All questions by topic
Birth and adoption
How do I reclaim my traditional Indigenous name?
2,056Can I have contact with my child if CAS puts them for public adoption?
5,440What does it mean to place a child for adoption?
8,999How do I adopt a child in Ontario?
62,081I’m a birth parent. Can I find a child I placed for adoption?
6,085I’m a birth parent. Can my adopted child find me?
6,401I’m adopted. Can I find out about my birth parents?
19,489How do I prove who my child’s other parent is?
14,428How do I get a health card for my baby?
29,144How do I register my baby’s birth in Ontario?
22,452Marriage and common‑law relationships
I lost my marriage certificate. How do I get another one?
87,215How do we get married in Ontario?
161,436How do we get married outside of Ontario?
13,410Is there a legal difference between being married and living together?
55,941What is a prenup or a marriage contract?
45,427What is a cohabitation agreement?
32,546Separation and divorce
How do I get my divorce certificate?
3,909What legal issues should I think about when I separate or divorce?
30,686Can we resolve our family law issues without going to court?
13,209How do I legally separate from my partner?
73,947What is an annulment and how do I get one?
61,501Do I have to get a divorce?
68,627How do I apply for a divorce by myself?
132,828How do I apply for a divorce with my partner?
45,880What if my partner and I agree on what to do after we separate or divorce?
29,761What can I do if my partner and I can’t agree after separating?
12,290I’m not a Canadian citizen. Will I be forced to leave Canada if my partner and I separate or divorce?
22,532How do I make an agreement that the court will enforce?
23,132What can I do if my partner isn’t following our separation agreement?
21,076How do I change my separation agreement?
27,086What can I do if my partner isn’t following our court order?
20,232How do I change my court order?
15,496I lost my marriage certificate. How do I get another one?
87,215Decision‑making and time with children
What is decision-making responsibility and who gets it?
38,263What is parenting time and who gets it?
20,789Who will my child live with?
15,532Can my child decide who they want to live with?
155,200I’m a parent. Do my child’s grandparents have the right to spend time with them?
78,912I’m a grandparent. Do I have the right to spend time with my grandchild?
2,425Can I travel with my child after I separate or divorce?
38,625I don’t have a court order about parenting. Can I move with my child?
27,317I have a court order about parenting. Can I move with my child?
2,720How can I help my child cope with my separation or divorce?
7,442What if we agree on what happens with our child?
13,696What if we can’t agree on what happens with our child?
13,159Can I send my child to another province or country before parenting is decided?
7,833What can I do if my partner won’t let me see my child?
37,024My child doesn’t want to visit my partner. What should I do?
11,013What if I’m worried about my child’s safety when they’re with my partner?
21,568What can I do if my partner doesn’t show up for parenting time?
10,140What is an assessment? Why would I want one?
29,303How do I change parenting arrangements in my agreement?
22,997How do I bring a motion to change a court order about parenting arrangements?
42,641Child support
What is child support?
38,251Who pays child support?
24,864How much child support must be paid?
36,194What are special or extraordinary expenses?
69,727When can a parent pay less child support?
69,253My partner isn’t paying child support. What should I do?
31,130What if my partner is paid in cash or is hiding money to avoid paying child support?
59,130When does child support end? How do I end it?
90,902Is child support taxed?
33,180Can I get child support and also get money from ODSP?
17,175Can I get child support and money from OW?
18,141What should we do if we agree on child support?
12,480What should we do if we can’t agree on child support?
10,472Can I use Ontario’s online Child Support Service?
12,969How can child support be changed?
20,145How do I change child support in my separation agreement?
13,500How do I change child support in my court order?
19,346Can I use Ontario’s online Child Support Service to change child support?
13,709How do I bring a motion to change child support?
44,932How does the FRO enforce child support?
47,612I haven’t paid child support. How do I get a refraining order?
19,734Spousal support
What is spousal support?
19,000How much spousal support must be paid?
17,335Can I get spousal support?
16,243Do I have to pay spousal support?
42,193My partner isn’t paying spousal support. What should I do?
10,779What if my partner is paid in cash or is hiding money to avoid paying spousal support?
8,246When does spousal support end? How do I end it?
57,340How is spousal support taxed?
51,371Can I get spousal support and money from OW?
12,296Can I get spousal support and money from ODSP?
17,924What should we do if we agree on spousal support?
8,753What should we do if we can’t agree on spousal support?
5,793How do I change spousal support in my separation agreement?
10,679How do I change spousal support in my court order?
8,918How do I bring a motion to change spousal support?
16,677How does the FRO enforce spousal support?
10,804I haven’t paid spousal support. How do I get a refraining order?
6,334Property and debts ‑ married couples
We’re married. Do we have to divide our property and debts if we separate or divorce?
26,263We’re married. How do we divide our property and debts if we separate or divorce?
47,033We’re married. What if we agree on what happens to our property and debts after we separate or divorce?
10,338We’re married. What if we can’t agree on what happens to our property and debts after we separate or divorce?
10,408We’re married. Who gets to stay in our home if we separate or divorce?
86,779We’re married. What happens to my partner’s property if they die?
27,353We’re married. What happens to CPP benefits if we separate or one of us dies?
