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?
3,610Can I have contact with my child if CAS puts them for public adoption?
6,650What does it mean to place a child for adoption?
10,074How do I adopt a child in Ontario?
63,851I’m a birth parent. Can I find a child I placed for adoption?
7,147I’m a birth parent. Can my adopted child find me?
7,439I’m adopted. Can I find out about my birth parents?
20,962How do I prove who my child’s other parent is?
16,066How do I get a health card for my baby?
30,733How do I register my baby’s birth in Ontario?
24,223Marriage and common‑law relationships
I lost my marriage certificate. How do I get another one?
89,696How do we get married in Ontario?
167,035How do we get married outside of Ontario?
14,631Is there a legal difference between being married and living together?
58,115What is a prenup or a marriage contract?
47,281What is a cohabitation agreement?
34,244Separation and divorce
How do I get my divorce certificate?
8,344What legal issues should I think about when I separate or divorce?
33,069Can we resolve our family law issues without going to court?
14,788How do I legally separate from my partner?
76,335What is an annulment and how do I get one?
64,574Do I have to get a divorce?
70,547How do I apply for a divorce by myself?
136,341How do I apply for a divorce with my partner?
48,650What if my partner and I agree on what to do after we separate or divorce?
31,515What can I do if my partner and I cannot agree after separating?
13,743I’m not a Canadian citizen. Will I be forced to leave Canada if my partner and I separate or divorce?
23,705How do I make an agreement that the court will enforce?
24,985What can I do if my partner isn’t following our separation agreement?
22,752How do I change my separation agreement?
28,298What can I do if my partner isn’t following our court order?
21,997How do I change my court order?
17,130I lost my marriage certificate. How do I get another one?
89,696Decision‑making and time with children
What is decision-making responsibility and who gets it?
40,496What is parenting time and who gets it?
22,504Who will my child live with?
17,103Can my child decide who they want to live with?
158,709I’m a parent. Do my child’s grandparents have the right to spend time with them?
80,803I’m a grandparent. Do I have the right to spend time with my grandchild?
3,644Can I travel with my child after I separate or divorce?
40,294I do not have a court order about parenting. Can I move with my child?
29,558I have a court order about parenting. Can I move with my child?
4,020How can I help my child cope with my separation or divorce?
8,415What if we agree on what happens with our child?
14,872What if we cannot agree on what happens with our child?
14,605Can I send my child to another province or country before parenting is decided?
8,826What can I do if my partner won’t let me see my child?
39,050My child doesn’t want to visit my partner. What should I do?
12,411What if I’m worried about my child’s safety when they’re with my partner?
23,254What can I do if my partner doesn’t show up for parenting time?
11,551What is an assessment? Why would I want one?
31,064How do I change parenting arrangements in my agreement?
24,373How do I bring a motion to change a court order about parenting arrangements?
44,951Child support
What is child support?
40,040Who pays child support?
26,514How much child support must be paid?
38,302What are special or extraordinary expenses?
72,000When can a parent pay less child support?
71,057My partner isn’t paying child support. What should I do?
33,740What if my partner is paid in cash or is hiding money to avoid paying child support?
60,869When does child support end? How do I end it?
93,397Is child support taxed?
34,492Can I get child support and also get money from ODSP?
18,649Can I get child support and money from OW?
19,411What should we do if we agree on child support?
13,711What should we do if we cannot agree on child support?
11,764Can I use Ontario’s online Child Support Service?
14,294How can child support be changed?
22,369How do I change child support in my separation agreement?
14,840How do I change child support in my court order?
20,942Can I use Ontario’s online Child Support Service to change child support?
15,328How do I bring a motion to change child support?
47,131How does the FRO enforce child support?
50,423I haven’t paid child support. How do I get a refraining order?
21,262Spousal support
What is spousal support?
20,612How much spousal support must be paid?
18,864Can I get spousal support?
17,697Do I have to pay spousal support?
43,510My partner isn’t paying spousal support. What should I do?
12,232What if my partner is paid in cash or is hiding money to avoid paying spousal support?
9,477When does spousal support end? How do I end it?
59,197How is spousal support taxed?
52,864Can I get spousal support and money from OW?
13,452Can I get spousal support and money from ODSP?
19,297What should we do if we agree on spousal support?
9,715What should we do if we cannot agree on spousal support?
6,714How do I change spousal support in my separation agreement?
11,699How do I change spousal support in my court order?
10,054How do I bring a motion to change spousal support?
18,179How does the FRO enforce spousal support?
12,297I haven’t paid spousal support. How do I get a refraining order?
7,870Property and debts ‑ married couples
We’re married. Do we have to divide our property and debts if we separate or divorce?
27,834We’re married. How do we divide our property and debts if we separate or divorce?
49,153We’re married. What if we agree on what happens to our property and debts after we separate or divorce?
11,693We’re married. What if we cannot agree on what happens to our property and debts after we separate or divorce?
11,482We’re married. Who gets to stay in our home if we separate or divorce?
89,053We’re married. What happens to my partner’s property if they die?
29,650We’re married. What happens to CPP benefits if we separate or one of us dies?
33,683We’re married. What happens to our pensions if we separate or divorce?
