Family Law
- Birth and adoption
- Marriage and common‑law relationships
- Separation and divorce
- Decision‑making and time with children
- Child support
- Spousal support
- Property and debts ‑ married couples
- Property and debts ‑ common‑law couples
- Child protection
- Partner abuse
- Restraining orders and peace bonds
- Out‑of‑court options
- Going to family court
- Getting legal help in Family Law
All questions by topic
Birth and adoption
How do I reclaim my traditional Indigenous name?
3,960Can I have contact with my child if CAS puts them for public adoption?
6,975What does it mean to place a child for adoption?
10,396How do I adopt a child in Ontario?
64,213I’m a birth parent. Can I find a child I placed for adoption?
7,360I’m a birth parent. Can my adopted child find me?
7,691I’m adopted. Can I find out about my birth parents?
21,240How do I prove who my child’s other parent is?
16,423How do I get a health card for my baby?
31,120How do I register my baby’s birth in Ontario?
24,557Marriage and common‑law relationships
I lost my marriage certificate. How do I get another one?
90,102How do we get married in Ontario?
167,655How do we get married outside of Ontario?
14,938Is there a legal difference between being married and living together?
58,454What is a prenup or a marriage contract?
47,632What is a cohabitation agreement?
34,597Separation and divorce
How do I get my divorce certificate?
9,080What legal issues should I think about when I separate or divorce?
33,580Can we resolve our family law issues without going to court?
15,173How do I legally separate from my partner?
76,778What is an annulment and how do I get one?
64,966Do I have to get a divorce?
70,945How do I apply for a divorce by myself?
136,918How do I apply for a divorce with my partner?
49,135What if my partner and I agree on what to do after we separate or divorce?
31,901What can I do if my partner and I cannot agree after separating?
14,035I’m not a Canadian citizen. Will I be forced to leave Canada if my partner and I separate or divorce?
23,945How do I make an agreement that the court will enforce?
25,373What can I do if my partner isn’t following our separation agreement?
23,102How do I change my separation agreement?
28,574What can I do if my partner isn’t following our court order?
22,317How do I change my court order?
17,488I lost my marriage certificate. How do I get another one?
90,102Decision‑making and time with children
What is decision-making responsibility and who gets it?
40,918What is parenting time and who gets it?
22,872Who will my child live with?
17,439Can my child decide who they want to live with?
159,213I’m a parent. Do my child’s grandparents have the right to spend time with them?
81,131I’m a grandparent. Do I have the right to spend time with my grandchild?
3,923Can I travel with my child after I separate or divorce?
40,609I do not have a court order about parenting. Can I move with my child?
29,996I have a court order about parenting. Can I move with my child?
4,281How can I help my child cope with my separation or divorce?
8,658What if we agree on what happens with our child?
15,153What if we cannot agree on what happens with our child?
14,897Can I send my child to another province or country before parenting is decided?
9,032What can I do if my partner won’t let me see my child?
39,416My child doesn’t want to visit my partner. What should I do?
12,668What if I’m worried about my child’s safety when they’re with my partner?
23,590What can I do if my partner doesn’t show up for parenting time?
11,847What is an assessment? Why would I want one?
31,401How do I change parenting arrangements in my agreement?
24,643How do I bring a motion to change a court order about parenting arrangements?
45,330Child support
What is child support?
40,432Who pays child support?
26,872How much child support must be paid?
38,731What are special or extraordinary expenses?
72,425When can a parent pay less child support?
71,388My partner isn’t paying child support. What should I do?
34,103What if my partner is paid in cash or is hiding money to avoid paying child support?
61,219When does child support end? How do I end it?
93,840Is child support taxed?
34,730Can I get child support and also get money from ODSP?
18,966Can I get child support and money from OW?
19,675What should we do if we agree on child support?
13,975What should we do if we cannot agree on child support?
12,008Can I use Ontario’s online Child Support Service?
14,568How can child support be changed?
22,740How do I change child support in my separation agreement?
15,115How do I change child support in my court order?
21,279Can I use Ontario’s online Child Support Service to change child support?
15,676How do I bring a motion to change child support?
47,547How does the FRO enforce child support?
50,781I haven’t paid child support. How do I get a refraining order?
21,579Spousal support
What is spousal support?
20,997How much spousal support must be paid?
19,202Can I get spousal support?
18,002Do I have to pay spousal support?
43,762My partner isn’t paying spousal support. What should I do?
12,503What if my partner is paid in cash or is hiding money to avoid paying spousal support?
9,736When does spousal support end? How do I end it?
59,521How is spousal support taxed?
53,105Can I get spousal support and money from OW?
13,692Can I get spousal support and money from ODSP?
19,565What should we do if we agree on spousal support?
9,949What should we do if we cannot agree on spousal support?
6,935How do I change spousal support in my separation agreement?
11,936How do I change spousal support in my court order?
10,303How do I bring a motion to change spousal support?
18,489How does the FRO enforce spousal support?
12,602I haven’t paid spousal support. How do I get a refraining order?
8,158Property and debts ‑ married couples
We’re married. Do we have to divide our property and debts if we separate or divorce?
28,175We’re married. How do we divide our property and debts if we separate or divorce?
49,584We’re married. What if we agree on what happens to our property and debts after we separate or divorce?
12,041We’re married. What if we cannot agree on what happens to our property and debts after we separate or divorce?
11,730We’re married. Who gets to stay in our home if we separate or divorce?
