Family Law Reforms | Federation of Ontario Law Associations

FAMILY LAW

FAMILY LEGAL SERVICES PROVIDER (FLSP) LICENSING MODEL

BILL C-78 - FAMILY LAW & DIVORCE ACT (FEDERAL AMENDMENTS)

In June 2020, the Law Society’s Access to Justice Committee invited lawyers, paralegals, legal organizations and members of the public to provide comments on a FLSP Licensing model.

The proposed scope of permissible activities, required competencies and outline of the training program were detailed in the Access to Justice Committee: Family Legal Services Provider Licence Consultation Paper.

Following extensive consultations with Law Association members, FOLA presented the Law Society with our Submission on November 30, 2020.

OTHER ASSOCIATION SUBMISSIONS

Toronto Lawyers Association

VIEW FOLA's SUBMISSION

BILL C-78 - FAMILY LAW & DIVORCE ACT (FEDERAL AMENDMENTS)

The Department of Justice Canada has been developing online training courses, professional training materials and Public Legal Education and Information (PLEI) resources concerning the recent amendments to federal family law legislation. Most of the Divorce Act amendments will come into force on March 1, 2021.

CLICK HERE FOR ADDITIONAL INFO

FAMILY LAW & DIVORCE ACT (ONTARIO AMENDMENTS)

BILL C-78 - FAMILY LAW & DIVORCE ACT (FEDERAL AMENDMENTS)

FAMILY LAW & DIVORCE ACT (ONTARIO AMENDMENTS)

MAG recently called on FOLA to provide input on expanding the definition of "child" in the Children’s Law Reform Act. LEARN MORE.

MAG is also considering which would implement the 2007 Hague Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance (the Convention) in Ontario. LEARN MORE

In December 2019, Ontario's Attorney General called on FOLA to comment on how the they should amend legislation as a result of the Federal' government's Bill C-78 is to determine how it will impact Ontario’s family justice system, and what changes may need to be made in preparation for Bill C-78 coming into force.

You can view FOLA's submission here

And you can view the Family Law association for Middlesex here.

WANT ONLINE TOOLS? CHECK OUT THESE

VIEW LEGISLATION HERE

MOVING ONTARIO FAMILY LAW FORWARD ACT

JUSTICE SERVICES ONLINE (JSO) PLATFORM

FAMILY LAW & DIVORCE ACT (ONTARIO AMENDMENTS)

On September 24, 2020, the Attorney General introduced Bill 207, the Moving Ontario Family Law Forward Act, 2020.

If passed, the bill aims to relieve stress, strain, and burden for Ontarians by providing more clarity for families involved in family law matters. These changes will allow parents and guardians to spend less time on paperwork and court appearances and more time caring for their children and focused on their future.

The legislative changes would:

• allow parents and caregivers to request certified copies of child support notices made by the online child support service, so child support amounts can be more easily and affordably managed or enforced outside the province;

• make the family law appeals process clearer and easier to navigate; and

• align Ontario’s family laws with federal changes, so they are clearer and more streamlined.

In addition to these legislative amendments, MAG is removing the requirement for family law arbitrators to file family arbitration award reports with the ministry, saving time and money and aligning Ontario with every other province.

MAG is also working with the courts to expand the Dispute Resolution Officer program to Kitchener and Welland.

The Standing Committee of Justice Policy will be considering Bill 207 – the Moving Ontario Family Law Forward Act, 2020 is currently considering the Bill following public hearings.

READ LEGISLATION

JUSTICE SERVICES ONLINE (JSO) PLATFORM

The Justice Services Online (JSO) platform (ontario.ca/familyclaims and

ontario.ca/page/file-civil-claim-online) has expanded to enable the online submission of close to 400 types of civil and family court documents.

The new services, “Civil Submissions Online” and “Family Submissions Online” will provide a simple and quick way to electronically submit court documents, at every step in a case, in any new or existing:

• civil action or application in the SCJ; and

• family proceeding in the SCJ or OCJ.

