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?
3,660Can I have contact with my child if CAS puts them for public adoption?
6,700What does it mean to place a child for adoption?
10,120How do I adopt a child in Ontario?
63,916I’m a birth parent. Can I find a child I placed for adoption?
7,184I’m a birth parent. Can my adopted child find me?
7,483I’m adopted. Can I find out about my birth parents?
21,014How do I prove who my child’s other parent is?
16,128How do I get a health card for my baby?
30,809How do I register my baby’s birth in Ontario?
24,280Marriage and common‑law relationships
I lost my marriage certificate. How do I get another one?
89,768How do we get married in Ontario?
167,153How do we get married outside of Ontario?
14,684Is there a legal difference between being married and living together?
58,176What is a prenup or a marriage contract?
47,343What is a cohabitation agreement?
34,300Separation and divorce
How do I get my divorce certificate?
8,465What legal issues should I think about when I separate or divorce?
33,158Can we resolve our family law issues without going to court?
14,864How do I legally separate from my partner?
76,418What is an annulment and how do I get one?
64,638Do I have to get a divorce?
70,623How do I apply for a divorce by myself?
136,456How do I apply for a divorce with my partner?
48,737What if my partner and I agree on what to do after we separate or divorce?
31,581What can I do if my partner and I cannot agree after separating?
13,791I’m not a Canadian citizen. Will I be forced to leave Canada if my partner and I separate or divorce?
23,741How do I make an agreement that the court will enforce?
25,051What can I do if my partner isn’t following our separation agreement?
22,815How do I change my separation agreement?
28,343What can I do if my partner isn’t following our court order?
22,044How do I change my court order?
17,190I lost my marriage certificate. How do I get another one?
89,768Decision‑making and time with children
What is decision-making responsibility and who gets it?
40,577What is parenting time and who gets it?
22,570Who will my child live with?
17,157Can my child decide who they want to live with?
158,792I’m a parent. Do my child’s grandparents have the right to spend time with them?
80,870I’m a grandparent. Do I have the right to spend time with my grandchild?
3,697Can I travel with my child after I separate or divorce?
40,350I do not have a court order about parenting. Can I move with my child?
29,634I have a court order about parenting. Can I move with my child?
4,069How can I help my child cope with my separation or divorce?
8,460What if we agree on what happens with our child?
14,924What if we cannot agree on what happens with our child?
14,656Can I send my child to another province or country before parenting is decided?
8,864What can I do if my partner won’t let me see my child?
39,112My child doesn’t want to visit my partner. What should I do?
12,457What if I’m worried about my child’s safety when they’re with my partner?
23,329What can I do if my partner doesn’t show up for parenting time?
11,610What is an assessment? Why would I want one?
31,130How do I change parenting arrangements in my agreement?
24,424How do I bring a motion to change a court order about parenting arrangements?
45,020Child support
What is child support?
40,113Who pays child support?
26,575How much child support must be paid?
38,379What are special or extraordinary expenses?
72,077When can a parent pay less child support?
71,116My partner isn’t paying child support. What should I do?
33,806What if my partner is paid in cash or is hiding money to avoid paying child support?
60,941When does child support end? How do I end it?
93,489Is child support taxed?
34,537Can I get child support and also get money from ODSP?
18,704Can I get child support and money from OW?
19,453What should we do if we agree on child support?
13,756What should we do if we cannot agree on child support?
11,802Can I use Ontario’s online Child Support Service?
14,341How can child support be changed?
22,434How do I change child support in my separation agreement?
14,886How do I change child support in my court order?
21,002Can I use Ontario’s online Child Support Service to change child support?
15,385How do I bring a motion to change child support?
47,210How does the FRO enforce child support?
50,489I haven’t paid child support. How do I get a refraining order?
21,321Spousal support
What is spousal support?
20,671How much spousal support must be paid?
18,916Can I get spousal support?
17,746Do I have to pay spousal support?
43,560My partner isn’t paying spousal support. What should I do?
12,273What if my partner is paid in cash or is hiding money to avoid paying spousal support?
9,516When does spousal support end? How do I end it?
59,258How is spousal support taxed?
52,906Can I get spousal support and money from OW?
13,497Can I get spousal support and money from ODSP?
19,346What should we do if we agree on spousal support?
9,769What should we do if we cannot agree on spousal support?
6,746How do I change spousal support in my separation agreement?
11,742How do I change spousal support in my court order?
10,094How do I bring a motion to change spousal support?
18,232How does the FRO enforce spousal support?
12,356I haven’t paid spousal support. How do I get a refraining order?
7,922Property and debts ‑ married couples
We’re married. Do we have to divide our property and debts if we separate or divorce?
27,880We’re married. How do we divide our property and debts if we separate or divorce?
49,223We’re married. What if we agree on what happens to our property and debts after we separate or divorce?
11,746We’re married. What if we cannot agree on what happens to our property and debts after we separate or divorce?
11,525We’re married. Who gets to stay in our home if we separate or divorce?
89,128We’re married. What happens to my partner’s property if they die?
29,717We’re married. What happens to CPP benefits if we separate or one of us dies?
33,768We’re married. What happens to our pensions if we separate or divorce?
