Julia’s Pick of top Websites for Family Law questions

Department of Justice Canada
Canadian laws, including regulations. See also The Supporting Families Experience Separation and Divorce Initiative found here.

Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC)
See in particular, Resources for Parents under the Resources menu.

Family Mediation Canada
Information on the mediation process.

Families Change

An excellent educational website, from the Ministry of the Attorney General of British Columbia, that includes a Kids Guide to Separation and Divorce, A Guide for Grown-ups, A Teen Guide to Parental Separation and Divorce.

Because Life Goes On
The online version (in text or audio) of one of our favourite post-separation parenting brochures.

Family Law Nova Scotia
A an excellent comprehensive site developed by governmental, legal and community organizations

Online Child Tax Benefit Calculator

Ontario Ministry of Attorney General (Family Law)
There is a lot of good information here; just remember it is Ontario-based so some of the information will not be accurate for Nova Scotia.

For Adults
• 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families
7 Habits of Highly Effective Families

• Beyond Conjugality – Recognizing and Supporting Close Personal Adult Relationships
Law Commission of Canada

• Collaborative Family Law: Another Way to Resolve Family Disputes
Shields/Ryan/Smith

• Divorce Poison
Dr. Richard A. Warshak

• Getting Your Share
Lois Brenner/ Robert Stein

• How to avoid the divorce from hell
M. Sue Talia

• Love & Betrayal: Broken Trust in Intimate Relationships
John Amodeo, Ph.D.

• Surviving Your Divorce, an Everyday Guide for Canadians (most recent edition not available at library)
Michael Cochrane

For Adults – Parenting Specific

• Because Life Goes On… Helping Children and Youth Live with Separation and Divorce
Natacha Joubert

• The Complete Single Mother: Reassuring Answers to Your Most Challenging Concerns
Andrea Engber and Leah Klungness

• Custody Chaos, Personal Peace: Sharing Custody with an Ex Who is Driving You Crazy
Jeffrey P. Wittman, Ph.D.

• Difficult Questions Kids Ask, and Are Afraid to Ask About Divorce
Meg F. Schneider and Joan Zuckerberg

• “Does Wednesday Mean Mom’s House or Dad’s?”: Parenting Together While Living Apart
Marc J. Ackerman

• Helping Children Cope with Divorce
Teyber

• Helping Your Child Survive Divorce
Mary Ann Shaw

• How to Parent with Your Ex: Working Together for Your Child’s Best Interest
Brette McWhorter Sember

• Interventions for Children of Divorce (2nd ed.)
Hodges

• It’s No Big Deal Really: A Parent’s Guide to Making Divorce Easy for Children
Anne Cantelo

• Joint Custody with a Jerk: Raising a Child with an Uncooperative Ex
Julie A. Ross and Judy Corcoran

• Keeping Kids Out of the Middle: Child-Centered Parenting in the Midst of Conflict, Separation, and Divorce
Benjamin D. Garber

• Keys to Single Parenting
Carl E. Pickhardt

• Living In A Step-family Without Getting Stepped On
Kevin Leman

• Raising Sons Without Fathers: A Woman’s Guide to Parenting Strong, Successful Boys
Leif G. Terdal and Patricia Kennedy

• Speaking of Divorce: How to Talk with Your Kids and Help Them Cope
Roberta Beyer and Kent Winchester

• The Co-Parenting Survival Guide
Thayer/Zimmerman

• Tug of War: A Judge’s Verdict on Separation, Custody Battles and the Bitter Realities of Family Court
Harvey Brownstone

For Children
• At Daddy’s on Saturdays (ages 5-8)
Linda Walvoord Girdard

• Dinosaurs Divorce: A Guide for Changing Families
Laurence Krasny Brown and Marc Brown

• Divorce Is Not the End of the World: Zoe’s and Evan’s Coping Guide for Kids (ages 10-12)
Zoe and Evan Stern

• I Don’t Want to Talk About It
Jeanine Franz Ransom (ages 4-8)

• It’s Not Your Fault, Koko Bear: A Read-Together Book for Parents and Young Children During Divorce (ages 3-7)
Vicky Lansky

• Mom and Dad Break Up (ages 4-8)
Joan Singleton Prestine

• Surviving Your Parents’ Divorce
Michael Cochrane

• What in the World Do You Do When Your Parents Divorce? A Survival Guide for Kids
Winchester and Beyer

Collaborative Family Law (CFL)

Collaborative law is a method of assisting client by using cooperative strategies to resolve conflict. In a CFL process, both clients and their lawyers enter into an agreement to exchange all relevant information and to settle issues without going to court. Negotiation is done “face-to-face” during meetings attended by all four. The lawyers act as legal advisors to the clients and as negotiation coaches. If other professionals are required (such as child psychologists or financial advisors), they are expected to act in a neutral fashion and not “side” with one client. The focus is on settlement, without the threat of going to court, and the objective is determining a solution which both clients find satisfactory. A side benefit can – and should – be improved communication between the clients. However if no solution is reached, both parties must hire new lawyers to take them to court; the lawyer who has acted in a collaborative role is bound by ethics and by agreement not to represent that client in court.

Mediation

Mediation is a type of dispute resolution in which an impartial, qualified individual assists individuals to reach an agreement. The mediator works with both spouses to help them reach their own agreement on issues such as custody, visiting schedules and financial matters. The mediator does not represent either person nor make recommendations. Each spouse still requires separate lawyers to advise whether the mediated agreement is legally sound and fair to them. Mediation is not relationship counseling.

Arbitration

The arbitration process is similar to a court hearing; however, it is fully confidential and it is held in a private setting agreed by the participants with an arbitrator chosen by them. It is possible to obtain an arbitrated resolution much more quickly than a court resolution. The decision rendered by the arbitrator is binding and enforceable unless appealed.

Litigation

Litigation is the process of going to court in order to have your dispute resolved.