Information about family law might be important to you if you are, or might be, in any of these situations:
- living with someone as a couple,
- getting married,
- having or adopting a child,
- separating,
- getting divorced, or
- experiencing violence or abuse within your family
What Family Law Is About
Family law is mostly about the rights and responsibilities of spouses, parents, and children.
If you marry someone or live together as a couple, the law gives you certain rights and responsibilities towards each other, both while you are together and if your relationship ends. In Canada, same-sex couples and opposite-sex couples have the same rights to marry, live together common-law, and have or adopt children.
If you have children, you also have legal responsibilities and rights towards them, whether or not they live with you, and whether or not you live with or are married to their other parent.
Usually family law issues come up when people decide to separate or divorce. But even if you never expect to separate or divorce, knowing this information now could help you avoid problems later.