A restraining order is a court order that limits what a person can do in any way the family court thinks is appropriate to your situation. The order might limit where a person can go, or who they can contact or communicate with. For example, it can say one or more of these things:
A separation agreement, sometimes called a domestic contract, is a written contract that partners can make after they have separated or divorced that says how they will deal with their issues. For example, it can say how much spousal support and child support one partner will pay the other, and who will have custody of or access to the...
A default hearing is a court hearing where the person who pays support has to explain why they have not been making support payments.
An opening statement is what you tell the judge when your case starts. In it, you give the judge a summary of the:
The Office of the Children's Lawyer (OCL) is the government-funded office that represents children under the age of 18 in some court cases.
The OCL is not automatically involved in court cases dealing with decision-making responsibility and parenting time, which used to be called custody and access. They have to agree to accept...
Joint custody is a type of custody where both parents must agree on important decisions that affect their child. It includes decisions about the child's health, education, and religion. One parent cannot decide these things without the other parent agreeing.
Other people, for example, grandparents, can also apply to the court for custody.
The Mandatory Information Program (MIP) is a program for partners who are separating or divorcing. It gives them information about:
To be married or to have a marriage means that 2 people of the same or opposite sex had a marriage ceremony with someone that has the legal power to marry them. A marriage ends only by divorce, annulment, or the death of one of the partners. Being separated is not the same as being divorced.
The matrimonial home is the property that was usually used by married partners as their family home at the time they separated. There can be more than one matrimonial home. Common-law partners cannot have a matrimonial home.
Mediation is an alternative dispute resolution process where people who do not agree on something meet with someone called a mediator. The mediator is a neutral person trained to help people agree on their issues without taking sides.
The mediator’s goal is to help them find a solution that they agree on. A mediator does not make decisions...