Users can pay court fees online securely by debit or credit card. Individuals can also use the system to request a fee waiver certificate or submit documents with an existing fee waiver certificate.

Getting Access

To access Justice Services Online, users are required to create an account using their Ontario ONe-key ID. ONe-key is a unique electronic credential that allows you to communicate securely with online government services.

Setting up your ONe-key ID is fast and simple. To learn more, visit https://www.one-key.gov.on.ca/iaalogin/overview.jsp.

The Ministry will enhance the service based on user feedback. If you have any questions or would like to provide feedback about the service, please contact Alexey Togunov, Director, Project Implementation Branch at Alexey.Togunov@ontario.ca.

ONE KEY SETUP

COVID-19 & the COURTS

JUSTICE SERVICES ONLINE (JSO) PLATFORM

SCJ Notice - Supplementary Notice to the Profession and Litigants in Civil and Family Matters Including Electronic Filings and Document Sharing (Caselines Pilot) (September 2, 2020)

OCJ Scheduling Notice – RE: Updates Regarding the Expansion of Family Matters. In addition to other updates covered in the revised Family Scheduling Notice, beginning September 28, 2020 and until further notice, all First Appearance Court/First Court Dates, as per rule 40(4) of the Family Law Rules before a clerk will be waived. Parties and counsel will be asked to file a new waiver form.

OCJ Notice - Scheduling of Family Matters in the OCJ (August 10)

OCJ Notice re: the process of electronically submitting documents at the OCJ (August 10)

Under the leadership of the OBA, FOLA joined with Legal Aid Ontario (LAO), The Advocates’ Society (TAS) in an effort to assist the Court in identifying which matters ought to be prioritized as remote operations continue to be expanded.

Here is a copy of our letter (dated June 23, 2020) to The Honourable Lise Maisonneuve Chief Justice of the Ontario Court of Justice outlining our recommendations.

YOU CAN VIEW ALL PAST FAMILY LAW SUBMISSIONS HERE.

MAG REVIEW OF FAMILY & CIVIL LEGISLATION, REGS, & PROCESSES

UPDATE: MAG REVIEW OF FAMILY AND CIVIL LEGISLATION, REGULATIONS, AND PROCESSES

During June and July 2019, Lindsey Park, MPP and Parliamentary Assistant to the Attorney General, led a review of Family and Civil Legislation, Regulations, and Processes. In addition to hosting consultation sessions across the province, the government accepted written submissions.

You can read FOLA's submission here.

You can read the TLA's Proposals for Family Law Reform here.

CHILD WELFARE REVIEW - MCCSS

MAG REVIEW OF FAMILY & CIVIL LEGISLATION, REGS, & PROCESSES

In September 2019, the Associate Minister of Children and Women’s Issues, Jill Dunlop, announced the launch of an engagement with youth, families, caregivers, frontline workers and child welfare sector leaders to strengthen the child welfare system for children and youth.

FOLA continues to monitor this and will notify members of any amendments.

FAMILY LAW ACTION PLAN UPDATES

MAG REVIEW OF FAMILY & CIVIL LEGISLATION, REGS, & PROCESSES

FAMILY LAW ACTION PLAN UPDATES

Since the Family Law Action Plan was approved in December 2017, the Law Society has carried out a significant amount of work in the development of a licensing framework that will permit paralegals and others to assist the public with certain family legal services. The Family Law Working Group—a bencher group established by Convocation—is responsible for overseeing the development of the licence.

The first step in building the licensing framework is the determination of the scope of permissible activities. Consultation has been key to the development of that scope, which is ongoing.

For our most recent report, read our May 2019 Plenary Report on Family Law.

UNIFIED FAMILY COURTS

BONKALO REPORT - BACKGROUND

FAMILY LAW ACTION PLAN UPDATES

On May 13, 2019, Ontario's Attorney General announced 12 new judicial appointments to support UFC expansion to eight new sites: Belleville, Cayuga, Kitchener, Pembroke, Picton, Simcoe, St. Thomas, and Welland. Unified Family Courts now exist in 25 jurisdictions, which means more than half of the province’s population can now attend one court to resolve all their family law issues.

