Tips for building a safe co-parenting relationship 

Violence does not always end when the relationship ends, especially when children are involved. If you share children with your ex-partner, establishing a new co-parenting dynamic is necessary. However, ensuring this relationship prioritizes your safety is crucial, and that can present significant challenges.   Here are some tips, from our toolkit, The Law and Parenting Arrangements…

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10 Essential family law terms to know 

Understanding family law can feel overwhelming, especially when navigating a case. To help, we have compiled 10 key terms that are essential to know in family court. These terms will provide clarity and empower you as you move through the process.   Application  A proceeding in family court begins when one person brings an application, in…

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Case Summary: An interim parenting arrangements motion

This case explores the issue of family violence in the context of an interim parenting arrangements motion. The mother and father were married in India in 2017, after which they moved back and forth between India and Canada twice. They have two young daughters; one born in 2018 and the other in 2023.  The mother…

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New Case Comment: Choice of School – Catchment Area

This case comment was prepared by Emily Ernst (law student volunteer) and Rachel Parry (Staff Lawyer). This case involved a dispute between parents over which school their child, aged 4, should attend, with both parents wanting the child to attend the public school in their local catchment area. The parents had already agreed to joint…

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Teaching your kids to be safe: a post-separation checklist

When a relationship ends, parents must sort out arrangements for the children. This includes when the children will spend time with each parent and who has decision-making responsibilities about important things that affect the children. Until these issues are resolved, the law sees both parents as equally responsible for the children’s care. While you navigate…

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Case summary: Parenting time decision

The applicant father brought a motion for an order granting him unsupervised parenting time with the two children, who were 4 and 8 years old. The respondent mother, who was unrepresented, opposed this motion. As she had from the time of separation, she offered supervised parenting time in a supervised access centre as the appropriate…

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NEW FREE e-learning Course called, Parent-Child-Contact-Problem (Alienation)

We are excited to share our NEW e-learning Course, Parent-Child-Contact-Problem (Alienation)! This new course is available for FREE on our training website. This free e-learning, presented by Pamela Cross and Peter Jaffe, is designed for lawyers and other professionals involved with the family court system who may be interested in learning more about this important issue.  Course learning…

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Tips for building a new and safe co-parenting relationship

Abuse does not always end because a relationship does. If you have children with your ex-partner, you will need to build a new co-parenting relationship. It is important that this new relationship takes into account your safety. This can be challenging for many reasons. Here are tips for building a new, and safe, co-parenting relationship…

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Case comment: Coercive control & family violence

hands on a book

Case summary prepared by Luke’s Place Advocacy Director, Pamela Cross In this case (F.S. v. M.B.T. 2023 ONCJ 102), Justice Sherr carefully analyzes the context of family violence, including coercive control, when making a decision related to parenting arrangements for a 12-year-old child. The case also involves a claim for spousal support by the mother,…

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