We are happy to announce our top 10 blog posts of 2024! Although not all of these posts were written in 2024, these articles and topics were those which our readers found most interesting and applicable to their interests and/or family law circumstances.
1. Adultery and Affairs: Understanding the Basis for Divorce in Ontario
Adultery in Ontario is a legally recognized ground for divorce, requiring proof of voluntary sexual intercourse with someone other than a spouse. While emotionally impactful, the legal focus is on specific evidence rather than emotional harm. Understanding this distinction helps individuals navigate divorce proceedings more effectively.
2. Selling the Matrimonial Home & An Introduction to Ontario Divorce Laws
When a couple first separates under contentious circumstances, I will often get questions about what each party’s respective rights are in the early stages, i.e. before the long process has started of formally dividing up their assets and dealing with any support and child-related issues. One of the most common questions is whether the spouse who remains in the matrimonial home after separation can change the locks in order to exclude the other spouse.
3. Changing The Locks in Ontario: The Law on Separated Spouses, Possession & the Matrimonial Home
One of the most common questions is whether the spouse who remains in the matrimonial home after separation can change the locks in order to exclude the other spouse. In Ontario, the short answer is: No.
4. 5 Best Divorce Lawyers in Toronto
August 3, 2022
Choosing a lawyer can be a difficult experience. Go with your gut, ask questions and ask other professionals or former clients for recommendations. The key is to have confidence in your counsel together with open and regular communication. You want a lawyer who will listen to your story, show compassion, empathy and a willingness to be a fearless advocate.
5. Changing Your Name After Divorce in Ontario: Process, Child Name Changes, and Required Updates
March 05, 2024
In Ontario, many individuals choose to change their name after a divorce, often reverting to their maiden name or a previous surname. As of 2024, the process has become more streamlined, but it still requires understanding the legal steps, considerations for changing a child’s name, and the various places you need to update your new name. This article provides a comprehensive guide to navigating the name change process in Ontario following a divorce.
6. Who Gets the Car When You Divorce?
April 17, 2021
Vehicle values, ownership and division are important pieces of property and can become highly contested when going through a separation. Cars, especially collector cars, can be a source of pride for many owners. But what does the law say?
7. Introduction to Spousal Spying and the Law in Ontario
Those embroiled in matrimonial disputes and litigation can attest to the fact that emotions run high: acrimony can breed one-upmanship, and ex-spouses may be consider resorting to less-than-ethical means of obtaining information on their former partners to be used in the dispute-resolution process.
8. Lifestyle Post-Separation: $200k Tesla, New Girlfriend, Lavish Trips & Support Obligations
September 26, 2023
In a recent Ontario case, the court rejected a very wealthy husband’s complaints that his finances did now allow for significant child and spousal support pending divorce. This was based partly on social media evidence of his extravagant jet-setting lifestyle in the company of a (very) young new girlfriend.
9. 10 Things You Should Know About Child Support in Ontario
March 23, 2021
If you are seeking to either change child support obligations, it is important that you provide written notice and supporting documentation to the other parent. FRO (family responsibility office) will only enforce court orders or written agreements. If the other parent dos not agree to change child support, then you may need to go to court to ask the judge for a new order.
10. How Does a CDN$2 Billion Lottery Win Get Divided in a Divorce?
August 15, 2023
In the U.S. last week, one lucky Florida resident was the sole winner in the Mega Millions lottery jackpot draw, which had a prize worth a staggering US$1.55 billion (about CDN$2.08 billion). The winner – who beat the odds of 1 in 303 million – has a choice of a series of annuity payments spanning 30 years, or else a one-time payment of about US$757 million (about CDN$1.02 million).