LEARN MORE

BONKALO REPORT - BACKGROUND

In 2016, Ontario's Attorney General and the Law Society of Ontario Canada asked Justice Annemarie Bonkalo to undertake a consultation to "Expand Legal Service Options for Families". Included in this consultation was a proposal to allow paralegals and other legal service providers, such as law students or law clerks, to deal with certain family matters. The Ministry consultation page can be accessed at this link.

Justice Bonkalo's report was released to the public in February of 2017.

Upon receipt of the "Bonkalo Report", the Law Society undertook a consultation to solicit the views of stakeholders on the 21 recommendations made in the report.

Our responses can be found in the reports provided by our Family Law Committee and Paralegal Committee.

DIVORCE ACT - ONLINE TRAINING & MATERIALS - FEDERAL

FOR LAWERS

FOR FAMILIES

For Professionals

Online Training Courses

The Department of Justice Canada is developing a series of online courses about the recent amendments to federal family laws. Law Society accreditation information will be provided for each course.

The first course Introduction to Federal Family Law Amendments is now available. You can find this course on the Department of Justice Canada’s website at: https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/fl-df/cfl-mdf/trai-form/story.html.

The Department of Justice Canada’s website will be updated with the following additional courses as soon as they become available:

Family violence and family law for legal advisers (coming soon)

This course is aimed at helping legal advisers work effectively with clients who have experienced family violence. It is designed to: provide information about family violence and family law; explain changes to the Divorce Act relating to family violence; and examine the impacts of family violence and related trauma on both adults and children, issues relating to disclosure of family violence in the family law context, the impacts of family violence on the best interests of the child and parenting arrangements, and the use of family dispute resolution and court proceedings in cases of family violence.

2. Relocation under the Divorce Act (coming soon)

This course is designed to increase legal advisers’ knowledge and understanding of the new change of residence and relocation framework in the Divorce Act. It focuses on the procedures people must follow in relation to moves and the principles a court will apply in making a decision about a child’s relocation.

3. Inter-jurisdictional support proceedings under the Divorce Act (coming soon)

This course is about the changes to the interjurisdictional support provisions in the Divorce Act. It is designed to assist in understanding the new process for interprovincial and international support cases. It explains the different steps to obtain or vary a support order when former spouses live in two different jurisdictions. It also provides Information on the circumstances and the different steps to have a foreign support order recognized under the Divorce Act.

4. Duties for Parties to a Proceeding and Legal Advisors under the New Divorce Act (coming soon)

This course is designed to increase knowledge and understanding about the changes to the Divorce Act which create new duties for parties to proceedings under the Act and expand the existing duties for legal advisors, including encouraging the use of family dispute resolution processes and use of family justice services. It also describes family justice services that may be available to families who are experiencing separation or divorce.

5. Parenting under the new Divorce Act (coming soon)

This course is about the changes to the parenting provisions in the Divorce Act. It is designed to assist in understanding: the new terminology; the list of best interests of the child factors; parenting orders and contact orders; parenting plans; the duties of parents and legal advisers; the impact of family violence on parenting; and the new enforcement tools related to parenting

Technical Materials

The Divorce Act Changes Explained (available) - This technical guide provides information about the changes to the Divorce Act that were made pursuant to legislation the Government of Canada passed in June 2019. Each entry details the amendment to the legislation, explains the change, and provides the reason for it.

Family law pages updates

The family law pages of the Department of Justice website are being updated continuously with new materials, so we would encourage you refer to them on a regular basis. Please see: https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/fl-df/index.html

To jump directly to the training, click here.

FOR FAMILIES

For Families: The following Public Legal Education and Information (PLEI) resources provide information about the Divorce Act amendments. Materials are available on the family law pages of Justice Canada’s website at: https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/fl-df/index.html:

Fact Sheets - Fact sheets are available on a number of topics related to the Divorce Act amendments. These resources are available in a format that can be printed. Topics include:

Parenting Plan Checklist (available but being updated) - This is a checklist that helps parents identify some of the issues and questions they need to consider when developing a parenting plan.

