Blog

THE HAGUE CONVENTION – THE NEW RULES

The Supreme Court of Canada recently decided a case in which I appeared as the lawyer for the father, that has changed the way Hague Convention cases will be dealt with in Canadian courts. The decision in O.C.L. v Balev was released on April 20, 2018 and it is considered a ground-breaking departure

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ACCESS TO CHILDREN – Time to Change the Rules

Why are we still arguing about establishing basic access or parenting rights in 2018?  One of the most frustrating areas within the practice of family law is the fight that is mounted to establish parenting rights for the parent, usually the father, who no longer resides with the child. It

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Children

Joint Custody vs. Shared Parenting – What is the Difference in Ontario?

Joint Custody, Shared Parenting and Everything In Between Parents involved in a dispute about the custody and residential arrangements of their children have all heard of the terms “joint custody” and “shared parenting.” However, there is a great deal of confusion among litigants about what these terms actually mean. When

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Child Support

Valuing Assets and Income in Ontario Separation Law

Valuing Assets and Income When Separating When people separate they are often not aware that they must divide their property with their spouse. The basic formula is to value everything you own at the date of separation, deduct your debts on the date of separation, and then deduct what you

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Toronto Estate Lawyers
Child Support

IS THERE SUCH A THING AS JUSTICE IN FAMILY LAW?

The starting point in answering this question might be: What is your definition of Justice? Is it getting your way? Getting what you want? Is it feeling like someone has made a careful and balanced decision so that win or lose you feel like the process was fair? I don’t

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Toronto Estate Lawyers
Children

CHILDREN, DIVORCE & GRANDPARENT RIGHTS – by GILLIAN BOOKMAN

Most of us are aware of the negative effects separation and divorce may have on the children of the marriage if the parents do not protect them adequately from the intense emotions wrought from the processes and procedures surrounding the dissolution of a marriage. Another area of collateral damage that

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Toronto Estate Lawyers
Children

THE STATUS QUO

To many this is a very upsetting term: the STATUS QUO!!! If you have already been exposed to it then you know what this is all about. If you are engaged in a matrimonial proceeding with children involved you may soon find out. Any way it goes it is a

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Toronto Estate Lawyers
Common Law

COMMON LAW & JOINT INVESTMENTS by Gillian Bookman

You’re in love and happily move in together. You’ve both been married before, have grown children, and see no need to marry. You are looking forward to retiring together and are happy making future retirement plans. You both decide to buy a home that you can retire to. Meanwhile, you

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