The new B.C. Family Law Act will result in a number of changes to the law, including an emphasis on resolving family disputes by agreement without going to court via processes such as mediation and collaborative law and an attempt to promote a wider understanding of domestic violence and problems resulting from it. An attempt is made to reduce tensions by introducing less emotive language in cases regarding children as "custody" and "access" are changed to "guardianship" and "parenting time" and "contact". The B.C. Family Law Act creates new clearly defined property rights for unmarried couples as it stipulates that when a couple lives together for more than two years they will have the same property rights on separation as married couples.
Kitsilano Family Law: Reflections as a Summer StudentMy name is Isa Nafissi, and I am a second-year law student at the Peter Allard School of Law at UBC. This past summer, I had the opportunity to work as a summer student at Kitsilano Family Law, where I gained hands-on experience by supporting the lawyers on various cases.
Queer Separation in British ColumbiaUnder British Columbia’s Family Law Act (“FLA”) (and the Divorce Act), Queer couples enjoy the same legal rights as heterosexual couples. This means that the processes for separation, including obtaining orders or agreements on parenting arrangements, child support, spousal support, property division, and divorce, are the same for all families in British Columbia.
Pets under the Family Law ActOn January 24, 2024, amendments (changes) were made to the Family Law Act (FLA) to reflect the long-held sentiment that pets are members of the family. It is no wonder why animals can become part of the dispute during a separation; the prospect of a person being separated from their pet can cause fear and distress for individuals.