Parenting Plan Tool (available but being updated) - This interactive tool provides parents with options to develop a personalized parenting plan (a written document that outlines how parents will raise their children after separation or divorce).

What Happens Next (available but being updated) - This booklet is designed to help children learn some basic facts about family law and give them an idea of the processes that parents may go through when they separate. It aims to help children realize that it’s normal for them to have an emotional response to their parents’ divorce, and encourages children to voice their concerns to someone they trust. Parents can read the booklet with their younger children, while older children can read it themselves.

Making Plans (available but being updated) - This guide for parents contains helpful information about parenting after separation and divorce when deciding on the best parenting arrangement for their children. The guide provides information for parents who are making parenting arrangements under the Divorce Act, and can also be useful to parents who are separating even if the Divorce Act does not apply.

Step by Step (available but being updated) - This technical guide provides 8 easy steps to help determine child support pursuant to the Federal Child Support Guidelines (Divorce Act regulations). It will be updated to reflect changes to federal family laws.

Family law pages updates

ONTARIO CONSULTATIONS RELATED TO C-78

DEFINITION OF “CHILD” IN THE CHILDREN’S LAW REFORM ACT

HAGUE CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL RECOVERY OF CHILD SUPPORT

MAG is considering expanding the definition of “child” in the Children’s Law Reform Act. The current definition of “child” can be found in Part III of the Children’s Law Reform Act: Child -

18(2) A reference in this Part to a child is a reference to the child while a minor.

It has been proposed that this definition of “child” be amended to align with the federal definition of child in the Divorce Act, to ensure equal treatment for children of married and unmarried spouses. Like the Children’s Law Reform Act, the Divorce Act also deals with custody and access of a child; while the provincial Children’s Law Reform Act applies to unmarried spouses or married spouses who are not divorcing, the federal Divorce Act applies to married spouses who are divorcing.

Subsection 2(1) of the Divorce Act defines “child of the marriage” as follows: child of the marriage means a child of two spouses or former spouses who, at the material time,

(a) is under the age of majority and who has not withdrawn from their charge, or

(b) is the age of majority or over and under their charge but unable, by reason of illness, disability or other cause, to withdraw from their charge or to obtain the necessaries of life;

The “age of majority” is defined in subsection 2(1) of the Divorce Act as: age of majority, in respect of a child, means the age of majority as determined by the laws of the province where the child ordinarily resides, or, if the child ordinarily resides outside of Canada, eighteen years of age;

This change in definition would give Ontario courts jurisdiction to make custody and access orders in respect of adults with disabilities or medical conditions or who, for other reasons, remain in their parents’ or other caregiver’s charge. Such orders could include decision making responsibility for contact with non-custodial parents, residence, education, health care, culture, language, religion and extra-curricular activities.

Currently, the Substitute Decisions Act governs decision making for adults who are unable to make their own decisions in the areas of property management, shelter, health care, hygiene, safety, nutrition, and clothing. If the definition of child is expanded as proposed, consideration would need to be given as to how the overlap between the Children’s Law Reform Act and the Substitute Decisions Act could be reconciled.

READ FOLA's SUBMISSION HERE

READ TLA's SUBMISSION HERE

READ FOLA'S SUBMISSION

HAGUE CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL RECOVERY OF CHILD SUPPORT

The Hague Convention on International Recovery of Child Support provides a legal framework for the cross-border recognition and enforcement, establishment, and variation of support orders. At this time, international recovery of support obligations is achieved by reciprocal arrangements established by provinces and territories (PTs) under their respective legislation. In Ontario, reciprocal arrangements are established under the Interjurisdictional Support Orders Act, 2002 (the ISO Act).

