Family Law Blog

It is now clear that incidences of domestic violence seem to be increasing during COVID 19. Unfortunately, escaping from an abusive partner is more difficult when there are restrictions on travel and physical contact between people.

While most of us are learning to cope with the uncertainty brought by COVID-19, a subset of our population is intimately familiar with this feeling.

Once you’ve decided it is best to separate from your spouse or partner you also need to decide the best process to resolve all outstanding issues. Especially during COVID-19 and this time of financial uncertainty, you want to make sure to spend your resources wisely.

Physical distancing and isolation measures may force family court system to change for the better.

It is nearing two months since life changed drastically for all Albertans in response to the spread of COVID-19. The courts and the legal profession have made swift and major changes to their day-to-day operations, including the ongoing restriction of court sittings in Alberta including in family law.

The Alberta Maintenance Enforcement Program (“MEP”) is a provincial government program that is responsible for collecting court ordered child support and spousal support.

These unprecedented times have many parents wondering about their ongoing child support obligations or entitlements in light of mass layoffs, decreased earnings, and lost childcare options.

As the coronavirus, COVID-19, spreads across Canada, and we see a rise in reported cases and fatalities, we also hear of the great work being performed by healthcare professionals as well as scientists trying to develop a vaccine for this deadly virus.

The economy in Alberta has taken a huge hit due to COVID 19 and the price of oil hitting record lows. As a result, many more couples are receiving loans or gifts of cash from their families to help them get by. Normally, this is not a problem.  However, when couples separate or divorce it inevitably creates an issue.

We are often asked about how to obtain an annulment for a short-term marriage, however, there seems to be a common misconception that the duration of the marriage is what allows a person to obtain an annulment.