I recently attended a conference put on by the British Columbia Trial Lawyers Association in Vancouver regarding family law. At this conference, ‘A Rock and a Hard Place – Complex Issues in Family Law Practice’, I was on one of the panels. My panel, which consisted of Penny Lipsack from the Office of the Ministry of the Attorney General and myself, dealt with the law concerning international child custody and parental cross border child abduction. During my presentation I discussed the law regarding how jurisdiction in cross border child custody cases could be resolved, and I also talked about some of the recent British Columbia cases which dealt with this issue. I also discussed the law regarding international parental child abduction and some recent cases regarding that area of the law, and concluded by discussing some steps that could be taken to stabilize the situation in cases in which there is a potential for a parental child abduction to occur. The conference as a whole was very useful and stimulating with numerous interesting and knowledgeable presenters.
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.
Red Dress DayOn May 5, 2024, BC observed Red Dress Day in honour of the Murdered Missing Indigenous Women (“MMIW”) also referred to by many as “Stolen Sisters”. For many, this day of observance can be painful for loved ones of a Stolen Sister as many of these cases (reported and unreported) are left without answers.