27,330Property and debts ‑ common‑law couples
We’re not married. What happens to our property and debts if we separate?
116,533We’re not married. What if we agree on what happens to our property and debts after we separate?
11,700We’re not married. What if we cannot agree on what happens to our property and debts after we separate?
14,279We’re not married. Who gets to stay in our home if we separate?
24,297We’re not married. What happens to our pensions if we separate?
19,263We’re not married. What happens to my partner’s property if they die?
79,089We’re not married. What happens to CPP benefits after we separate or one of us dies?
23,221Child protection
What should I do if I think a child is being abused or neglected?
8,169What can CAS do if they think my child is being abused or neglected?
10,351What if CAS wants to talk to me or my child?
33,719Can I agree to get help from CAS?
10,239What if CAS takes my child?
31,543Do I have the right to a lawyer in my child protection case?
6,322How do I get access to see my child after CAS takes them?
8,787What do I do if I get court papers from CAS?
6,362What is an Answer and Plan of Care in my child protection case?
9,689What if I miss the deadline to serve and file my Answer and Plan of Care?
4,544What happens at the first court date in my child protection case?
5,204What is a temporary care and custody hearing in my child protection case?
8,343What is a conference in my child protection case?
6,370What is alternative dispute resolution in a child protection case?
8,142What happens at a child protection hearing or trial?
9,142What happens at a status review in my child protection case?
7,368Can I have contact with my child if CAS puts them for public adoption?
6,700How do I complain about a CAS worker?
22,245Partner abuse
How do I know I’m in an abusive situation?
26,395Can I take my child with me when I leave my abusive partner?
66,759Will I be forced to leave Canada if I leave my abusive partner?
34,591What if I have to move out because of violence or abuse?
18,993How does an abusive relationship affect my family law issues?
10,006What happens if I call the police about my abusive partner?
35,517What if my abusive partner is charged with a crime?
23,930My partner is abusing me, but what happens if the police charge me?
28,910What if I have family court and criminal court at the same time?
14,760What is the difference between a restraining order and a peace bond?
52,708What if I need a court order quickly to deal with an abusive partner?
12,262How can I keep my abusive partner away from me after I leave?
26,884What if I’m worried about my child’s safety when they’re with my partner?
23,329What if my partner says they’re going to take our child away from me?
23,410What if my partner takes our child to another country without my permission?
10,151Where can I find legal support if I have experienced partner abuse?
17,557How do I apply for a legal aid certificate?
29,760Restraining orders and peace bonds
What is the difference between a restraining order and a peace bond?
52,708What is a restraining order?
43,350How do I ask for a restraining order in my family law application?
13,220How do I ask for a restraining order in a family law motion?
13,481How do I apply for a peace bond?
62,867Should I sign a peace bond?
24,707What happens if I do not follow a peace bond?
15,322Out‑of‑court options
Can we resolve our family law issues without going to court?
14,864What if my partner and I agree on what to do after we separate or divorce?
31,581What is negotiation?
8,487What is parenting coordination?
17,495What is collaborative family law?
19,974What is mediation?
35,285What is mediation-arbitration?
21,139What is arbitration?
20,768Going to family court
I have a family court date in the Superior Court of Justice. What should I do?
9,614I have a family court date in the Ontario Court of Justice. What should I do?
7,360Why do I want to go to family court?
10,812Can we stop our family case and try to solve our problems another way?
20,468What if I have family court and criminal court at the same time?
14,760Which court do I start my family law case at?
8,123How do I start a family law court case?
27,636How do I respond to a family law court case?
13,221How can I file forms and documents in my family law case?
3,113How do I file court forms for my family case online?
13,224What does serving your documents mean in a family court case?
32,936What is a continuing record and how do I prepare one?
18,039What is a financial statement? What documents do I have to give my partner?
44,350What happens at a first court date in my family court case?
19,830What is an offer to settle in a family court case?
27,760What is the Mandatory Information Program in my family court case?
29,214What is a case conference in my family case and what happens at one?
45,114What is a settlement conference in my family case and what happens at one?
28,268What is a trial management conference in my family case and what happens at one?
19,621How do I prepare for a family law trial?
14,673What happens at a family law trial?
34,611What happens after my family law trial?
11,153How do I change my court order?
17,190How do I bring a motion to change child support?
47,210How do I bring a motion to change spousal support?
18,232How do I bring a motion to change a court order about parenting arrangements?
45,020What is a motion on consent in family law and what happens at one?
17,016What is a motion without consent in family law and what happens at one?
17,902What is an urgent motion with notice in family law and what happens at one?
26,650What is an emergency or ex parte motion in family law and what happens at one?
50,973Getting legal help in Family Law
Where can I find a lawyer to help with my family law issue?
40,191I cannot afford a family law lawyer. Where can I find legal help?
67,478Where can I find legal support if I have experienced partner abuse?
17,557Do I have the right to a lawyer in my child protection case?
6,322How do I prepare for my meeting with a lawyer or paralegal?
7,795How do I apply for a legal aid certificate?
29,760How do I complain about a CAS worker?
22,245How do I complain about my lawyer’s bill?
21,612How do I complain to the Law Society of Ontario about a lawyer or paralegal?
34,758