Archive for May 2017
If I leave my partner, how will our property be divided?
Property division for people who are married Marriage is considered to be a partnership, with each spouse making equal, if different, contributions and sharing equally in the family’s property if the partnership ends. This includes property acquired during the years of the marriage that has been paid for by only one spouse or is registered…
Read moreHow can I support a client who has left a forced marriage?
Forced marriage is a practice in which a marriage takes place without the free consent of either or both of the people getting married. Arranged marriage can appear similar to forced marriage, inasmuch as family members are involved in selecting people for their son or daughter to consider as a possible spouse. However, the two…
Read moreThe Special Needs of Survivors of Family Violence in the Family Court Process: Comments on Justice Bonkalo’s “Family Legal Services Review”
A significant portion of all cases in family court involve family violence. Any changes to court process must examine the needs of these families. Luke’s Place and the Barbra Schlifer Clinic have a unique perspective on the complex realities of family law and courts for survivors of family violence. This comes from our combined work…
Read moreBasic facts about marriage and divorce
People must be at least 18 years of age to marry in Ontario. People as young as 16 years of age can marry if they have the written consent of both sets of parents. People of the same sex can marry. Generally, marriages from outside Canada are recognized as legally valid here if they were…
Read moreWhat is Ontario doing to address violence against Indigenous women?
Indigenous communities in Ontario have worked collaboratively with the provincial government to develop Walking Together: Ontario’s Long-Term Strategy to End Violence Against Indigenous Women. Why? The strategy is built on the recognition that First Nation, Metis and Inuit women in Ontario are subjected to all forms of violence—intimate partner abuse, assault, homicide and sexual violence…
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