Solicitor-client privilege is a principle of fundamental justice – individuals must be able to communicate with their lawyers candidly and with the understanding that their lawyer may not disclose that information to anyone. Privilege attaches to all communications […]
The Federal Child Support Guidelines (FCSG) establishes the financial disclosure required by parties to determine monthly child support payments after separation. Under the FCSG, additional disclosure is mandated for an individual who is self-employed. Specifically, section 21(d) states a self-employed […]
Simply put, separating or divorcing from a spouse or partner – no matter what the circumstances may be – sucks. When an intimate relationship breaks down, it’s always a difficult and emotional time for everyone involved. However, in the context […]
Often separated parents will hear from lawyers, judges, mediators and arbitrators that you cannot force a teenager to see one parent or the other. “Teenagers talk with their feet,” is a phrase that is used to describe the level of […]
What is Alternative Dispute Resolution (“ADR”)?
For a great summary of the various methods of dispute resolution, read Kasey Anderson’s blog post here.
ADR in the Context of Domestic Violence
There is often an assumption in the legal community that ADR methods […]
Clients may sometimes reach a point in their matter where they feel that communication with their counsel is a concern. They may feel that their objective is not being heard by their lawyer, or that their counsel is […]
The law of attornment and jurisdiction in family law can be complex and tricky to assess. Attornment, jurisdiction and forum non coveniens all have separate legal definitions, and although they can overlap, it is important to distinguish them and be […]
The Court often challenges litigants to work together towards a settlement in an effort to save the parties, and the Court, time and resources. For the parties a settlement can save time, money, and heartache, but is it […]
Given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Courts throughout Alberta (and throughout Canada) are operating on a very limited basis and only permitting urgent cases to proceed. This is difficult for many litigants who have either had their previously scheduled court matters […]
With the COVID-19 court closure still in effect, arbitration has been in the spotlight as an alternative means to obtaining a binding decision in family law litigation matters. A recent Court of King’s Bench decision, Allen v. Renouf, 2020 […]