The Convention must be ratified by the Federal Government of Canada. Canada signed the Convention on May 23, 2017 but has not yet ratified it. It can only be ratified once federal implementing legislation has been passed and implementing legislation has also been passed in at least one PT. Canada’s Bill C-78 is the federal implementing legislation. It received Royal Assent on June 21, 2019, and is anticipated to come into force on March 1, 2021. In order to have the Convention apply provincially, Ontario would also need to introduce and pass implementing legislation and ask the federal government to have the Convention apply in Ontario.

Under the ISO Act, Ontario currently has reciprocal arrangements for the international recovery of support obligations with all other PTs in Canada, the United States, Australia and 24 other jurisdictions. If the federal government ratifies the Convention and Ontario implements the Convention provincially, Ontario would then have reciprocal arrangements with an additional 31 countries, including all members of the European Union (EU). Currently, Ontario does not have reciprocal arrangements with most members of the EU. Further, EU member countries are not permitted under European law to enter directly into new bilateral arrangements with other jurisdictions in the field of family maintenance; new arrangements can only arise through the Convention.

As the AG and MAG consider this important proposal, the AG is inviting Law Associations and your Members to provide your perspective.

Read more in a letter to FOLA in December 2020 requesting input here.

MAG would appreciate receiving your views in writing, to Amanda.Iarusso@ontario.ca, no later than January 15, 2021. FOLA will not be preparing a formal Submission.

Read the TLA's letter to the AG regarding the Convention.

USEFUL TOOLS AND LINKS

ONTARIO's FAMILY LAW LIMITED SCOPE SERVICES PROJECT

The Ontario Family Law Limited Scope Services Project’s website (funded by a grant from the Law Foundation of Ontario) has been designed to improve access to family justice for middle and lower income Ontarians by increasing the use of limited scope retainers, legal coaching and summary legal counsel in family law matters.

On the site, you can find resources for family lawyers and other useful Information.

PLUS: the Project has waived the requirement that is a mandatory pre-requisite to joining the roster to require that lawyers watch the webinar in groups during the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, you now have the ability to complete the mandatory training alone with a request that the viewer has a quick check-in with the project manager to facilitate registration and an opportunity to have questions answered.

HERE'S A DIRECT LINK TO THE WEBINAR

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROJECT, PLEASE EMAIL TAMI AT:

Tami.D.Moscoe@ontario.ca

VISIT SITE

JOIN THE ROSTER!

ONTARIO's FAMILY LAW LIMITED SCOPE SERVICES PROJECT

Lawyers who have 3+ years of experience with a minimum of 30% in family law can register for free after doing the 2 hour webinar.

If you are looking for ways to increase member engagement during the pandemic (and to help promote participation in this important access to justice initiative), why not run a contest? Challenge a neighbouring law association for a signup duel! FOLA would offer to be the neutral judge.

If you are interested in competing against another association, just let Katie know at katie.robinette@fola.ca, and she will help get both associations some information (suggested tweets, images, newsletter blurb, etc) to get you started, and FOLA will announce and recognize the winner(s) on social media!

To see the roster of family lawyers who have already signed up for the project, click here.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROJECT, PLEASE EMAIL TAMI AT:

Tami.D.Moscoe@ontario.ca

FAMILY COURT FORMS TOOL

FILE A DIVORCE APPLICATION ONLINE

MAG is pleased to share that Community Legal Education Ontario’s Guided Pathways to Family Court Forms tool continues to expand.

In addition to helping users complete the forms required to apply for a simple or joint divorce and file a separation agreement with the court, the tool now leads users through many forms required to apply for corollary relief, including custody, access, support, property division, and a restraining order (with or without a divorce claim).

Family Claims Online and Guided Pathways are complementary online services that aim to strengthen the Ontario family justice system by making it more efficient and easier to use.

Instructions for setting up your ONe-key and Justice Services Online accounts.

LEARN MORE

FILE A DIVORCE APPLICATION ONLINE

In Ontario, you can apply to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice for a divorce.

You can file online for a::

joint divorce – you and your spouse apply for a divorce and any other court orders together because you both agree to a divorce and on all other family law matters (such as parenting, spousal support or division of property)
simple divorce – you apply for a divorce on your own because you and your spouse can’t agree to a divorce and you’re not asking for any other court orders

Before you submit your online application, make sure you qualify and have all of the required documents.