31,342We’re married. What happens to our pensions if we separate or divorce?
25,289Property and debts ‑ common‑law couples
We’re not married. What happens to our property and debts if we separate?
114,271We’re not married. What if we agree on what happens to our property and debts after we separate?
10,562We’re not married. What if we can’t agree on what happens to our property and debts after we separate?
12,966We’re not married. Who gets to stay in our home if we separate?
22,630We’re not married. What happens to our pensions if we separate?
17,306We’re not married. What happens to my partner’s property if they die?
77,116We’re not married. What happens to CPP benefits after we separate or one of us dies?
21,878Child protection
What should I do if I think a child is being abused or neglected?
6,790What can CAS do if they think my child is being abused or neglected?
8,693What if CAS wants to talk to me or my child?
31,327Can I agree to get help from CAS?
8,741What if CAS takes my child?
28,329Do I have the right to a lawyer in my child protection case?
5,124How do I get access to see my child after CAS takes them?
7,346What do I do if I get court papers from CAS?
5,057What is an Answer and Plan of Care in my child protection case?
7,999What if I miss the deadline to serve and file my Answer and Plan of Care?
3,475What happens at the first court date in my child protection case?
4,042What is a temporary care and custody hearing in my child protection case?
6,883What is a conference in my child protection case?
4,972What is alternative dispute resolution in a child protection case?
6,637What happens at a child protection hearing or trial?
7,639What happens at a status review in my child protection case?
5,833Can I have contact with my child if CAS puts them for public adoption?
5,440How do I complain about a CAS worker?
20,579Partner abuse
How do I know I’m in an abusive situation?
24,804Can I take my child with me when I leave my abusive partner?
64,626Will I be forced to leave Canada if I leave my abusive partner?
33,194What if I have to move out because of violence or abuse?
16,199How does an abusive relationship affect my family law issues?
8,859What happens if I call the police about my abusive partner?
33,923What if my abusive partner is charged with a crime?
22,458My partner is abusing me, but what happens if the police charge me?
27,172What if I have family court and criminal court at the same time?
13,275What is the difference between a restraining order and a peace bond?
50,014What if I need a court order quickly to deal with an abusive partner?
10,868How can I keep my abusive partner away from me after I leave?
25,089What if I’m worried about my child’s safety when they’re with my partner?
21,568What if my partner says they’re going to take our child away from me?
21,563What if my partner takes our child to another country without my permission?
8,641Where can I find legal support if I have experienced partner abuse?
15,805How do I apply for a legal aid certificate?
27,269Restraining orders and peace bonds
What is the difference between a restraining order and a peace bond?
50,014What is a restraining order?
41,370How do I ask for a restraining order in my family law application?
11,404How do I ask for a restraining order in a family law motion?
12,164How do I apply for a peace bond?
59,128Should I sign a peace bond?
23,023What happens if I don’t follow a peace bond?
13,959Out‑of‑court options
Can we resolve our family law issues without going to court?
13,209What if my partner and I agree on what to do after we separate or divorce?
29,761What is negotiation?
7,369What is parenting coordination?
15,337What is collaborative family law?
18,120What is mediation?
33,043What is mediation-arbitration?
19,275What is arbitration?
19,490Going to family court
I have a family court date in the Superior Court of Justice. What should I do?
7,797I have a family court date in the Ontario Court of Justice. What should I do?
5,747Why do I want to go to family court?
9,812Can we stop our family case and try to solve our problems another way?
18,812What if I have family court and criminal court at the same time?
13,275Which court do I start my family law case at?
7,085How do I start a family law court case?
25,883How do I respond to a family law court case?
11,800How can I file forms and documents in my family law case?
1,734How do I file court forms for my family case online?
10,996What does serving your documents mean in a family court case?
31,335What is a continuing record and how do I prepare one?
16,278What is a financial statement? What documents do I have to give my partner?
41,821What happens at a first court date in my family court case?
18,230What is an offer to settle in a family court case?
26,155What is the Mandatory Information Program in my family court case?
27,616What is a case conference in my family case and what happens at one?
43,369What is a settlement conference in my family case and what happens at one?
26,328What is a trial management conference in my family case and what happens at one?
17,918How do I prepare for a family law trial?
13,136What happens at a family law trial?
32,640What happens after my family law trial?
9,715How do I change my court order?
15,496How do I bring a motion to change child support?
44,932How do I bring a motion to change spousal support?
16,677How do I bring a motion to change a court order about parenting arrangements?
42,641What is a motion on consent in family law and what happens at one?
15,521What is a motion without consent in family law and what happens at one?
16,446What is an urgent motion with notice in family law and what happens at one?
25,050What is an emergency or ex parte motion in family law and what happens at one?
49,165Getting legal help in Family Law
Where can I find a lawyer to help with my family law issue?
37,826I can’t afford a family law lawyer. Where can I find legal help?
64,490Where can I find legal support if I have experienced partner abuse?
15,805Do I have the right to a lawyer in my child protection case?
5,124How do I prepare for my meeting with a lawyer or paralegal?
6,241How do I apply for a legal aid certificate?
27,269How do I complain about a CAS worker?
20,579How do I complain about my lawyer’s bill?
19,222How do I complain about a lawyer or paralegal?
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