The unfortunate circumstance of ending a marriage because your spouse is an adulterer can be a painful reality for many people. Whether it ended because of a single affair, multiple
At Epstein and Associates, we know that during a divorce case, one of the main concerns will be protecting your assets. Our goal is to ensure that you leave the
A recent Ontario Superior Court of Justice decision, Sussman v. Fabrega 2020 ONSC 5162, highlighted the importance of both parents being involved in a child’s education, even when this objective
A Nova Scotia man who owes a minimum of $250,000 in court-ordered child support has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison. Joseph Power is being heavily
Coordinating Child Custody During Holidays Co-parenting during the holidays can be difficult as holiday celebrations produce some of the most treasured memories your child can have. For this reason, we
Background Parents are typically expected to support their children until the completion of at least one post-secondary degree. However, when a child defers post-secondary school or takes a “gap year”,
A family lawyer can assist in any legal issues between members of the same family. They represent clients in court for cases involving divorce, guardianship, adoption, domestic violence or almost
We will address the top ten questions that come across your mind, but we have put together a list of a couple of questions that might be beneficial to you
Family mediation is very beneficial in legal situations involving parenting, support and property division whether in a separation or divorce matter. What is Family Mediation? Family mediation works in
The recent Ontario Court of Appeal decision, M.A.A. v. D.E.M.E. highlighted the importance of the voice of the child when deciding family law matters. The appellant in the case was
If you are in the midst of a child support case it is beneficial to hire a lawyer to assist with court proceedings and provide an overall knowledge of family
The first meeting with a divorce lawyer is to get more information about you, your family and soon to be ex-spouse. It can also be used as a touchpoint to
Thinking of divorce but unsure of where to start or what information you might need? Throughout this decision, wavering between living a single life and staying married can be a
With school beginning now the question of if children will be returning to school online or in-person is a question on many parents’ minds. Chase v Chase, 2020 ONSC 5083,
Child Custody and COVID-19 Vaccine Being subjected to working from home for the last five months or more may be leading some people to wonder if this is the “new
Expert Advice An experienced lawyer can assist an individual in making sure they get everything that they entitled to during a separation. Provincial laws don’t necessarily always promote an even
In today’s society recognizing that while technology and social media are powerful tools that can help in the divorce process, they can also interfere with it. The pervasiveness of technology
If you get divorced in Ontario, the answer can be confusing. Divorce law in Ontario falls under the Family Law Act and it focuses on ensuring couples leave the marriage
At the point when you lose your employment, you likely will need to shift child support. The measure of child support should change dependent on your salary. You will need
There are many different issues that come into play with a common-law separation. The main thing to note is that you do not need to get a “divorce” if you
For all divorced families it should be your responsibility and priority to make sure your children are being cared for in the best way possible. This may include limiting and/or
Why failing to take COVID-19 precautions seriously can lead to possible expulsion from the family household. We know we should be integrating social distancing, face masks and gloves into our
COVID-19 has been a devastating time for many. The economy is crashing, millions have lost their jobs, and too many are losing their lives. Though the virus does not discriminate,
After tobacco, alcohol and drug addiction are the two most common substance addictions in Canada, with alcohol abuse significantly outweighing all other forms. Most adults with dependency are able to
A non-disclosure agreement (NDA) is a useful level of protection for information or intellectual property (IP) that is confidential and sensitive to an organization. An NDA can prevent important information
A child that doesn’t get the support they need through their parents’ divorce will almost certainly have to deal with some issues that may appear in later life, such as
An Ottawa businessman’s plans to outsmart his ex-wife and the court went up in flames, as the man admitted to burning over $1 million dollars in an attempt to circumvent
A Brief Analysis of Rook v. Halcrow 2019 BCSC 2253 In a recent B.C. Supreme Court case (Rook v Halcrow 2019 BCSC 2253), with its ruling published Tuesday, November 26th,
Recent updates to Canadian Federal Tax Laws have been amended to allow a separating spouse the ability to withdraw funds from their RRSP without incurring a tax penalty, so long
The way in which a divorce progresses is broadly dependent on the way in which the couple approaches it. In other words, the divorce process can be as easy or
For centuries, religious differences have brought people together and also divided them. In some families across the globe, when it comes to marrying outside of your religion, there can be
Divorce is final once the appropriate paperwork is signed, right? Not exactly. In some cases, there may be some room for you and your partner to change your minds, reversing
Just like when they were little, when your child goes through something difficult or emotional, they may look to you for advice, guidance, and help. While frequent calls and check-ins
Divorce doesn’t discriminate. Just because someone is famous, has lots of money and fans across the globe, doesn’t guarantee they’re going to have a perfectly happy, fulfilling, or flawless relationship.
