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Difference between revisions of "Parents"

From Clicklaw Wikibooks
98 bytes added ,  01:07, 21 May 2013
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==Introduction==
==Introduction==


The provincial ''[[Family Law Act]]'' applies to couples that are or were in long-term cohabiting relationships and to couples who weren't in long relationships but have had a child together. Almost all of the orders the act talks about aren't available to couples who aren't married and don't qualify as unmarried spouses. As a result, parents who didn't live together aren't entitled to ask for spousal support and are excluded from the parts of the act that talk about sharing family property and family debt.
The provincial ''[[Family Law Act]]'' applies to couples that are or were in long-term cohabiting relationships and to couples who weren't in long relationships but have had a child together. Almost all of the orders the act talks about aren't available to couples who aren't married and who don't qualify as unmarried spouses. As a result, parents who didn't live together aren't entitled to ask for spousal support and are excluded from the parts of the act that talk about sharing family property and family debt. What they can ask for are orders about the care of their children and about child support.


The federal ''[[Divorce Act]]'' only applies to people who are or were married to each other; it doesn't apply to unmarried couples, including couples who qualify as unmarried spouses.
The federal ''[[Divorce Act]]'' only applies to people who are or were married to each other; it doesn't apply to unmarried couples, including couples who qualify as unmarried spouses.
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====Separately and jointly owned property====
====Separately and jointly owned property====


In a short relationship, each person will generally be entitled keep whatever he or she brought into the relationship and anything received as a gift from the other person.
In a short relationship, each person will generally be entitled to keep whatever he or she brought into the relationship and anything received as a gift from the other person.


In the case of jointly owned assets ― property that both people own and are registered in both names ― like a house or a car, there is a legal presumption that each person has an equal interest in such assets, whether the couple contributed equally to their purchase or not.
In the case of jointly owned assets ― property that both people own and are registered in both names ― like a house or a car, there is a legal presumption that each person has an equal interest in such assets, whether the couple contributed equally to their purchase or not.