ACCESS WEBSITE

FOLA & OTHER ASSOCIATION SUBMISSIONS

FOLA’S SUBMISSION TO MAG ON AMENDMENTS TO THE DIVORCE ACT - Jan 16 2020

DOWNLOAD HERE

FOLA’s SUBMISSIONS TO MAG's CONSULTATION TO REVIEW FAMILY LEGISLATION, REGS & PROCESSES - July 2019

DOWNLOAD HERE

FOLA’s RESPONSE TO LSO’s ACCESS TO JUSTICE COMMITTEE - : Friday May 31, 2019

DOWNLOAD HERE

FOLA's FAMILY LAW COMMITTEE RESPONSE TO FAMILY LEGAL SERVICES REVIEW - May 23, 2017

DOWNLOAD HERE

FOLA's PARALEGAL COMMITTEE RESPONSE TO FAMILY LEGAL SERVICES REVIEW - May 25, 2017

DOWNLOAD HERE

FOLA's RESPONSE TO THE CONSULTATION ON EXPANDING LEGAL SERVICES - April 28, 2016

DOWNLOAD HERE

MORE FAMILY LAW INFORMATION

CASELINES

FAMILY CLAIMS ONLINE SERVICE UPDATE

CASELINES DEMOS

View an 18-minute CaseLines tutorial on how to access, update, invite people and review evidence for cases here. A link to a demonstration of CaseLines may be accessed here

Frequently Asked Questions About CaseLines - SCJ

(NB: The SCJ CaseLines FAQ were updated on Jan 11th: FAQ 7 sets out the court’s new document naming protocol. FAQ 8 indicates that tabs and bookmarks are now functional in CaseLines)

Frequently Asked Questions About CaseLines - LSO

Effective January 11, 2021, paragraph 24 of the Toronto Region’s Consolidated Practice Direction for Civil Actions, Applications, Motions and Procedural Matters in the Toronto Region has been amended to require parties or their representatives to provide their email addresses to the Civil Motions Coordinator 30 days prior to the motion date. Email addresses are required for the CaseLines document sharing platform.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The amendments to the Rules of Civil Procedure, in force on January 1, 2021, require email addresses to be provided on backsheets when filing via CaseLines. The requirement to provide email addresses is also set out in the Supplementary Notice to the Profession and Litigants in Civil and Family Matters Including Electronic Filings and Document Sharing (Caselines Pilot). On January 7, 2020, the above Notice was updated with current information about payment of filing fees for documents filed by email. It now provides, in section 2 (Electronic Court Filings – Justice Services Online):Where counsel and parties deliver materials by email, subject to direction from the Court, they undertake to file the same materials in paper format, and pay the requisite filing fee, at the court when regular court operations resume. This includes preparation of the court’s Continuing Record for family cases.

Important reminders regarding the implementation of CaseLines for Toronto SCJ family cases as follows:

CaseLines is now being used for family cases in Toronto. After your event has been scheduled, you will receive an email from the Trial Coordination office asking you to upload your material for the event into a specific CaseLines folder for your case. It is the court’s expectation that parties will upload their materials into CaseLines unless they are not able to do so, for instance a litigant who does not have adequate internet access;
You will only receive these emails if the court has your current email on file. Please ensure that this is included on all court filings going forward. This also makes it easier for our Trial Coordination office to contact you regarding the scheduling of events. IMPORTANT NOTE: The amendments to the Rules of Civil Procedure, in force on January 1, 2021 require email addresses to be provided on backsheets. The requirement to provide email addresses is also set out in the Supplementary Notice to the Profession and Litigants in Civil and Family Matters Including Electronic Filings and Document Sharing (Caselines Pilot).
CaseLines is not an e-filing platform. Materials must still be filed with the court in advance in accordance with the applicable rules and notices. We strongly encourage you to file your materials through the Ministry’s JSO family online portal where possible, as those documents automatically become part of the court’s FRANK record;
CaseLines uses a specific document naming protocol which helps the judge to find and review the documentation for an event much more easily. The document naming convention and other important information is available here.
If you are uploading documents that will require the in-court registrar to stamp as exhibits, please upload these documents individually as only one electronic exhibit stamp can be added per document;
If other lawyers or staff require access to your case in CaseLines, you may invite them by selecting the “Invite New Participant” button found on the People’s tab on CaseLines;
If you have not yet done so, we recommend that you view one of the training tools that is available on the court’s website and review the Frequently Asked Questions About CaseLines. These tools will help you familiarize yourself with CaseLines and understand how it can help you work with the materials during your event. More live trainings will be offered prior to the roll out of CaseLines to additional regions;
If you need support to resolve technical issues, please call Thomson Reuter’s technical support at 1-800-290-9378 and select either “CaseLines” or “Evidence Sharing” when you reach the directory, or email westlaw.softwaresupport@tr.com. This support is available from 8am-5pm (EST - Monday to Friday).
If you have suggested improvements to CaseLines, please email them to the Office of the Chief Justice at: scj-csj.general@ontario.ca

CASELINES DEMOS

FAMILY CLAIMS ONLINE SERVICE UPDATE

CASELINES DEMOS

CaseLines will be hosting online demonstrations on January 19th & January 25th 2021 for lawyers. Information about these sessions is set out below. There are 500 spaces in each webinar. A recording will be offered for those who are unable to attend. They will provide additional sessions as they implement in other regions. Criminal lawyers practicing in Toronto should prioritize attending at these sessions.

When: Jan 19, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Topic: CaseLines Demonstration for Criminal (#1)

Please click here to join the webinar

Passcode: 382179

When: Jan 25, 2021 01:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Topic: CaseLines Demonstration for Criminal (#2)

Please click here to join the webinar

Passcode: 921034

FAMILY CLAIMS ONLINE SERVICE UPDATE

On February 25, 2019, the Family Claims Online service was expanded to enable Ontarians to initiate simple divorce applications online at any time. The existing joint divorce online filing process has also been enhanced to permit property claims on consent.

The service will continue to allow users to pay court fees online securely by credit or debit card and enable users to create profiles in order to save filings in progress and view the history of their filings.

This expansion follows the successful province-wide launch of the service in November 2018.

Family Proceedings portal

INFO, FAQs, & videos re: caselines

FAMILY LAW

FAMILY LEGAL SERVICES PROVIDER (FLSP) LICENSING MODEL

BILL C-78 - FAMILY LAW & DIVORCE ACT (FEDERAL AMENDMENTS)

BILL C-78 - FAMILY LAW & DIVORCE ACT (FEDERAL AMENDMENTS)

BILL C-78 - FAMILY LAW & DIVORCE ACT (FEDERAL AMENDMENTS)

BILL C-78 - FAMILY LAW & DIVORCE ACT (FEDERAL AMENDMENTS)

BILL C-78 - FAMILY LAW & DIVORCE ACT (FEDERAL AMENDMENTS)

FAMILY LAW & DIVORCE ACT (ONTARIO AMENDMENTS)

BILL C-78 - FAMILY LAW & DIVORCE ACT (FEDERAL AMENDMENTS)

FAMILY LAW & DIVORCE ACT (ONTARIO AMENDMENTS)

MOVING ONTARIO FAMILY LAW FORWARD ACT

JUSTICE SERVICES ONLINE (JSO) PLATFORM

FAMILY LAW & DIVORCE ACT (ONTARIO AMENDMENTS)