When an older couple divorces after a long-term marriage, it’s sometimes referred to as ‘gray divorce,’ or those divorcing are considered ‘silver’ or ‘diamond’ splitters. ‘Gray divorce’ has specifically been
Divorce can feel complicated and overwhelming, especially when children are involved. However, what happens when the reason for divorce is the child’s gender, or maybe the gender identity of one
Divorce and cheating have never been so accessible. With many options for filing for divorce online or participating in cybersex, people from across Canada can largely navigate through both divorce
Would you consider getting divorced if it meant you could save some money? While you may be taken aback by this question, this concept is something presently buzzing around the
If your spouse has stepped outside of your marriage with another lover, it’s natural to feel a roller coaster of emotions. You may become angry, depressed, embarrassed, and/or broken-hearted. However,
You may have spotted the signs of divorce in your marriage and need to get some help. Divorce and separation can be a tough emotional time. The process of divorce
If you are going through a separation or a divorce, you know that it can be a hard and stressful time for everyone involved, including your children. When you’re separating,
Divorce and separation are never easy. There are so many things to consider and it can sometimes feel overwhelming. A common question we hear from our clients who are going
Divorce can be as easy or as complicated as both parties choose for it to be. In the case of a joint divorce, for example, both spouses agree on all
When parents are separating, or divorcing, the biggest challenge they face typically is deciding upon child custody. When it comes to determining child custody, the courts ask one question: what
The law states that parents are responsible for financially supporting their dependent children. If a couple separates or a marriage breaks down, regardless, child support may need to be paid
The ending of a marriage can be frightening enough, let alone having to appear in front of a judge when there’s so much at stake. In Ontario, when a marriage
A Parenting Plan is a document that can be agreed and drawn up by two parents who are separating or going through a divorce and it usually covers all aspects
When it comes to the division of property in Ontario after a common law relationship comes to an end, many people believe that they benefit from the same legal rights
The recent decision in Climans v Latner (2019 ONSC 1311) looks at whether a couple are deemed to be in a conjugal relationship for the purpose of awarding spousal support.
Talking finances is an uneasy conversation at any time and even more so when you’re about to get married. Whilst a prenup may be really beneficial for both of you
The amount and frequency of child support to be paid is determined by the residency of the child(ren), the Child Support Guidelines and based on the payor/parties’ gross income. This
Mediation in relation to family law is a process by which families that have recently broken down can discuss the legal arrangements for their separation, in the presence of a
Most parents who separate or divorce make decisions on how to care and raise any children involved. Things like where the child will live, how much time children will spend
The recent decision of Beaver v Hill, 2018 ONCA 840, revisited the factors that affect the amount of costs that a court will order when a party is successful in
Marriage/cohabitation agreements are frequently used to set out the distribution of property or assets between spouses. These agreements provide a framework for which the parties, and the court, if necessary,
If your car breaks down, you hire a mechanic. If you need to get a divorce, you work with a divorce lawyer. It can be a tempting thought to try
First impressions don’t always pan out. This can be true both in marriage and in picking divorce lawyers. It can be a bit intimidating, having to choose a lawyer to
It shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that tensions can get high during divorce. While some relationships can slowly come to an end, there are still many that reach a
It’s becoming more and more common for couples decide to forgo marriage and instead live as common-law partners. A common law relationship is defined as one where the couple has
A large number of family law disputes are resolved through the negotiation of a Separation Agreement that addresses all of the issues between the parties. Before a lawyer can advise
It’s no secret that discussions about politics can get pretty heated. Not seeing eye-to-eye with your estranged uncle during Christmas dinner or arguing with the neighbour down your street is
There are times when the actions of one party or the other in a couple make it very clear that it is time for a divorce. Whether the result of
If you have purchased or received donated embryos as a married couple, are you wondering what will happen to any remaining embryos if you and your partner separate or get
It shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that you won’t necessarily see eye-to-eye with your ex when you start hammering out the terms of your divorce settlement. There are a
It’s not every day that you need to hire a divorce lawyer. Since it’s a very specialized service, it means that you might not be familiar with what to look
It’s no secret that a divorce carries with it some serious financial repercussions. Depending on the imbalance of finances between the two parties in the relationship, the equalization process could
If you are divorced, you may have concerns about maintaining relationships with your children. Upon deterioration of such relations, a parent may consider counselling as an opportunity to mend the
If you’ve made the realization that your marriage has gone beyond salvaging, then the first step is to figure out how and where you can actually apply for a divorce.
