Choosing the Right Divorce Lawyer

They have a solid reputation

Choosing a Divorce LawyerSpend some time on Google, speak to trusted friends and conduct some preliminary research.  A few clicks of a mouse can provide you with enough reason to hire – or not hire – a particular lawyer or firm.

They guide you through the process.

A great divorce lawyer listens and works with you to achieve the best outcome possible. They don’t promise vengeance, but they take notes and are able to devote enough attention to you and your case.

They’re focused and experienced.

The lawyer for you has likely handled many similar cases and knows the family law world inside and out. They’re also able to effectively communicate this to you without risking the confidentiality of their other clients.

They put themselves out there for you.

A huge sign of a good family lawyer is that their goal is to keep you informed and educated about the process and how they can help you. They have a blog, are active in social media and networking and have a fully-functioning web site that’s constantly being updated with the latest divorce news, as well as offering basic advice throughout each page.

Choosing who you want to represent your best interests in a major life event like a divorce can seem overwhelming, and there’s ads everywhere imaginable letting you know who’s around to “help” you with a quick and easy divorce. Unfortunately, divorce is rarely a quick or easy process, and you’ll need be able to recognize the individual or firm that is best suited to represent you.

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By michael - Last updated: Friday, March 5, 2010
Filed in Divorce, Divorce Lawyer • Tags: , , , ,


I am not a Canadian citizen or Canadian Permanent Resident. Can I Apply For Divorce in Canada?

People who are neither Canadian citizens nor permanent residents can apply for divorce in Canada even if they were legally married in another country.

Pursuant to the Divorce Act, a non-Canadian citizen or permanent resident is  eligible to apply for divorce if he or she is in a marriage where either one or both spouses have lived in a Canadian province or territory for at least a one-year period immediately prior to applying for a divorce in that same province or territory.  In Ontario, the Superior Court of Justice has jurisdiction to grant a divorce to non-Canadian citizens who have been “ordinarily resident” in Ontario for “at least one year immediately preceding the commencement of the proceeding”.  In deciding whether a party has been ordinarily a resident, a court looks to fact-specific evidence, such as length of residence at a fixed address, place of employment, location of a bank account, and maintenance of a driver’s licence.  The court will determine whether the totality of the evidence establishes that a party is ordinarily a resident within the jurisdiction as opposed to on a temporary stay or visit.

Unless the residential requirements are met pursuant to the Divorce Act, a court in the province or territory where the divorce application is commenced will be without jurisdiction over the parties in the proceeding and therefore without jurisdiction to grant a divorce.

For more information about Divorce contact Niren and Associates Family Law Practice at 416 222 4555 or info@divorcesupport.ca.

Also visit www.VisaPlace.com information about issues relating for Canadian Permanent Residence and Canadian citizenship.

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By candice - Last updated: Thursday, January 28, 2010
Filed in Divorce • Tags: ,


How long do I have to wait until I can get divorced in Ontario?

You have to be separated for one year unless there has been adultery or abuse.  If so then you can apply for divorce without delay.

Separation has a sepecific legal meaning so it is important to consult with a Family lawyer who can guide you through the separation process.

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By anna - Last updated: Monday, September 21, 2009
Filed in Divorce, Questions and Answers • Tags:


What is the procedure, what are the fees, and how long does it take to get Divorced? in Ontario?

First all, obtain and complete the Application for Divorce. Take it to the appropriate court (if you live in Toronto it would be the Toronto court house at 393 University Avenue) with a cheque for $167.00 and have it issued.  Once you get the issued application back (usually that very same day if you go yourself) you then have it served on the “Respondent.”

Then wait 30 days from the date he or she is served. If they do not respond (if uncontested they will not respond) then obtain and complete your Affidavit of Divorce, Clerk’s Certificate, and Divorce Order envelopes and submit these to the court along with a cheque for $280.00 to have the matter set down. The court states that once its set down it takes 4 – 6 weeks to receive your issued Divorce Order. However, it has been know to be longer – that is 2 or 3 months.

Once you receive your issued Divorce Order you have to wait the 30 days from the time the Divorce Order was granted and then you can apply for your Certificate of Divorce with the court and their fee is $19.00.

For Divorce maters, it is always best to consult with a lawyer. You can call us at 416 222 4555 or email us at info@divorcesupport.ca

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By anna - Last updated: Monday, August 10, 2009
Filed in Divorce, Questions and Answers • Tags: ,


Child Custody Battle Sparks International Dispute: Canadian Perspective

8 year old Shawn Goldman has been torn apart by his parents divorce. Four years ago he was taken by his mother away from his father in the US to Brazil without the father’s consent.

According to CNN, the mother died while giving birth to a child in Brazil she had from her second husband last summer. The dispute would have presumably ended there, but when Mr. Goldman flew to Brazil to collect his son, he discovered Bruna’s (his ex-wife) husband has petitioned to have Mr. Goldman’s name removed from Shawn’s Brazilian birth certificate, though he was born in New Jersey.

According to the Seattle Times, Mr. Goldman has spent over $360,000 trying to get his son back. The case has so far received significant international attention, but the Brazilian government has been slow in dealing with the matter, despite the 1980 Hague Agreement “which seeks to protect children from the harmful effects of abduction and retention across international boundaries by providing a procedure to bring about their prompt return”.

From our perspective here in Canada, if you plan on taking a child out of the country, especially where there are child custody issues, there are legal family law issues that must be considered.  Not only are there international laws that may be applicable but also Canadian family law relating to custody and access issues. It is therefore imporant to consult a famly lawyer to discuss the legalities of escorting a child outside the jursidiction of his or her residence even if you have consent from the other parent.

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By tali - Last updated: Friday, July 17, 2009
Filed in Child Custody in Ontario, Divorce, Toronto Family Lawyers • Tags: , , ,


An 18 Year old’s Custody Battle Over Brothers due to Parents’ Divorce

An unnamed 18-year old Mississauga resident has entered a custody with his parents for full custody over his two brothers, ages 12 and 14.

The Toronto Star reported earlier this week that the young man is planning on taking his brothers away from the ” insanity” that has plagued his parents’ divorce proceedings, saying that his brothers are better off living with him on welfare with some subsidies from their parents than to remain in the toxic environment they’ve grown up in.

What has transpired over the course of the last few years sounds like an Orwellian novel.  The divorce proceedings that were involved in this case included  court-sanctioned “deprogramming” for the two young boys, who their mother claimed were being “brainwashed” against her by their father.

The lengths some people will go to hurt others during contested divorce proceedings can be a painful reminder that when you separate from your spouse,  there are others who often get harmed emotionally.  It is therefore important to involve a Family lawyer who understands not only the technical family law issues in divorce matters but also takes into account all parties, immediate and extended family included.

For more information about Divorce and Separation or any other family law matter, contact Niren and Associates Family Lawyers in Toronto at 416 222 4555 or email us at info@divorcesupport.ca

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By tali - Last updated: Sunday, June 14, 2009
Filed in Child Custody in Ontario, Divorce, Toronto Family Lawyers • Tags: , ,