Miller Thomson Blogs put a more conversational lens on Canadian law. See the diverse perspectives of our lawyers here.
Family Law Blog

Estate freezes and family law in Ontario: What you need to know
An estate freeze is an estate/tax planning structure where the owner of an appreciating asset locks in or freezes the current value and associated tax liability of that asset prior to death. The future growth of that asset, as well...
What is a “common law” relationship?
People often refer to themselves as being in a “common law” relationship, or being “common law” spouses, but from a legal perspective, what does that actually mean? This blog post will explore some of the key differences between a “common...
COVID-19 vaccines for kids: What happens when divorced and separated parents disagree?
The COVID-19 vaccine has recently been approved for children aged 12 and up. For many teens and parents this is good news and signals a return to pre-COVID life. But what happens when separated parents disagree about whether their children...
Living together, separately: Making a case for spousal support, without ever sharing an address
Common law relationships are increasingly becoming the norm as more people are consciously choosing not to marry. In Ontario, there remains to be a different set of legal rights, obligations and entitlements to those in a common law relationship versus...
Living apart together relationships
Can two people qualify as “spouses” if they do not live together? This post looks at “living apart together” (or “LAT”) relationships from the perspective of spousal support. Long-term, committed LAT relationships are not entirely uncommon. For a variety of...
Can I waive support in a separation agreement?
Many parties who are separating wish to avoid the time and expense of the court process and instead enter into a separation agreement. A separation agreement works like a contract which sets out all of the terms regarding the separation....
“Yes, I do” – what does it entail?
When two people get married, they are naturally convinced that it will be for life, and don’t necessarily think about the financial ramifications of saying the famous “I do.” Unfortunately, some marriages do end in divorce. When our clients come...
Make sure you are compliant with your support obligation when appealing
The Court of Appeal in Abu-Saud v. Abu-Saud, 2020 ONCA 824 (CanLII) recently affirmed its jurisdiction to quash or dismiss an appeal due to non-compliance of a spousal support order. In this case, the Respondent Wife was successful in her...
There is ‘No Turning Back’ says the Canadian Bar Association
The Canadian Bar Association recently released its COVID-19 Task Force Report on justice issues which have risen due to COVID-19. This report assesses the immediate and evolving issues for the delivery of legal services resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, outlining...
Ontario father’s failure to minimize COVID-19 risks costs him access to matrimonial home
The novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) has created uncertainty for many families with custody and access arrangements. Not only has the pandemic exacerbated existing family law disputes, it has also led to new issues with respect to custody and access that courts...
Disclaimer
This blog sets out a variety of materials relating to the law to be used for educational and non-commercial purposes only; the author(s) of this blog do not intend the blog to be a source of legal advice. Please retain and seek the advice of a lawyer and use your own good judgement before choosing to act on any information included in the blog. If you choose to rely on the materials, you do so entirely at your own risk.