Back in May of this year, the Federal Government introduced Bill C-78, which proposed a number of changes to the current family law system. These amendments will be the first
In any divorce, it’s common for friends or family to either knowingly or unknowingly take sides and support one party over the other. This can take a more dangerous turn,
It’s fair to assume that you’re going to get upset, irritated, angry or flustered at some point during your divorce. However, letting your emotions get the best of you can
Divorce can be a tricky business — even more so when the couple that is divorcing work together in a family owned and operated business. Divorce is rarely a quick
Heading into a divorce without a solid plan and understanding of the process can be a recipe for disaster. After all, a divorce means that there will be significant changes
Many divorces in Ontario end relatively peacefully — either the couple agrees to work together to come to a mutually beneficial agreement, or they butt heads for a while through
A common question about divorce is whether or not you can get divorced without your partner ever knowing about it. To some, it might be a liberating thought — being
It’s no secret that divorce rates have risen over the past few decades. But is there any consistency to which time of year people file for divorces? Whether it’s the
During a divorce, there are a lot of things to keep track of such as financial records, transcripts, bills and receipts and lots of legal documentation. In fact, keeping track
We all like a little bit of reassurance. So if you ever find yourself up against the uncertainty of a divorce case, it’s very reasonable to ask your family lawyer
When the terms of a family law dispute such as a divorce cannot be resolved by either party, one option gaining in popularity that couples may choose to pursue is
If it is apparent that your marriage is headed for a divorce, or if you or your partner has already filed for divorce, then thoughts will inevitably turn towards how
When you consider all the details that a newly engaged or married couple needs to take care of, signing a prenup certainly doesn’t rate as one of the most glamorous
Some divorces are the result of a mutual agreement between married partners — but others may come as a shock and a surprise. The one who is being served divorce
When casual drinking begins to go too far, it may start to take a toll on a relationship. Alcohol may play a role in breaking down trust or respect for
If a divorce seems imminent there are some important steps that you should take right away to ensure that you can make it through the process without sacrificing your future.
There are a lot of different reasons for a relationship can go from “from death do us part” to divorce. Some are easier to understand and may have indicators such
The end of a marriage or relationship can be a tumultuous time. This can be even more complicated if one person does not agree that divorce is necessary — or
Spousal support may be necessary after the end of a marriage or relationship where one of the partners was more involved in generating a larger portion of the family income.
You’ve just gone through a lengthy divorce and it’s finally over. Working together with your family lawyer, you made compromises in certain areas in order to come to an agreement
If you are thinking about getting a divorce, chances are that you’ve already got a lot on your mind. It’s easy to have so much focus on preparing documents and
For some people, it can be difficult to end a relationship, even if it is causing unhappiness or if there are more significant concerns. Even a troubled relationship can give
The process of getting a divorce can be a very substantial upheaval in one’s life. In order to escape the stress or emotional turbulence, it could be possible to consider
Are you wondering how closely the courts will follow the recommended ranges for support in the Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines? In Slongo v. Slongo 2017 ONCA 272, the Ontario Court
Getting a divorce can have a long-term impact on your financial situation. As a way of limiting this, it is possible for someone to try to hide some of their
In M.R.R. v. J.M 2017 ONSC 2655, a verbal agreement was sufficient to deem that the biological parent of a child conceived through sexual intercourse was not the legal parent.
After a divorce case, or separation, is finalized, all the terms and conditions of child support will be arranged and made clear to each of the parties involved, in an
Are you wondering how your arbitration agreement will hold up in Court? In Horowitz v Nightingale 2017 ONSC 2168, after ending their 16 year marriage, Mr. and Ms. Horowitz entered
A substance abuse issue can severely impact a relationship and could even be the primary cause of a divorce or separation. Someone who has become an addict may take on
As divorce becomes more common in modern society there are also an increasing number of blended families with parents or children that are not biologically related to one another. It
Collaborative divorce is an approach to divorce whereby both parties agree to work together, with two collaboratively trained lawyers (and sometimes third party professionals as well) to find a mutually-agreeable
During a divorce or separation, a party may try to gain an advantage by making a false accusation. Whether the accusation is about an incident of abuse or violence, or
