assist them in conceiving a child. A person may also agree to accept donated reproductive material from another in order to help them conceive a child.

There are important legal ramifications involved in such a process, in terms of issues as support and access to the child. We can help you negotiate and prepare an agreement that will address all issues arising from such an arrangement.

If you have any concerns about the safety or well-being of a child, please contact your local Children’s Aid Society.

If you believe that your spouse, partner and/or the parent of your child(ren) poses a danger to you and/or your children :

• Get yourself and your children to a place of safety
• Call 911 or your local police department

If you need support and advice to access community and/or social services, call Ontario 211:

Phone: 2-1-1

Toll-free: 1-877-330-3213

Toll-free TTY: 1-888-340-1001

Domestic abuse does not discriminate. Ontario has provision to help male or female victims, the LGBTQ+ community and Indigenous peoples.

You can find helplines and organizations offering support at https://www.ontario.ca/page/get-help-if-you-are-experiencing-violence