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?
3,807Can I have contact with my child if CAS puts them for public adoption?
6,846What does it mean to place a child for adoption?
10,254How do I adopt a child in Ontario?
64,067I’m a birth parent. Can I find a child I placed for adoption?
7,274I’m a birth parent. Can my adopted child find me?
7,580I’m adopted. Can I find out about my birth parents?
21,131How do I prove who my child’s other parent is?
16,286How do I get a health card for my baby?
30,976How do I register my baby’s birth in Ontario?
24,429Marriage and common‑law relationships
I lost my marriage certificate. How do I get another one?
89,927How do we get married in Ontario?
167,409How do we get married outside of Ontario?
14,795Is there a legal difference between being married and living together?
58,324What is a prenup or a marriage contract?
47,497What is a cohabitation agreement?
34,458Separation and divorce
How do I get my divorce certificate?
8,734What legal issues should I think about when I separate or divorce?
33,359Can we resolve our family law issues without going to court?
15,014How do I legally separate from my partner?
76,596What is an annulment and how do I get one?
64,806Do I have to get a divorce?
70,785How do I apply for a divorce by myself?
136,691How do I apply for a divorce with my partner?
48,943What if my partner and I agree on what to do after we separate or divorce?
31,735What can I do if my partner and I cannot agree after separating?
13,912I’m not a Canadian citizen. Will I be forced to leave Canada if my partner and I separate or divorce?
23,850How do I make an agreement that the court will enforce?
25,212What can I do if my partner isn’t following our separation agreement?
22,965How do I change my separation agreement?
28,454What can I do if my partner isn’t following our court order?
22,174How do I change my court order?
17,338I lost my marriage certificate. How do I get another one?
89,927Decision‑making and time with children
What is decision-making responsibility and who gets it?
40,753What is parenting time and who gets it?
22,720Who will my child live with?
17,297Can my child decide who they want to live with?
158,994I’m a parent. Do my child’s grandparents have the right to spend time with them?
81,003I’m a grandparent. Do I have the right to spend time with my grandchild?
3,805Can I travel with my child after I separate or divorce?
40,490I do not have a court order about parenting. Can I move with my child?
29,816I have a court order about parenting. Can I move with my child?
4,177How can I help my child cope with my separation or divorce?
8,554What if we agree on what happens with our child?
15,038What if we cannot agree on what happens with our child?
14,772Can I send my child to another province or country before parenting is decided?
8,945What can I do if my partner won’t let me see my child?
39,269My child doesn’t want to visit my partner. What should I do?
12,572What if I’m worried about my child’s safety when they’re with my partner?
23,460What can I do if my partner doesn’t show up for parenting time?
11,734What is an assessment? Why would I want one?
31,265How do I change parenting arrangements in my agreement?
24,528How do I bring a motion to change a court order about parenting arrangements?
45,182Child support
What is child support?
40,278Who pays child support?
26,718How much child support must be paid?
38,560What are special or extraordinary expenses?
72,261When can a parent pay less child support?
71,246My partner isn’t paying child support. What should I do?
33,955What if my partner is paid in cash or is hiding money to avoid paying child support?
61,088When does child support end? How do I end it?
93,686Is child support taxed?
34,638Can I get child support and also get money from ODSP?
18,834Can I get child support and money from OW?
19,559What should we do if we agree on child support?
13,868What should we do if we cannot agree on child support?
11,907Can I use Ontario’s online Child Support Service?
14,465How can child support be changed?
22,595How do I change child support in my separation agreement?
14,997How do I change child support in my court order?
21,149Can I use Ontario’s online Child Support Service to change child support?
15,547How do I bring a motion to change child support?
47,387How does the FRO enforce child support?
50,648I haven’t paid child support. How do I get a refraining order?
21,460Spousal support
What is spousal support?
20,857How much spousal support must be paid?
19,055Can I get spousal support?
17,875Do I have to pay spousal support?
43,658My partner isn’t paying spousal support. What should I do?
12,390What if my partner is paid in cash or is hiding money to avoid paying spousal support?
9,622When does spousal support end? How do I end it?
59,393How is spousal support taxed?
53,007Can I get spousal support and money from OW?
13,601Can I get spousal support and money from ODSP?
19,466What should we do if we agree on spousal support?
9,861What should we do if we cannot agree on spousal support?
6,838How do I change spousal support in my separation agreement?
11,841How do I change spousal support in my court order?
10,205How do I bring a motion to change spousal support?
18,364How does the FRO enforce spousal support?
12,486I haven’t paid spousal support. How do I get a refraining order?
8,044Property and debts ‑ married couples
We’re married. Do we have to divide our property and debts if we separate or divorce?
28,034We’re married. How do we divide our property and debts if we separate or divorce?
49,412We’re married. What if we agree on what happens to our property and debts after we separate or divorce?
11,892We’re married. What if we cannot agree on what happens to our property and debts after we separate or divorce?
11,630We’re married. Who gets to stay in our home if we separate or divorce?
89,309We’re married. What happens to my partner’s property if they die?
29,874We’re married. What happens to CPP benefits if we separate or one of us dies?
33,952We’re married. What happens to our pensions if we separate or divorce?