JUSTICE SERVICES ONLINE (JSO) PLATFORM

JUSTICE SERVICES ONLINE (JSO) PLATFORM

JUSTICE SERVICES ONLINE (JSO) PLATFORM

COVID-19 & the COURTS

JUSTICE SERVICES ONLINE (JSO) PLATFORM

JUSTICE SERVICES ONLINE (JSO) PLATFORM

MAG REVIEW OF FAMILY & CIVIL LEGISLATION, REGS, & PROCESSES

MAG REVIEW OF FAMILY & CIVIL LEGISLATION, REGS, & PROCESSES

MAG REVIEW OF FAMILY & CIVIL LEGISLATION, REGS, & PROCESSES

CHILD WELFARE REVIEW - MCCSS

MAG REVIEW OF FAMILY & CIVIL LEGISLATION, REGS, & PROCESSES

MAG REVIEW OF FAMILY & CIVIL LEGISLATION, REGS, & PROCESSES

FAMILY LAW ACTION PLAN UPDATES

MAG REVIEW OF FAMILY & CIVIL LEGISLATION, REGS, & PROCESSES

FAMILY LAW ACTION PLAN UPDATES

UNIFIED FAMILY COURTS

BONKALO REPORT - BACKGROUND

FAMILY LAW ACTION PLAN UPDATES

BONKALO REPORT - BACKGROUND

BONKALO REPORT - BACKGROUND

BONKALO REPORT - BACKGROUND

DIVORCE ACT - ONLINE TRAINING & MATERIALS - FEDERAL

FOR LAWERS

FOR FAMILIES

FOR FAMILIES

FOR FAMILIES

FOR FAMILIES

FOR FAMILIES

ONTARIO CONSULTATIONS RELATED TO C-78

DEFINITION OF “CHILD” IN THE CHILDREN’S LAW REFORM ACT

HAGUE CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL RECOVERY OF CHILD SUPPORT

HAGUE CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL RECOVERY OF CHILD SUPPORT

HAGUE CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL RECOVERY OF CHILD SUPPORT

HAGUE CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL RECOVERY OF CHILD SUPPORT

HAGUE CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL RECOVERY OF CHILD SUPPORT

USEFUL TOOLS AND LINKS

ONTARIO's FAMILY LAW LIMITED SCOPE SERVICES PROJECT

ONTARIO's FAMILY LAW LIMITED SCOPE SERVICES PROJECT

ONTARIO's FAMILY LAW LIMITED SCOPE SERVICES PROJECT

JOIN THE ROSTER!

ONTARIO's FAMILY LAW LIMITED SCOPE SERVICES PROJECT

ONTARIO's FAMILY LAW LIMITED SCOPE SERVICES PROJECT

FAMILY COURT FORMS TOOL

FILE A DIVORCE APPLICATION ONLINE

FILE A DIVORCE APPLICATION ONLINE

FILE A DIVORCE APPLICATION ONLINE

FILE A DIVORCE APPLICATION ONLINE

FILE A DIVORCE APPLICATION ONLINE

FOLA & OTHER ASSOCIATION SUBMISSIONS

FOLA’S SUBMISSION TO MAG ON AMENDMENTS TO THE DIVORCE ACT - Jan 16 2020

FOLA’s SUBMISSIONS TO MAG's CONSULTATION TO REVIEW FAMILY LEGISLATION, REGS & PROCESSES - July 2019

FOLA’s RESPONSE TO LSO’s ACCESS TO JUSTICE COMMITTEE - : Friday May 31, 2019

FOLA's FAMILY LAW COMMITTEE RESPONSE TO FAMILY LEGAL SERVICES REVIEW - May 23, 2017

FOLA's PARALEGAL COMMITTEE RESPONSE TO FAMILY LEGAL SERVICES REVIEW - May 25, 2017

FOLA's RESPONSE TO THE CONSULTATION ON EXPANDING LEGAL SERVICES - April 28, 2016

MORE FAMILY LAW INFORMATION

CASELINES

FAMILY CLAIMS ONLINE SERVICE UPDATE

CASELINES DEMOS

CASELINES DEMOS

FAMILY CLAIMS ONLINE SERVICE UPDATE

CASELINES DEMOS

FAMILY CLAIMS ONLINE SERVICE UPDATE

FAMILY CLAIMS ONLINE SERVICE UPDATE

FAMILY CLAIMS ONLINE SERVICE UPDATE

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