Learning about Family Law

Family law is the area of law that deals with marriage, relationships and children. In this section, you will learn about:

• Being married or in a marriage-like relationship,
• Getting separated,
• Getting divorced,
• Making an agreement ,
• Mediation to help reach an agreement,
• Family Justice Counsellors,
• Collaborative family law,
• Finalizing your agreement,
• Caring for and making decisions for children,
• Child’s best interest,
• Child support,
• Spousal support,
• Dividing family property,
• Moving with a child,
• Parents can get help,
• Protection from violence in the family,
• Separation and sponsorship,
• Going to court,
• When children need protection.

The two laws in BC that you may need to know about are:

• Family Law Act. This is a provincial law that applies to all married and common-law couples.
• Divorce Act. This is a federal law that applies to married spouses only.

Rights and responsibilities

When you are married to someone, or living with someone, the family law says you are a spouse. As a spouse, you have legal rights and responsibilities about caring for children and caring for each other. A spouse is each person who is in a same-sex or opposite-sex relationship. There are three kinds of living arrangements in which you can be a spouse.

Marriage and marriage-like relationships

When you are married to someone or living with someone, the family law says you are a spouse. A spouse is each person who is in a same-sex or opposite-sex relationship. If you have a child together you have a responsibility to support that child. One parent may also be responsible for the support of the other parent. There are three kinds of spouses who have legal rights and responsibilities about caring for children and each other. The three kinds of spouses are:

1. People who are married. To be legally married, you must have a religious or civil marriage ceremony. After that, you stay married until one partner dies or until the marriage is legally ended by a divorce.
2. People who are not married but have lived together in a marriage-like relationship for two years or more. Many people call a marriage-like relationship a “common-law” relationship.
   It is not illegal to live in a common-law relationship while you or the other person is still legally married to someone else. A common-law relationship ends when you begin to live apart.
   No matter how long you live together in a common-law relationship, you are not married under the law.
3. People who are not married but have lived in a marriage-like relationship for less than two years and have a child together If you have a child together you have a responsibility to support that child. One parent may also be responsible for the support of the other parent.

Getting separated

Every year in BC, thousands of married and common-law couples stop living together. This is called separation. There is no such thing as a “legal separation.” If you’re married or in a common-law relationship, you become separated as soon as you and your spouse start living apart from each other with the intention of separating.

You don’t have to see a lawyer or go to court to be separated.

You might still live in the same house to save money, but you are usually considered separated if you don’t share things like meals, a bedroom, and social activities. You don’t need your spouse’s permission to separate.

Getting divorced

For couples who have been legally married, divorce is the only way to legally end the marriage. You apply for a divorce by filling out documents and filing them with the BC Supreme Court. You don’t need your spouse’s permission to apply for a divorce. The only legal reason for divorce is "marriage breakdown." You can apply for a divorce saying you have "marriage breakdown" if:

• you or your spouse have lived separately for one year,
• you or your spouse has committed adultery, or
• you were treated by your spouse with physical or mental cruelty.

You can apply for a divorce in BC even if you were married in another country. You will require proof that you were legally married, and that you or your spouse lived in BC for the 12 months before you apply for divorce. Canada recognizes the following as proof of marriage from other countries:

• Marriage certificate
• Marriage registration
• Certified copies of marriage documents

Some cultures have their own divorce ceremony, but you are not legally divorced in Canada unless you have a court order for divorce from Canada or another country.

If you and your spouse agree to get a divorce, the judge reviews the documents you filed with the court.

If you have children, the judge will want to see how you have both agreed to care for them and support them.

When children need protection

This information applies to British Columbia, Canada. Last reviewed for legal accuracy by People's Law School, 2013.

Learning about the Law Wikibook © People's Law School is, except for the images, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International Licence.

The testing of the claims in a court proceeding at a formal hearing before a judge with the jurisdiction to hear the proceeding. The parties present their evidence and arguments to the judge, who then makes a decision resolving the parties' claims against one another that is final and binding on the parties unless successfully appealed. See "action," "appeal," "argument," "claim," "evidence" and "jurisdiction."

In law, the re-examination of a term of an order or agreement, usually to determine whether the term remains fair and appropriate in light of the circumstances prevailing at the time of the review. In family law, particularly the review of an order or agreement provided for the payment of spousal support. See "de novo," "family law agreements," "order" and "spousal support."