89,486We’re married. What happens to my partner’s property if they die?
30,028We’re married. What happens to CPP benefits if we separate or one of us dies?
34,258We’re married. What happens to our pensions if we separate or divorce?
27,581Property and debts ‑ common‑law couples
We’re not married. What happens to our property and debts if we separate?
116,932We’re not married. What if we agree on what happens to our property and debts after we separate?
11,940We’re not married. What if we cannot agree on what happens to our property and debts after we separate?
14,519We’re not married. Who gets to stay in our home if we separate?
24,591We’re not married. What happens to our pensions if we separate?
19,563We’re not married. What happens to my partner’s property if they die?
79,409We’re not married. What happens to CPP benefits after we separate or one of us dies?
23,445Child protection
What should I do if I think a child is being abused or neglected?
8,410What can CAS do if they think my child is being abused or neglected?
10,639What if CAS wants to talk to me or my child?
34,141Can I agree to get help from CAS?
10,481What if CAS takes my child?
31,996Do I have the right to a lawyer in my child protection case?
6,540How do I get access to see my child after CAS takes them?
9,015What do I do if I get court papers from CAS?
6,603What is an Answer and Plan of Care in my child protection case?
9,934What if I miss the deadline to serve and file my Answer and Plan of Care?
4,716What happens at the first court date in my child protection case?
5,401What is a temporary care and custody hearing in my child protection case?
8,578What is a conference in my child protection case?
6,593What is alternative dispute resolution in a child protection case?
8,380What happens at a child protection hearing or trial?
9,354What happens at a status review in my child protection case?
7,595Can I have contact with my child if CAS puts them for public adoption?
6,975How do I complain about a CAS worker?
22,498Partner abuse
How do I know I’m in an abusive situation?
26,673Can I take my child with me when I leave my abusive partner?
67,100Will I be forced to leave Canada if I leave my abusive partner?
34,859What if I have to move out because of violence or abuse?
19,441How does an abusive relationship affect my family law issues?
10,186What happens if I call the police about my abusive partner?
35,748What if my abusive partner is charged with a crime?
24,186My partner is abusing me, but what happens if the police charge me?
29,210What if I have family court and criminal court at the same time?
15,012What is the difference between a restraining order and a peace bond?
53,139What if I need a court order quickly to deal with an abusive partner?
12,504How can I keep my abusive partner away from me after I leave?
27,164What if I’m worried about my child’s safety when they’re with my partner?
23,590What if my partner says they’re going to take our child away from me?
23,672What if my partner takes our child to another country without my permission?
10,382Where can I find help if I have experienced partner abuse? Updated August 15
17,885How do I apply for a legal aid certificate?
30,103Restraining orders and peace bonds
What is the difference between a restraining order and a peace bond?
53,139What is a restraining order?
43,659How do I ask for a restraining order in my family law application?
13,521How do I ask for a restraining order in a family law motion?
13,684How do I apply for a peace bond?
63,572Should I sign a peace bond?
24,983What happens if I do not follow a peace bond?
15,555Out‑of‑court options
Can we resolve our family law issues without going to court?
15,173What if my partner and I agree on what to do after we separate or divorce?
31,901What is negotiation?
8,714What is parenting coordination?
17,776What is collaborative family law?
20,263What is mediation?
35,614What is mediation-arbitration?
21,420What is arbitration?
21,011Going to family court
I have a family court date in the Superior Court of Justice. What should I do?
9,906I have a family court date in the Ontario Court of Justice. What should I do?
7,597Why do I want to go to family court?
11,036Can we stop our family case and try to solve our problems another way?
20,694What if I have family court and criminal court at the same time?
15,012Which court do I start my family law case at?
8,328How do I start a family law court case?
27,916How do I respond to a family law court case?
13,444How can I file forms and documents in my family law case?
3,335How do I file court forms for my family case online?
13,510What does serving your documents mean in a family court case?
33,201What is a continuing record and how do I prepare one?
18,315What is a financial statement? What documents do I have to give my partner?
44,716What happens at a first court date in my family court case?
20,062What is an offer to settle in a family court case?
28,021What is the Mandatory Information Program in my family court case?
29,496What is a case conference in my family case and what happens at one?
45,363What is a settlement conference in my family case and what happens at one?
28,603What is a trial management conference in my family case and what happens at one?
19,854How do I prepare for a family law trial?
14,900What happens at a family law trial?
34,879What happens after my family law trial?
11,380How do I change my court order?
17,488How do I bring a motion to change child support?
47,547How do I bring a motion to change spousal support?
18,489How do I bring a motion to change a court order about parenting arrangements?
45,330What is a motion on consent in family law and what happens at one?
17,268What is a motion without consent in family law and what happens at one?
18,140What is an urgent motion with notice in family law and what happens at one?
26,911What is an emergency or ex parte motion in family law and what happens at one?
51,239Getting legal help in Family Law
Where can I find a lawyer to help with my family law issue?
40,582I cannot afford a family law lawyer. Where can I find legal help?
68,015Where can I find help if I have experienced partner abuse? Updated August 15
17,885Do I have the right to a lawyer in my child protection case?
6,540How do I prepare for my meeting with a lawyer or paralegal?
8,067How do I apply for a legal aid certificate?
30,103How do I complain about a CAS worker?
22,498How do I complain about my lawyer’s bill?
21,959How do I complain to the Law Society of Ontario about a lawyer or paralegal?
35,058