Family
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January 07, 2026
Judge Simmons retires from Nova Scotia Provincial Court
The Honourable Ann Marie Simmons has retired from the Provincial Court of Nova Scotia following a legal career spanning nearly 40 years.
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January 07, 2026
Some new year’s thoughts on family law
“The more things change, the more they stay the same.” This famous saying attributed to the French writer Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr has been considered by many. Is it so simple? Does nothing really change or is it more thought-provoking: does superficial change often mask unchanging circumstances?
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January 06, 2026
Green card steps for employees: How to prepare before filing
Filing for a green card is an important step when planning to work in the U.S., and engaging in preparation in advance will help the process progress smoothly and minimize the stress of it.
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January 06, 2026
Ontario Civil Rules Review working group calls for expansion of mandatory mediation
The Civil Rules Review (CRR) was launched in 2024 as a joint initiative of the chief justice of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and the province’s Attorney General. The CRR’s mandate was to propose wholesale reforms to the Rules of Civil Procedure (the Rules), which were last overhauled in 1985, so that the civil justice system is more accessible and to reduce costs and delays.
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December 24, 2025
Spousal green cards for out-of-status applicants
In the U.S. today, there are thousands and perhaps millions of people currently without status — a situation that is becoming problematic now that the current presidential administration is focusing on enforcement of U.S. immigration laws. The requirement to maintain a valid status while in a foreign country is not unique to the U.S. Every country in the world has immigration laws, and most enforce them.
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December 24, 2025
Law360 Canada is taking a publishing break and will be back Jan. 2
Law360 Canada will be on a publishing hiatus from Dec. 25, 2025, to Jan. 2, 2026. We wish you a happy holiday and all the best for the new year.
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December 23, 2025
When a judge’s effort to appear neutral leads to injustice
Nobody likes conflict. Not lawyers, not mediators and not judges. But day in and day out, we see high-conflict cases in family court. In fact, it has become a fairly regular occurrence for judges’ endorsements to begin with a description of the case as “a high-conflict case” before rendering their analysis and decision.
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December 23, 2025
CUSTODY, PARENTING, AND ACCESS - Decision-making authority
Appeal by J.A. from trial orders concerning parenting responsibilities, spousal support, child support for his stepson T.J., and reimbursement for missing Euros. Cross-appeal by K.A. from the trial judge’s costs order.
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December 19, 2025
Self-rep fails to convince Appeal Court to cancel $270,000 of support arrears
A case involving more than $270,000 in accumulated child and spousal support arrears, Garousi v. Garousi, 2025 BCCA 392, highlights several recurring issues in applications for retroactive variation of support, including chronic non-compliance, evidentiary shortcomings and the impact of significant arrears on both variation and appellate relief.
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December 19, 2025
A season for sharing: The legal and moral case for ensuring everyone has enough food at Christmas
Every Christmas, families across Canada gather around warm meals that symbolize dignity, community and care. Yet for many households in Alberta and across the country, rising costs and winter pressures make it difficult to afford even the most basic groceries. Food insecurity turns what should be a season of comfort into a time of anxiety.