On behalf of Kirk Montoute Dawson LLP posted in Family Law on Tuesday, November 5, 2013. One of the most valuable assets that a Canadian spouse may have is his or her pension. Like most assets, pensions are subject to property division. However, these assets can be complex, and understanding …
Foster parents win court battle for guardianship
On behalf of Kirk Montoute Dawson LLP posted in Family Law on Thursday, October 31, 2013. According to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation of Manitoba, a family won a long drawn-out battle against the Métis Child and Family Services Authority. The family law dispute centered around whether the Filipino-Canadian foster parents …
The challenges of same-sex marriage and divorce for Albertans
On behalf of Kirk Montoute Dawson LLP posted in Family Law on Thursday, October 24, 2013. As one of the first nations in the world to legalize same-sex marriage, Canada attracted hundreds of same-sex couples from across the globe who were seeking marriages. In 2004, Canada became one of the …
Relief for woman after years of fighting for child support
On behalf of Kirk Montoute Dawson LLP posted in Family Law on Friday, October 18, 2013. A Prince Edward Island woman claims that the province’s P.E.I. Maintenance Enforcement Program has caused her child support case to be delayed for years. The woman had requested a higher amount of child support …
New study promotes shift in justice system
On behalf of Kirk Montoute Dawson LLP posted in Family Law on Friday, October 11, 2013. A new report called “Access to Justice: A Roadmap for Change” may cause radical changes in the Alberta justice system. As part of a comprehensive overhaul of the legal system, the report suggests citizens …
Learning from celeb divorces
On behalf of Kirk Montoute Dawson LLP posted in High Asset Divorce on Sunday, October 6, 2013. Whether it’s Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, Elizabeth Taylor and any number of her spouses or Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries, celebrity divorces get the attention of much of the public, including the …
Social media and divorce
Social media has taken the world by storm and is now a primary form of communication. It can also play a role in family court when a dispute arises. Some parents in Alberta may be able to utilize social media content to prove that they have attempted to communicate with …
Reasons for divorcing after 50
On behalf of Kirk Montoute Dawson LLP posted in Family Law on Friday, September 20, 2013. One group of individuals in Alberta with a high divorce rate is baby boomers who are approaching their retirement years. Whether a spouse decides they want a younger partner or whether the couple ends …
Change in law permits same-sex divorce
On behalf of Kirk Montoute Dawson LLP posted in Family Law on Monday, September 16, 2013. For years, nonresident gay and lesbian couples who were married in Alberta and other provinces have existed in a kind of limbo. Family legal issues arose because Canada refused to allow gay couples divorce …
Constructive Trust Claims and “Joint Family Venture”
By Cindy Lee of Kirk Montoute Dawson LLP posted in Family Law on Tuesday, September 10, 2013. Common law spouses cannot rely on the same presumption of equal interest property rights afforded to married couples under the Matrimonial Property Act. If you are in a common-law relationship, any right you …