On behalf of Gary Kirk of Kirk Montoute Dawson LLP posted in Divorce Mediation on Sunday, February 1, 2015. The common perception used to be that divorce always had to be a battle, resulting in a winner and a loser. While many divorces do require litigation to resolve difficult disputes, …
Do I need a written custody and parenting plan?
On behalf of Kirk Montoute Dawson LLP posted in Divorce Mediation on Friday, December 5, 2014. If you and your co-parent are separating or divorcing in Alberta, then you have options as to how you come to an agreement about a parenting plan. Your agreement doesn’t have to be put …
What property is exempt from division in an Alberta divorce?
The Matrimonial Property Act (MPA) is the Alberta law used to classify and distribute property when a marriage ends. The basic presumption of the law is that matrimonial property and debts will be divided equally between the spouses. The MPA also provides for some kinds of property to be exempt from …
3 effective ADR options for divorcing spouses
On behalf of Kirk Montoute Dawson LLP posted in Divorce Mediation on Friday, October 10, 2014. For spouses who have chosen to separate, alternative dispute resolution — ADR — can be an efficient and cost-effective way of coming to an agreement on matters such as child custody, spousal support and …
Divorce: How is property divided between joint tenants?
In matters of asset division in divorce or separation, the law can be complicated. For example, when a couple divorces, there may be questions of ownership with regard to the family home. While a prenuptial agreement can help you avoid confusion by stating exactly what each spouse will receive in …
Is it ever too late to settle divorce matters out of court?
On behalf of Kirk Montoute Dawson LLP posted in Divorce Mediation on Saturday, August 9, 2014. If you are going through a divorce or separation, at any point in the process you can choose a method of alternative dispute resolution (ADR). Through arbitration, mediation or collaborative law, couples can reach …
Children can make a divorce more difficult or easier, it depends
On behalf of Kirk Montoute Dawson LLP posted in Divorce Mediation on Friday, June 27, 2014. There are a number of couples separating in Calgary every year, many of whom have children. For some of these couples, their children could become a sticking point or a cause of contention later. …
Family mediation: starting the divorce off on the right foot
On behalf of Kirk Montoute Dawson LLP posted in Divorce Mediation on Thursday, May 29, 2014. Fans of Gwyneth Paltrow and Coldplay’s have likely heard that Paltrow and Coldplay’s lead singer, Chris Martin, have ended their marriage. Even those in Calgary who aren’t fans may have heard about Paltrow’s reference …
Family mediation can help couples get better settlements
One of the reasons people in Alberta hear such negative things about the divorce courts is because many people who go through the typical divorce or separation process are unhappy with the orders or judgments issued by the Courts. Whether they think they should get a larger portion of property, …
As conflicts arise, so too does the cost of divorce
On behalf of Kirk Montoute Dawson LLP posted in Divorce Mediation on Friday, February 14, 2014. It goes without saying that an uncontested divorce is cheaper than a contested divorce, but it is something which bears repeating from time to time. Sometimes an acrimonious split is unavoidable. Divorce itself is …