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?Updated June 12
3,740Can I have contact with my child if CAS puts them for public adoption?
6,777What does it mean to place a child for adoption?
10,185How do I adopt a child in Ontario?
64,004I’m a birth parent. Can I find a child I placed for adoption?
7,234I’m a birth parent. Can my adopted child find me?
7,540I’m adopted. Can I find out about my birth parents?
21,078How do I prove who my child’s other parent is?
16,214How do I get a health card for my baby?
30,900How do I register my baby’s birth in Ontario?
24,360Marriage and common‑law relationships
I lost my marriage certificate. How do I get another one?
89,850How do we get married in Ontario?
167,286How do we get married outside of Ontario?
14,734Is there a legal difference between being married and living together?
58,259What is a prenup or a marriage contract?
47,424What is a cohabitation agreement?
34,392Separation and divorce
How do I get my divorce certificate?
8,617What legal issues should I think about when I separate or divorce?
33,268Can we resolve our family law issues without going to court?
14,938How do I legally separate from my partner?
76,516What is an annulment and how do I get one?
64,729Do I have to get a divorce?
70,710How do I apply for a divorce by myself?
136,583How do I apply for a divorce with my partner?
48,855What if my partner and I agree on what to do after we separate or divorce?
31,666What can I do if my partner and I cannot agree after separating?
13,856I’m not a Canadian citizen. Will I be forced to leave Canada if my partner and I separate or divorce?
23,804How do I make an agreement that the court will enforce?
25,142What can I do if my partner isn’t following our separation agreement?
22,896How do I change my separation agreement?
28,399What can I do if my partner isn’t following our court order?
22,113How do I change my court order?
17,269I lost my marriage certificate. How do I get another one?
89,850Decision‑making and time with children
What is decision-making responsibility and who gets it?
40,680What is parenting time and who gets it?
22,652Who will my child live with?
17,227Can my child decide who they want to live with?
158,899I’m a parent. Do my child’s grandparents have the right to spend time with them?
80,945I’m a grandparent. Do I have the right to spend time with my grandchild?
3,752Can I travel with my child after I separate or divorce?
40,425I do not have a court order about parenting. Can I move with my child?
29,737I have a court order about parenting. Can I move with my child?
4,124How can I help my child cope with my separation or divorce?
8,512What if we agree on what happens with our child?
14,986What if we cannot agree on what happens with our child?
14,724Can I send my child to another province or country before parenting is decided?
8,905What can I do if my partner won’t let me see my child?
39,194My child doesn’t want to visit my partner. What should I do?
12,518What if I’m worried about my child’s safety when they’re with my partner?
23,402What can I do if my partner doesn’t show up for parenting time?
11,678What is an assessment? Why would I want one?
31,205How do I change parenting arrangements in my agreement?
24,475How do I bring a motion to change a court order about parenting arrangements?
45,112Child support
What is child support?
40,199Who pays child support?
26,641How much child support must be paid?
38,479What are special or extraordinary expenses?
72,171When can a parent pay less child support?
71,185My partner isn’t paying child support. What should I do?
33,885What if my partner is paid in cash or is hiding money to avoid paying child support?
61,021When does child support end? How do I end it?
93,593Is child support taxed?
34,595Can I get child support and also get money from ODSP?
18,778Can I get child support and money from OW?
19,508What should we do if we agree on child support?
13,813What should we do if we cannot agree on child support?
11,855Can I use Ontario’s online Child Support Service?
14,410How can child support be changed?
22,524How do I change child support in my separation agreement?
14,941How do I change child support in my court order?
21,074Can I use Ontario’s online Child Support Service to change child support?
15,467How do I bring a motion to change child support?
47,306How does the FRO enforce child support?
50,575I haven’t paid child support. How do I get a refraining order?
21,400Spousal support
What is spousal support?
20,776How much spousal support must be paid?
18,992Can I get spousal support?
17,818Do I have to pay spousal support?
43,612My partner isn’t paying spousal support. What should I do?
12,333What if my partner is paid in cash or is hiding money to avoid paying spousal support?
9,573When does spousal support end? How do I end it?
59,330How is spousal support taxed?
52,963Can I get spousal support and money from OW?
13,556Can I get spousal support and money from ODSP?
19,414What should we do if we agree on spousal support?
9,820What should we do if we cannot agree on spousal support?
6,798How do I change spousal support in my separation agreement?
11,791How do I change spousal support in my court order?
10,153How do I bring a motion to change spousal support?
18,303How does the FRO enforce spousal support?
12,428I haven’t paid spousal support. How do I get a refraining order?
7,988Property and debts ‑ married couples
We’re married. Do we have to divide our property and debts if we separate or divorce?
27,973We’re married. How do we divide our property and debts if we separate or divorce?
49,331We’re married. What if we agree on what happens to our property and debts after we separate or divorce?
11,818We’re married. What if we cannot agree on what happens to our property and debts after we separate or divorce?
11,585We’re married. Who gets to stay in our home if we separate or divorce?
89,229We’re married. What happens to my partner’s property if they die?
29,803We’re married. What happens to CPP benefits if we separate or one of us dies?
33,872We’re married. What happens to our pensions if we separate or divorce?