27,457Property and debts ‑ common‑law couples
We’re not married. What happens to our property and debts if we separate?
116,742We’re not married. What if we agree on what happens to our property and debts after we separate?
11,814We’re not married. What if we cannot agree on what happens to our property and debts after we separate?
14,391We’re not married. Who gets to stay in our home if we separate?
24,446We’re not married. What happens to our pensions if we separate?
19,413We’re not married. What happens to my partner’s property if they die?
79,244We’re not married. What happens to CPP benefits after we separate or one of us dies?
23,331Child protection
What should I do if I think a child is being abused or neglected?
8,289What can CAS do if they think my child is being abused or neglected?
10,491What if CAS wants to talk to me or my child?
33,900Can I agree to get help from CAS?
10,358What if CAS takes my child?
31,741Do I have the right to a lawyer in my child protection case?
6,434How do I get access to see my child after CAS takes them?
8,900What do I do if I get court papers from CAS?
6,482What is an Answer and Plan of Care in my child protection case?
9,812What if I miss the deadline to serve and file my Answer and Plan of Care?
4,628What happens at the first court date in my child protection case?
5,303What is a temporary care and custody hearing in my child protection case?
8,460What is a conference in my child protection case?
6,480What is alternative dispute resolution in a child protection case?
8,262What happens at a child protection hearing or trial?
9,243What happens at a status review in my child protection case?
7,484Can I have contact with my child if CAS puts them for public adoption?
6,846How do I complain about a CAS worker?
22,376Partner abuse
How do I know I’m in an abusive situation?
26,537Can I take my child with me when I leave my abusive partner?
66,944Will I be forced to leave Canada if I leave my abusive partner?
34,720What if I have to move out because of violence or abuse?
19,212How does an abusive relationship affect my family law issues?
10,101What happens if I call the police about my abusive partner?
35,635What if my abusive partner is charged with a crime?
24,059My partner is abusing me, but what happens if the police charge me?
29,065What if I have family court and criminal court at the same time?
14,891What is the difference between a restraining order and a peace bond?
52,932What if I need a court order quickly to deal with an abusive partner?
12,382How can I keep my abusive partner away from me after I leave?
27,027What if I’m worried about my child’s safety when they’re with my partner?
23,460What if my partner says they’re going to take our child away from me?
23,544What if my partner takes our child to another country without my permission?
10,265Where can I find legal support if I have experienced partner abuse?
17,700How do I apply for a legal aid certificate?
29,937Restraining orders and peace bonds
What is the difference between a restraining order and a peace bond?
52,932What is a restraining order?
43,496How do I ask for a restraining order in my family law application?
13,386How do I ask for a restraining order in a family law motion?
13,591How do I apply for a peace bond?
63,213Should I sign a peace bond?
24,849What happens if I do not follow a peace bond?
15,438Out‑of‑court options
Can we resolve our family law issues without going to court?
15,014What if my partner and I agree on what to do after we separate or divorce?
31,735What is negotiation?
8,591What is parenting coordination?
17,642What is collaborative family law?
20,138What is mediation?
35,487What is mediation-arbitration?
21,284What is arbitration?
20,893Going to family court
I have a family court date in the Superior Court of Justice. What should I do?
9,770I have a family court date in the Ontario Court of Justice. What should I do?
7,487Why do I want to go to family court?
10,928Can we stop our family case and try to solve our problems another way?
20,580What if I have family court and criminal court at the same time?
14,891Which court do I start my family law case at?
8,225How do I start a family law court case?
27,788How do I respond to a family law court case?
13,340How can I file forms and documents in my family law case?
3,232How do I file court forms for my family case online?
13,384What does serving your documents mean in a family court case?
33,066What is a continuing record and how do I prepare one?
18,182What is a financial statement? What documents do I have to give my partner?
44,535What happens at a first court date in my family court case?
19,959What is an offer to settle in a family court case?
27,907What is the Mandatory Information Program in my family court case?
29,363What is a case conference in my family case and what happens at one?
45,243What is a settlement conference in my family case and what happens at one?
28,429What is a trial management conference in my family case and what happens at one?
19,741How do I prepare for a family law trial?
14,781What happens at a family law trial?
34,737What happens after my family law trial?
11,265How do I change my court order?
17,338How do I bring a motion to change child support?
47,387How do I bring a motion to change spousal support?
18,364How do I bring a motion to change a court order about parenting arrangements?
45,182What is a motion on consent in family law and what happens at one?
17,143What is a motion without consent in family law and what happens at one?
18,029What is an urgent motion with notice in family law and what happens at one?
26,788What is an emergency or ex parte motion in family law and what happens at one?
51,107Getting legal help in Family Law
Where can I find a lawyer to help with my family law issue?
40,391I cannot afford a family law lawyer. Where can I find legal help?
67,773Where can I find legal support if I have experienced partner abuse?
17,700Do I have the right to a lawyer in my child protection case?
6,434How do I prepare for my meeting with a lawyer or paralegal?
7,922How do I apply for a legal aid certificate?
29,937How do I complain about a CAS worker?
22,376How do I complain about my lawyer’s bill?
21,793How do I complain to the Law Society of Ontario about a lawyer or paralegal?
34,907