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Marriage and common-law relationships

Services

Includes domestic contracts and marriage registration.

What the clients may say:

"While we weren’t legally married, I think I should get money from my ex-partner now that our long-term relationship is over."
"I sponsored my partner to immigrate to Canada. Because we are not married and haven’t lived together for over a year, the application was refused."

Legal Services

Family Law Information Centre

Provides the public with easy access to user-friendly information about family law.

JusticeNet

Connects low to middle income individuals with legal professionals – lawyers, mediators and paralegals- who have agreed to work at a reduced rate. In order to use JusticeNet, individuals must make a net family income that is no higher than $59,000 per year.

Law Society Referral Service

Provides the name of a lawyer or paralegal who best fits a person’s stated needs. The service is not designed to provide legal advice or second opinions.

Legal Aid Ontario Client Service Centre

Provides legal aid services to eligible persons. Eligibility is based on financial, and legal factors.

Ottawa Legal Information Centre

Offers legal information services, such as general explanations regarding the law and other legal topics, and is not authorized to provide legal advice or legal assistance.

Reach Canada

Educates and informs persons with disabilities, family members, lawyers and the general public about the rights and interests of persons with disabilities and ensures that quality legal and social representation is provided. Provides lawyer referral services for people with disabilities through a network of lawyers who volunteer.

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Resources

Latest Resources – Family Law – Marriage and common-law relationships

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News

Latest News & Events – Family Law

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Legal Topics

Aboriginal Issues
Aboriginal peoples are confronted by challenges in Canada and internationally, requiring programs, strategies and solutions that ensure their rights are protected under the law.
- General Aboriginal Issues
Abuse and Family Violence
Abuse and family violence can take the form of physical, psychological, sexual, financial, or emotional abuse. Abuse happens in all kinds of families, including people of all income levels, ethnocultural backgrounds, and sexual orientations.
Consumer Law
In Ontario, there are laws that set out the rights of consumers in transactions between consumers and businesses.
Criminal Law
Criminal offences and criminal procedures are defined by federal law and the Constitution of Canada. The Youth Criminal Justice Act applies to young people in trouble with the law.
Education Law
In Ontario, there are laws that establish a child's right to attend school. These laws also deal with attendance, suspensions, and expulsion, as well as the rights of children who have special needs.
Employment and Work
There are laws about hours of work, minimum wage, vacation pay, holiday pay, time off work, health and safety in the workplace, and what a worker can do if they are fired or treated so badly that they are forced to quit.
Environmental Law
Covers legal rights when it comes to pollution and environmental damage.
- Environmental protection
Family Law
Family law covers legal issues related to the formation and breakdown of families, including marriage and common-law relationships, birth and adoption, separation and divorce, child custody and access, child support, spousal support, division of property, and child protection.
Health and Disability
In Ontario, there are laws about access to health care services and to Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) coverage.
Housing Law
In Ontario, the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) sets out the law related to rent increases, evictions, repairs, and other issues that affect tenants. The RTA applies to most rental housing, although there are some living arrangements and rental situations it does not apply to.
Human Rights
Includes information on rights under provincial, federal, and international human rights laws, and under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Immigration and Refugee Law
Includes information on rights of refugees and immigrants to Canada, how to seek admission to Canada as a permanent resident or refugee, and Canadian citizenship.
Legal System
Includes information on the Canadian legal and justice system, Canadian courts (civil and criminal), court processes, and alternatives to court.
Social Assistance and Pensions
Includes information on applying for, appealing, and maintaining income support from the government (social assistance, CPP, and ODSP).
Wills and Estates
Wills, estates, trusts and power of attorney are common tools used in estate planning: the transfer of a person's assets (e.g. property, money) when they die, and other personal matters including guardianship of dependent children.