27,399Property and debts ‑ common‑law couples
We’re not married. What happens to our property and debts if we separate?
116,651We’re not married. What if we agree on what happens to our property and debts after we separate?
11,752We’re not married. What if we cannot agree on what happens to our property and debts after we separate?
14,335We’re not married. Who gets to stay in our home if we separate?
24,383We’re not married. What happens to our pensions if we separate?
19,343We’re not married. What happens to my partner’s property if they die?
79,174We’re not married. What happens to CPP benefits after we separate or one of us dies?
23,283Child protection
What should I do if I think a child is being abused or neglected?
8,233What can CAS do if they think my child is being abused or neglected?
10,433What if CAS wants to talk to me or my child?
33,823Can I agree to get help from CAS?
10,297What if CAS takes my child?
31,652Do I have the right to a lawyer in my child protection case?
6,377How do I get access to see my child after CAS takes them?
8,847What do I do if I get court papers from CAS?
6,426What is an Answer and Plan of Care in my child protection case?
9,754What if I miss the deadline to serve and file my Answer and Plan of Care?
4,589What happens at the first court date in my child protection case?
5,256What is a temporary care and custody hearing in my child protection case?
8,406What is a conference in my child protection case?
6,433What is alternative dispute resolution in a child protection case?
8,209What happens at a child protection hearing or trial?
9,195What happens at a status review in my child protection case?
7,427Can I have contact with my child if CAS puts them for public adoption?
6,777How do I complain about a CAS worker?
22,314Partner abuse
How do I know I’m in an abusive situation?
26,467Can I take my child with me when I leave my abusive partner?
66,868Will I be forced to leave Canada if I leave my abusive partner?
34,657What if I have to move out because of violence or abuse?
19,113How does an abusive relationship affect my family law issues?
10,055What happens if I call the police about my abusive partner?
35,581What if my abusive partner is charged with a crime?
23,998My partner is abusing me, but what happens if the police charge me?
28,984What if I have family court and criminal court at the same time?
14,832What is the difference between a restraining order and a peace bond?
52,828What if I need a court order quickly to deal with an abusive partner?
12,330How can I keep my abusive partner away from me after I leave?
26,961What if I’m worried about my child’s safety when they’re with my partner?
23,402What if my partner says they’re going to take our child away from me?
23,487What if my partner takes our child to another country without my permission?
10,210Where can I find legal support if I have experienced partner abuse?
17,638How do I apply for a legal aid certificate?
29,850Restraining orders and peace bonds
What is the difference between a restraining order and a peace bond?
52,828What is a restraining order?
43,431How do I ask for a restraining order in my family law application?
13,313How do I ask for a restraining order in a family law motion?
13,544How do I apply for a peace bond?
63,072Should I sign a peace bond?
24,784What happens if I do not follow a peace bond?
15,388Out‑of‑court options
Can we resolve our family law issues without going to court?
14,938What if my partner and I agree on what to do after we separate or divorce?
31,666What is negotiation?
8,539What is parenting coordination?
17,576What is collaborative family law?
20,067What is mediation?
35,387What is mediation-arbitration?
21,216What is arbitration?
20,836Going to family court
I have a family court date in the Superior Court of Justice. What should I do?
9,702I have a family court date in the Ontario Court of Justice. What should I do?
7,427Why do I want to go to family court?
10,866Can we stop our family case and try to solve our problems another way?
20,532What if I have family court and criminal court at the same time?
14,832Which court do I start my family law case at?
8,182How do I start a family law court case?
27,727How do I respond to a family law court case?
13,286How can I file forms and documents in my family law case?
3,176How do I file court forms for my family case online?
13,311What does serving your documents mean in a family court case?
33,006What is a continuing record and how do I prepare one?
18,118What is a financial statement? What documents do I have to give my partner?
44,449What happens at a first court date in my family court case?
19,902What is an offer to settle in a family court case?
27,845What is the Mandatory Information Program in my family court case?
29,302What is a case conference in my family case and what happens at one?
45,187What is a settlement conference in my family case and what happens at one?
28,362What is a trial management conference in my family case and what happens at one?
19,688How do I prepare for a family law trial?
14,724What happens at a family law trial?
34,676What happens after my family law trial?
11,207How do I change my court order?
17,269How do I bring a motion to change child support?
47,306How do I bring a motion to change spousal support?
18,303How do I bring a motion to change a court order about parenting arrangements?
45,112What is a motion on consent in family law and what happens at one?
17,089What is a motion without consent in family law and what happens at one?
17,972What is an urgent motion with notice in family law and what happens at one?
26,732What is an emergency or ex parte motion in family law and what happens at one?
51,048Getting legal help in Family Law
Where can I find a lawyer to help with my family law issue?
40,304I cannot afford a family law lawyer. Where can I find legal help?
67,620Where can I find legal support if I have experienced partner abuse?
17,638Do I have the right to a lawyer in my child protection case?
6,377How do I prepare for my meeting with a lawyer or paralegal?
7,859How do I apply for a legal aid certificate?
29,850How do I complain about a CAS worker?
22,314How do I complain about my lawyer’s bill?
21,713How do I complain to the Law Society of Ontario about a lawyer or paralegal?
34,839