Legal Insights

You’re separated, you have children, and you’re starting a court application. Sometimes, we hear our clients say “I don’t want to bother asking my ex for money.” Maybe you know your ex doesn’t have any money or maybe you don’t want to stir the pot by asking for financial help. What do you do? Are you legally obligated to request child support? Below, we break down what it means to make a child support claim. Child support 101 Firstly, understand that our court system recogni

Picture this: you just finished a lengthy trial, paid thousands of dollars in legal fees, and had sleepless nights anxiously awaiting the result of your case…only to find out the judge did not agree with your position. You lost, now what? You may think the automatic next step is to appeal your decision. But what goes into an appeal? Who gets to appeal their decision? How expensive is an appeal? Below, we break down some of the most common questions we receive about appeals.

It is normal for clients to feel anxious about their case. It's no secret that legal matters can be lengthy. As a client, you may feel powerless over the length of time your case is in court. However, when you retain a lawyer, remember that cooperation is key. Cooperation can come in many forms. One of the easiest ways you, as a client, can help move your case along is by providing your financial documentation to your lawyer as quickly as possible. Documents such as personal

A Power of Attorney is a legal document that gives someone you trust the authority to manage your personal affairs if you no longer have capacity to do so, or need assistance. At Jolanta Bula Legal Professional Corporation we prepare two types of Powers of Attorney: Personal Care, and Property. The person giving the authority is called the "Donor" or "Grantor" and the person named as the attorney is the "Donee" or "Grantee". The person you appoint does not have to be a lawyer

Coming in for an initial consultation is a very big first step for many people, that is why at our firm we want to let you know exactly what to expect from the whole experience/process. In this post, we would like to break down what our initial family law consultations entail, and what you can expect. The consultation with Jolanta is a flat fee of $250.00 plus HST. Some firms set up free consultations for a specific amount of time, but free consults can feel rushed, and s

There is a big movement in society to acknowledge and educate others about the struggles that women and minorities face in their workplace. We have legal seminars and workshops about inclusion, diversity, and making the work environment equitable for all. With everyone sharing their stories, it pushes me to reflect on my own experiences as a female immigrant lawyer. Overall, I am in a privileged position since I am not a visible minority and I am not often subject to racist c

When people hear the word custody some immediately think of an ugly separation process where both parents are aggressively fighting over who gets their children. This is exactly why this term has been changed. We no longer use the term “custody” because of the negative connotations associated with that word that are often also legally inaccurate or plain wrong. Some parents who were granted custody wrongly assumed they were labeled as the better parent or used this as a way o

You’ve probably seen it on television, a guy dressed up as a pizza delivery person who shows up to someone’s door pretending to deliver pizza only to find court papers inside of the pizza box. They’ve just been served. I hate to break it to you, but in most cases being served with court documents is not that exciting and definitely not as cheesy… Most lawyers hire a process server, an individual who specializes in personally delivering documents to people who need to be serve

So, you have officially separated from your spouse and you're ready to move on and start dating again. As much as it's good to move on and find happiness, it's important to acknowledge the unique situation you're in - especially if you have children. This brings us to our central question: is it okay to date once you're separated and how does the court view new relationships in these circumstances? In brief, it's important to keep everything respectful and to acknowledge th

One of the most common questions I get from clients going through a separation is "what happens with my Canada Child Benefit once I separate?" Many people rely on this benefit to help cover the costs of food, clothing, or other family expenses. But what happens when you separate? Who gets the benefit and how much do you get? The Canada Child Benefit (CCB) (formerly known as the Child Tax Benefit) is a tax-free monthly payment from the government to help with the costs associa

In this post, we would like to break down what our initial family law consultations entail, and what you can expect. The consultation with Jolanta is a flat fee, meaning whether you meet with her for 20 mins, 45 mins, or 90 mins, you take as long as you need to tell your story and leave the office feeling confident in your legal options and with your head held high. Some firms setup free consultations for a specific amount of time, however, our policy is different. At our

Cohabitation agreement; marriage contract; prenuptial agreement; you may have heard all these phrases before, but what do they really mean? Which one is applicable to your situation? Bottom line: They all mean the same thing but in a different context. A prenuptial agreement or marriage contract is a type of contract that is drafted for people in anticipation of marriage or who are already married and are looking to protect their respective assets and other interests. A

If you're reading this, odds are you recently had one of the most unpleasant conversations of your life. Maybe you were having dinner when it happened, maybe your husband/wife never came home from work, or maybe you both saw this coming for a while now. Regardless of how it happened, many people feel lost and confused on what to do next. "How do I find a lawyer?" "Will I have to go to court?" "How quick is this whole process?" If you have children, maybe your mind is analyzin