Family
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March 13, 2026
Malamas v. Wey: The impact of intimate partner violence on summary judgment motions
In the recent decision of the Ontario Court of Appeal in Malamas v. Wey, 2026 ONCA 133, Chief Justice Michael Tulloch addresses how intimate partner violence impacts the application of the Limitations Act, 2002 and the doctrines of res judicata and abuse of process in the context of motions for summary judgment.
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March 13, 2026
More on the politics of parental alienation
The recent article by Rina Groeneveld in Law360 Canada is an articulate summary of her position in support of Bill C-223, the Keeping Children Safe Act. Described by the writer as a “more nuanced” approach to the issue, my view is that, with significant respect, the article misses the point entirely. She writes from one vantage point, a former abused woman who provides support to other women who have shared her lived experience.
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March 12, 2026
Ontario Superior Court of Justice abolishes Zoom hearings for Toronto family law cases
In a sweeping policy shift poised to dramatically increase the cost of separation and divorce for thousands of Toronto families, the Family Branch of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice has announced that, effective April 2, 2026, all family law motions at the Toronto courthouse will presumptively proceed in person — and no longer by Zoom.
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March 12, 2026
Patel v. Bhatt: A model for child abduction under the Hague Convention
International child abduction cases are a matter of great concern to Canadian and international courts alike. The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (the Convention) was designed to secure the prompt return of children who were wrongfully removed to or retained in any contracting state, and to ensure that the rights of custody and access under the law of one contracting state are effectively respected in the other contracting states.
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March 11, 2026
When the language of protection becomes a weapon: Bill C-223 and parental alienation
Canada’s Bill C-223, the Keeping Children Safe Act, would mark a real shift in how federal family law handles parental alienation allegations, by requiring courts to evaluate them within the coercive control context in which they arise. That’s a meaningful change. It targets one of the most reliably effective tactics used by abusive former partners in custody litigation.
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March 11, 2026
The billable hour is running out of time
Early in my career, I noticed a pattern I could not ignore. I would build rapport with clients, earn their trust and then watch everything fall apart the moment the invoice was sent. They were not upset with me personally, even though sometimes it felt that way. They were blindsided by a system that charged them in a way they found unfair. Even worse, I would get penalized if I found strategies to be fast and efficient to make it more fair.
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March 11, 2026
CIVIL PROCEDURE - Contempt of court - Injunctions - Enforcement
Appeal by appellant from two judgments, including a finding of contempt and a 90-day custodial sentence. The parties married in 1999, separated in 2009, and divorced in 2018. They had two children. The appellant was the sole income earner and earned millions during the marriage.
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March 10, 2026
Ottawa, B.C. move ahead with anti-hate legislation to combat rising antisemitism, targeted violence
As the federal and B.C. governments push ahead with new anti-hate measures, legal experts in the Jewish community advise that robust political leadership, specialized training for prosecutors and police, and new legal tools — bolstered by greater enforcement of the existing criminal law — are keys to fighting the explosion of antisemitism and hate in Canada since the terrorist massacre of hundreds of people in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
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March 10, 2026
Luke Bernas appointed associate judge in Manitoba
Luke Bernas has been appointed an associate judge of the Court of King’s Bench of Manitoba, according to an announcement from the province.
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March 09, 2026
War and divorce: How armed conflict tears families apart
There is a particular kind of suffering that receives almost no attention in the coverage of armed conflict: the disintegration of the marriage. When a country is at war, suffering happens not only in the trenches under bombardment but also at the kitchen table, in the bedroom and in the silence that falls between two spouses.