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Ahluwalia v. Ahluwalia: A Landmark Victory for Domestic Violence Victims — But a Potential Crisis for Family Law Litigation
The Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in Ahluwalia v. Ahluwalia will likely become one of the most influential — and controversial — family law decisions in Canadian legal history. By recognizing a new tort of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), the Court fundamentally changed how domestic violence can be addressed within civil and family law proceedings. […]
Putting Children First – the Importance of a Child-Focused Approach in Family Law Matters
“How do I make sure my kids are going to be ok?” This is the first thing that parents starting the process of separation and divorce ask me about. The simple answer is “by putting them first”. The more complicated answer is “by creating a parenting plan that is in the children’s best interests”. Parenting plans provide […]
The Importance of an Age-Appropriate Parenting Plan: Why Ontario Courts Are Looking to Evidence-Based Guidance
When parents separate, one of the most significant decisions they must make concerns the future care of their children. A parenting plan is far more than a schedule—it is the framework that supports a child’s stability, emotional security, and healthy development following separation. Too often, parenting arrangements are proposed based on convenience, conflict, or generalized […]
How to Choose a Good Family Lawyer: Why a Well-Rounded Lawyer Is Often the Smartest Choice
When you are facing a separation, divorce, parenting dispute, support issue, or property division matter, choosing the right family lawyer can have a major impact on your future, finances, and peace of mind. Many people search for a lawyer based on price, advertising, or a single label like “collaborative lawyer” or “litigator.” But family law […]
Hiring a Litigation Lawyer in High Conflict Family Cases is Essential
When families face separation or divorce, mediation is often promoted as the faster, more cost-effective, and less adversarial path. While that may be true for amicable situations, high-conflict family cases are fundamentally different. In these circumstances, hiring an experienced litigation lawyer is not just beneficial—it is often essential to protecting your rights, your children, and […]
Parental Alienation – understanding the controversy
In family law, few terms generate as much controversy as “parental alienation.” Originally intended to describe a dynamic in which one parent influences a child to reject the other parent, the phrase has since taken on a life of its own—expanding beyond its clinical roots into legal arguments, custody disputes, and public discourse. Despite its […]
Parental Alienation and Domestic Violence: Can They Coexist?
Parental alienation and domestic violence can—and often do—coexist. In discussions about family breakdown, these two concepts are frequently treated as opposites. Many assume that if one is present, the other cannot be. This binary thinking oversimplifies complex family dynamics and can lead to serious consequences in legal, clinical, and social contexts. The reality is far […]
What happens if my ex is unreasonable?
The short answer is – large cost awards. In the recent case of Clark v Denyes, 2025 ONSC 2936 (CanLII), the Honourable Justice Mathen ordered the Respondent mother to pay $400,000.00 in litigation costs to her ex-husband, the Applicant Father. The Honourable Justice Mathen found that the Respondent Mother acted unreasonably by employing misguided views […]
Can children of a certain age make their own decisions?
The Short Answer is – Yes! Children are able to make their own decisions regarding parenting as they become older. The typical age when this begins is between twelve (12) and thirteen (13) years old. However, age is merely a proxy for a child’s stage of development or level of maturity. Children may be permitted […]
Are there penalties for “parental alienation”?
Marginalizing a parent from a child’s life is a dangerous game that destroys separating families and has potentially lasting consequences on the physical and mental health of children. For good reason, it also carries with it very serious consequences if challenged in court. One of the most extreme remedies a court has available to it, […]