Posts Tagged ‘family law’
Statement from Luke’s Place on Sudine Riley
We are extremely appalled by the very serious reports of assault on a racialized female lawyer at the Oshawa courthouse earlier this week. As an organization that works regularly at this courthouse, we are incredibly concerned with the systemic racism and violence impacting our community and communities across Ontario. Sudine Riley was catching up on her legal work at the courthouse when she was assaulted by police officers…
Read moreLegal Support Across Ontario: Luke’s Place Legal Clinic
The Luke’s Place Legal Clinic provides free, confidential support to help women subjected to intimate partner violence (IPV) across Ontario navigate family law. Through the clinic, women connect with experienced family law lawyers who provide summary legal advice, guidance, and support. History of the Virtual Legal Clinic Luke’s Place launched a free in-person legal clinic in 2009, offering summary family…
Read moreIntroducing the new National After She Leaves Website!
We are excited to announce the launch of our new website, After She Leaves! The After She Leaves Website is a national resource created specifically for Canadian women’s advocates supporting women who have been subjected to intimate partner violence and are navigating family court. The site offers clear context, practical legal information, and advocacy-focused strategies to support your work. The…
Read moreCase Summary: Cyberbullying Recognized as Family Violence
In this case the Mother and Father had previously lived in Peru, however, after separation the Mother and child fled to Canada as the Mother was fearful for her and the child’s safety due to the Father’s extremely abusive conduct. The Father eventually followed the Mother and child to Canada and the trial for this case was heard in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. There were several issues that were addressed at trial, but the primary…
Read moreFinding Hope Despite the Despair: Pamela Cross on Ending Gender-Based Violence, Hosted by CFUW Perth
On January 19th, feminist lawyer Pamela Cross will lead a virtual session titled “Finding Hope Despite the Despair: Moving Forward to End Gender-Based Violence.” In this powerful free online talk, hosted by CFUW Perth, Pamela draws on more than 30 years of frontline experience in the violence against women movement to explore why our legal systems continue to fail so…
Read moreLuke’s Place Launches Webinar Series and Community Toolkit
Luke’s Place is excited to announce a three-part webinar series and a new community resource toolkit, developed in partnership with the Region of Durham. This initiative is part of an ongoing community awareness campaign that began in November during Woman Abuse Prevention Month and continued through the 16 Days of Activism and Holiday Giving. The webinar series covers: Community…
Read moreLaunch of the Updated Tech Safety Toolkit
Technology is part of our daily lives, and it changes fast. These changes can help people stay safe, but they can also be used to cause harm. New apps, devices, and websites can give survivors more control, but they also bring risks like spying, pretending to be someone else, harassment, and breaking into accounts. That is why…
Read moreReflecting on Luke’s Place 13th Annual FCSW Gathering
November 4–5, 2025 In early November, Luke’s Place proudly hosted its 13th Annual Family Court Support Worker (FCSW) Gathering, a two-day, in-person training event that brought together more than 60 FCSWs from 38 organizations across the province. This year, the Gathering introduced interactive workshops, presentations, and panel discussions, designed to equip FCSWs with practical tools and innovative…
Read moreSilence Broken: Family Court Support Workers aid victims of IPV at the highest level
At the 13th Annual Gathering, Luke’s Place Legal Director Emily Murray sat down with Erin Lee, Executive Director of Lanark County, to discuss the vital role of Family Court Support Workers (FCSWs) in supporting survivors of gender-based violence as they navigate the complex family court process. Their conversation shed light on how these workers provide…
Read moreCase Summary: Grandparent contact with grandchildren
Family law legislation in a number of Canadian jurisdictions – Quebec, British Columbia, Alberta, New Brunswick and the Yukon – grants grandparents explicit rights to seek time with their grandchildren. However, neither the federal Divorce Act nor Ontario’s Children’s Law Reform Act does so, meaning that a grandparent in Ontario must rely on more general…
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