In family law, the quality of an unmarried couple's relationship that demonstrates their commitment to each other, their perception of themselves as a couple, and their willingness to sacrifice individual advantages for the advantage of themselves as a couple; a legal requirement for a couple to be considered spouses under the Family Law Act without marrying. See "cohabitation," "marriage," and "spouse."

A term under the Family Law Act referring to property acquired by either or both spouses during their relationship, as well as after separation if bought with family property. Both spouses are presumed to be entitled to share equally in any family property. See "excluded property."

A person who is younger than the legal age of majority, 19 in British Columbia. See "age of majority."

Under the Divorce Act, either of two people who are married to one another, whether of the same or opposite genders. Under the Family Law Act, spouse includes married spouses, unmarried parties who have lived together in a marriage-like relationship for at least two years, and, for all purposes of the act other than the division of property or debt, unmarried parties who have lived together for less than two years and have had a child together. See "marriage" and "marriage-like relationship."

In family law, the natural or adoptive father or mother of a child; may also include stepparents, depending on the circumstances and the applicable legislation; may include the donors of eggs or sperm and surrogate mothers, depending on the circumstances and the terms of any assisted reproduction agreement. See "adoptive parent," "assisted reproduction," "natural parent" and "stepparent."

The legal termination of a valid marriage by an order of a judge; the ending of a marital relationship and the conjugal obligations of each spouse to the other. See "conjugal rights," "marriage" and "marriage, validity of."

In family law, the decision of one or both parties to terminate a married or unmarried relationship; the act of one person leaving the family home to live somewhere else with the intention of terminating the relationship. There is no such thing as a "legal separation." In general, one separates by simply moving out, however, it is possible to be separated but still live under the same roof. See "divorce, grounds of."

A person licensed to practice law in a particular jurisdiction by that jurisdiction's law society. See "barrister and solicitor."

A legal relationship between two persons, whether of the same or opposite genders, that is solemnized by a marriage commissioner or licenced religious official and gives rise to certain mutual rights, benefits, and obligations. See also "conjugal rights," "consortium," and "marriage, validity of."

Normally referred to as the "Supreme Court of British Columbia," this court hears most of the trials in this province. The Supreme Court is a court of inherent jurisdiction and has no limits on the sorts of claims it can hear or on the sorts of orders it can make. Decisions of the Provincial Court are appealed to the Supreme Court; decisions of the Supreme Court are appealed to the Court of Appeal. See "Court of Appeal," "jurisdiction," "Provincial Court" and "Supreme Court of Canada."

A married person's voluntary sexual intercourse with a person other than their spouse, also known as cheating, playing the field and fishing out of season. Proof of adultery is grounds for an immediate divorce, providing that the spouse complaining of the adultery can prove that the adultery occurred and that they have not consented to or forgiven the adulterous act. See "collusion," "condonation," and "divorce, grounds of."

In family law, the physical, verbal, emotional, or mental abuse of one married spouse by the other. Proof of cruelty is grounds for an immediate divorce, providing that the other spouse has not forgiven the cruelty. See "condonation" and "divorce, grounds of."

(1) Information which establishes or tends to establish the truth of a fact, or (2) the conclusion of a logical argument. See "evidence" and "premises."

A mandatory direction of the court that is binding and enforceable upon the parties to a court proceeding. An "interim order" is a temporary order made following the hearing of an interim application. A "final order" is a permanent order, made following the trial of the court proceeding or the parties' settlement, following which the only recourse open to a dissatisfied party is to appeal. Failing to abide by the terms of an order may constitute contempt of court. See "appeal," "consent order," "contempt of court," "decision" and "declaration."

A person appointed by the federal or provincial government to manage and decide court proceedings in an impartial manner, independent of influence by the parties, the government, or agents of the government. The decisions of a judge are binding upon the parties to the proceeding, subject to appeal.

Something which can be owned. See "chattels" and "real property."

A regulation to the federal Divorce Act, adopted by every province and territory except Quebec, that sets the amount of child support a parent or guardian must pay, usually based on the person's income and the number of children involved.

Money paid by one parent or guardian to another parent or guardian as a contribution toward the cost of a child's living and other expenses.

A payment made by one spouse to the other spouse to help with the recipient's day-to-day living expenses or to compensate the recipient for the financial choices the spouses made during the relationship.

(1) In law, a court proceeding; a lawsuit; an action; a cause of action; a claim. (2) A historic decision of the court; case law. See "action," "case law, " "court proceeding," and "precedent."