Heather Dale Law Offices

Divorce, separation, agreements, mediation and litigation.

I WANT TO KNOW AHEAD OF TIME: What are my rights? What are my obligations? … before ANY action starts.

People come to our office with concerns about what may be down the road. They may still be in the relationship but things are “uneasy”. It is always advantageous to you to have as much knowledge and information as possible when heading into a potential storm. We can provide you with practical legal advice ahead of time that could lessen the impact of the separation problems and prevent you from making common mistakes.

You may be wondering: What is family property? Who stays in the house? When do I receive/pay interim support? How do I find out his/her income? Will we share the children 50-50? I think my partner will be angry if I see a lawyer.

These links may help:

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Separation

Family Assets

Will we share the children 50-50?

I think my partner will be angry if I see a lawyer.

Do I have to go to court?

I do not want to share my money/business/property with my spouse/common law partner if we split up.

I AM TOTALLY LOST & CONFUSED: I need guidance.

Sometimes divorce or separation issues sneak up and a person is suddenly overwhelmed. This can happen where there is an unexpected emotional blow, a person has been in denial about the separation or too busy to pay adequate attention. You may be noticing unusual behavior in your partner, letters may be arriving from lawyers or even court documents. This is a potentially dangerous situation. If you are overwhelmed and confused, you need someone to explain your situation to you clearly. You need to fully understand you legal position so you can take control of the situation as soon as possible.

You may be thinking about the following: Do I have to go to court? What is family property? How do I get a settlement? What documents need to be provided? I am not paying/receiving child support. I am not seeing my children. There is an order from the court that I am not happy about.

These links may help:

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Separation

Family Assets

Who stays in the house?

I am not seeing my children.

There is an order from the court that I am not happy about.

A court date has been set.

My ex-partner is trying to kick me out of the house.

I WANT AN AGREEMENT: Prenup, cohabitation, or amicable split-up.

You can often avoid unnecessary litigation, stress and expense by obtaining a solid agreement. A prenup or cohabitation agreement can protect you by defining what will (and will not) occur if your relationship ends. A separation agreement can save a lot of money that would otherwise be spent litigating. You can include terms in an agreement that may be more difficult to get from a judge such as pet custody, lump sum and other types of payments, or personalized terms for the sharing, division or sale of property.

Here are some circumstances where we can help you by way of an agreement: I do not want to share my money/business/property with my spouse/common law partner if we split up. I do not want to pay my partner’s debts if we split up. How do I get a settlement without going to court? I want to keep my pet if we split up. When do I need a cohabitation agreement? I don’t know how to get my partner to sign a prenup or cohabitation agreement. We have an agreement but I do not know if it is legally binding.

These links may help:

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Separation

Family Assets

Do I have to go to court?

How do I get a settlement?

When do I need a cohabitation agreement?

How do I get my partner (or my child’s partner) to sign a prenup or cohabitation agreement?

THE FIGHT IS ON! I need to assert my rights. I need to protect myself.

Things have already escalated. There may be a lot of animosity and stress. There may have already been court appearances and an order made by a judge. You and/or your ex-spouse may not be talking to each other at all. There is still a possibility you can get discussions on track and steer the mess to a fair and reasonable settlement. Unfortunately, in some cases, there is no possibility of out-of-court settlement: you need someone to step up and go to bat for you. We always discuss with you litigation strategies for getting the most beneficial and efficient outcome possible.

Here are some concerns you might have: I need an order quickly. A court date has been set. What documents need to be provided? My ex-partner is hiding/spending money. My ex-partner is trying to kick me out of our house. I have assets that I do not want to split with my spouse.

Please call us right away!

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I WANT TO KNOW
AHEAD OF TIME
What are my rights?
What are my obligations?
… before ANY action starts.
I WANT TO KNOW
AHEAD OF TIME
What are my rights?
What are my obligations?
… before ANY action starts.

I AM TOTALLY
LOST & CONFUSED
I need guidance.
I AM TOTALLY
LOST & CONFUSED
I need guidance.

I WANT
AN AGREEMENT
Prenup, cohabitation,
or amicable split-up
I WANT
AN AGREEMENT
Prenup, cohabitation,
or amicable split-up

THE FIGHT IS ON!
I need to assert my rights.
I need to protect myself.
THE FIGHT IS ON!
I need to assert my rights.
I need to protect myself.

Divorce, separation, agreements, mediation and litigation.