27,277Property and debts ‑ common‑law couples
We’re not married. What happens to our property and debts if we separate?
116,438We’re not married. What if we agree on what happens to our property and debts after we separate?
11,652We’re not married. What if we cannot agree on what happens to our property and debts after we separate?
14,233We’re not married. Who gets to stay in our home if we separate?
24,242We’re not married. What happens to our pensions if we separate?
19,202We’re not married. What happens to my partner’s property if they die?
79,036We’re not married. What happens to CPP benefits after we separate or one of us dies?
23,167Child protection
What should I do if I think a child is being abused or neglected?
8,121What can CAS do if they think my child is being abused or neglected?
10,296What if CAS wants to talk to me or my child?
33,629Can I agree to get help from CAS?
10,186What if CAS takes my child?
31,459Do I have the right to a lawyer in my child protection case?
6,281How do I get access to see my child after CAS takes them?
8,741What do I do if I get court papers from CAS?
6,306What is an Answer and Plan of Care in my child protection case?
9,636What if I miss the deadline to serve and file my Answer and Plan of Care?
4,503What happens at the first court date in my child protection case?
5,160What is a temporary care and custody hearing in my child protection case?
8,295What is a conference in my child protection case?
6,324What is alternative dispute resolution in a child protection case?
8,089What happens at a child protection hearing or trial?
9,087What happens at a status review in my child protection case?
7,323Can I have contact with my child if CAS puts them for public adoption?
6,650How do I complain about a CAS worker?
22,194Partner abuse
How do I know I’m in an abusive situation?
26,327Can I take my child with me when I leave my abusive partner?
66,675Will I be forced to leave Canada if I leave my abusive partner?
34,534What if I have to move out because of violence or abuse?
18,898How does an abusive relationship affect my family law issues?
9,967What happens if I call the police about my abusive partner?
35,464What if my abusive partner is charged with a crime?
23,873My partner is abusing me, but what happens if the police charge me?
28,831What if I have family court and criminal court at the same time?Updated April 24
14,692What is the difference between a restraining order and a peace bond?
52,604What if I need a court order quickly to deal with an abusive partner?
12,209How can I keep my abusive partner away from me after I leave?
26,818What if I’m worried about my child’s safety when they’re with my partner?
23,254What if my partner says they’re going to take our child away from me?
23,354What if my partner takes our child to another country without my permission?
10,086Where can I find legal support if I have experienced partner abuse?
17,494How do I apply for a legal aid certificate?
29,686Restraining orders and peace bonds
What is the difference between a restraining order and a peace bond?
52,604What is a restraining order?
43,289How do I ask for a restraining order in my family law application?
13,148How do I ask for a restraining order in a family law motion?
13,427How do I apply for a peace bond?
62,749Should I sign a peace bond?
24,643What happens if I do not follow a peace bond?
15,271Out‑of‑court options
Can we resolve our family law issues without going to court?
14,788What if my partner and I agree on what to do after we separate or divorce?
31,515What is negotiation?
8,443What is parenting coordination?
17,430What is collaborative family law?
19,865What is mediation?
35,222What is mediation-arbitration?
21,080What is arbitration?
20,721Going to family court
I have a family court date in the Superior Court of Justice. What should I do?
9,555I have a family court date in the Ontario Court of Justice. What should I do?
7,310Why do I want to go to family court?
10,772Can we stop our family case and try to solve our problems another way?
20,408What if I have family court and criminal court at the same time?Updated April 24
14,692Which court do I start my family law case at?
8,085How do I start a family law court case?
27,581How do I respond to a family law court case?
13,170How can I file forms and documents in my family law case?
3,063How do I file court forms for my family case online?
13,154What does serving your documents mean in a family court case?
32,872What is a continuing record and how do I prepare one?
17,972What is a financial statement? What documents do I have to give my partner?
44,267What happens at a first court date in my family court case?
19,770What is an offer to settle in a family court case?
27,702What is the Mandatory Information Program in my family court case?
29,155What is a case conference in my family case and what happens at one?
45,064What is a settlement conference in my family case and what happens at one?
28,200What is a trial management conference in my family case and what happens at one?
19,562How do I prepare for a family law trial?
14,628What happens at a family law trial?
34,552What happens after my family law trial?
11,102How do I change my court order?
17,130How do I bring a motion to change child support?
47,131How do I bring a motion to change spousal support?
18,179How do I bring a motion to change a court order about parenting arrangements?
44,951What is a motion on consent in family law and what happens at one?
16,965What is a motion without consent in family law and what happens at one?
17,852What is an urgent motion with notice in family law and what happens at one?
26,590What is an emergency or ex parte motion in family law and what happens at one?
50,915Getting legal help in Family Law
Where can I find a lawyer to help with my family law issue?
40,103I cannot afford a family law lawyer. Where can I find legal help?
67,368Where can I find legal support if I have experienced partner abuse?
17,494Do I have the right to a lawyer in my child protection case?
6,281How do I prepare for my meeting with a lawyer or paralegal?
7,740How do I apply for a legal aid certificate?
29,686How do I complain about a CAS worker?
22,194How do I complain about my lawyer’s bill?
21,530How do I complain to the Law Society of Ontario about a lawyer or paralegal?
34,690