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The information and links on these pages have been assembled to provide you with general information and answers to many of your basic questions about Family Law. 

Useful Addresses  Separation, Divorce and Custody  Adoption and Children's Resources

Useful Addresses

Family Law Information Centre
Ottawa Court House
161 Elgin Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K2P 2K1
Tel: (613) 239-1274
Website: www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/family/infoctr.asp

The Family Law Information Centre provides free information and help on issues related to separation, divorce and other family law matters. Court staff will provide information about the court process and court forms and an advice lawyer from Legal Aid Ontario is available at certain hours to provide summary legal advice.

Parent Resource Centre
300 Goulbourn Private
Sandy Hill
Ottawa, Ontario
K1N 1C9
Tel: (613) 565-2467
Website: www.parentresource.on.ca 

The Parent Resource Centre offers information about where to get parenting help and legal assistance services in Ottawa. 

ServiceOntario Centre
110 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, Ontario
K1P 1J1
Website:  http://www.gov.on.ca/

The Service Ontario Centre provides information packages on a variety of topics such as Dealing with Separation and Divorce.

There are many different services available within the Ottawa-Carleton area to assist families. The Parent Resource Centre’s ‘Incredible Directory’ offers a comprehensive listing of area resources such as:

Family Counselling
Family Resource Centres
Parenting course/workshops/conferences
Single parent services
Support Groups
Child care/nannies
Children’s activities
Education & Health

The ‘Incredible Directory’ is available online at www.parentresource.on.ca 

Family mediation 
Many families choose to resolve disputes through mediation. The Family law Information Centre can provide information on these services. In addition, the Ontario Association for Family Mediation can also provide a list of services available in the Ottawa area. This information is available on the Association’s web site at www.oafm.on.ca  or by calling 1-800-989-3025.  

Separation, Divorce and Custody

The Department of Justice Canada publishes a booklet entitled “Divorce Law: Questions and Answers”. The booklet contains detailed information on Divorce Law including information on:

Settling money matters
Child support
Spousal support
Property Division

The booklet is available online at http://canada.justice.gc.ca/en/ps/pad/resources/divorce/index.html#01.
The information is also available in hard copy format and can be ordered by calling (613) 957-4222. 

Community Legal Education Ontario has also produced an introductory guide to divorce. The guide is available online at http://www.cleo.on.ca/english/pub/onpub/PDF/family/getdiv.pdf or copies can be ordered by calling (416) 408-4420. 

What to expect at your first meeting with a Family Law lawyer 
The purpose of your first meeting is to allow the lawyer to gather information about your situation and discuss the relevant issues.

The lawyer will want to know who you are and how you can be contacted. The lawyer may also ask for a personal and business background. He or she will want to clearly understand your situation. It is helpful if you write down anything that you consider relevant background information and have it available for the lawyer. Also bring along any documents that you have that are relevant to the issues you wish to discuss.

The lawyer will need details of your employment, finances and expenses. You will be asked to prepare a list of all the assets that you or your spouse own, and the approximate value of each, including:

bank accounts
RRSPs or pensions
real estate
cars
stocks or mutual funds
life insurance
business interests
jewelry
any other assets

In addition, you will be asked to prepare a list of debts that you, or your spouse, owe and a schedule of monthly income and expenses. You will also be asked to provide copies of income tax returns for the past three years for yourself and your spouse (if available).  
 
It is important to remember that you are paying for the time you spend meeting with the lawyer. You will be receiving a lot of new information. Be sure to take along a written list of questions, and jot down his or her answers as you go through the list.  

Collection of Child and Spousal Support Payments
The Family Responsibility Office (FRO) is responsible for collecting and enforcing child and family support payments except if the parties choose otherwise. The web site provides full details on their role and can answer many of your questions on topics such as:
How the FRO becomes involved in support payments
FRO enforcement powers
General information is available by calling 1-800-267-7263. Client service representatives can address difficult problems by calling 1-800-267-4330.
Web site: www.mcss.gov.on.ca/mcss/english/pillars/familyResponsibility
Child Custody and Access
Community Legal Education Ontario has produced an introductory guide to child custody and access that answers questions including:

What are the different types of custody?
What are the different types of access?
How does the judge make a decision on custody and access?

The guide is available online at www.cleo.on.ca/english/pub/onpub/subject/family.htm
Copies of the booklet can be ordered by calling (416) 408-4420
The Attorney General of Ontario’s web site also offers detailed information on supervised access. Information provided includes:

What is supervised access?
What do supervised access centres do?
Who can use supervised access centres?

Web site: www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/family/supaccess.asp
Free parent information sessions are available to parents who want information about child custody and access. For more information contact the Family Law information Centre at (613) 239-1274

Questions about Child Support 
The Department of Justice Canada web site provides information and answers to many questions concerning child support. Topics covered on the site include:

Eight steps to calculating child support
Provincial enforcement programs

Web site: http://justice.gc.ca 

Adoption and Children's Resources

Questions about Adoption 

The Ontario Ministry of Child and Youth Services web site provides information and answers to many questions concerning adoption. The on-line publications’ topics include:

How to adopt a child in Ontario
Private adoption
Lists of adoption agencies
International Adoption
Step-parent and relative adoption
Putting a child up for adoption

Web site: www.children.gov.on.ca 

Resources to help children 

There are a number of resources available to assist parents and their children understand and cope with the changes caused by family disputes. 
Health Canada publishes a booklet entitled “Because life moves on…helping children and youth live with separation and divorce”. The booklet can be obtained at the Family Law Information Centre or by calling (613) 954-5995. The booklet is also available online at http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/mh-sm/divorce/index.html. 

The Attorney General of Ontario has published a book specifically written for children whose parents are separating. “Where do I stand – A Child’s guide to Separation and Divorce’ is available online at www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/family/wheredoi.asp or by calling Publications Ontario at 1-800-668-9938. 

The Department of Justice Canada publishes a booklet for children between the ages of nine and twelve entitled “What happens next?  Information for kids about separation and divorce”.  The booklet is available online at http://www.justice.gc.ca/en/ps/pad/resources/children_booklet/cover.html or can be ordered by calling (613) 957-4222. 

For more information, please contact:

Carol Craig
Nancy Cook Johnson
E. Jane Murray
Gregory A. Ste. Marie
Robert C. Morrow