JP Boyd on Family Law

Welcome to the new home of JP Boyd's BC Family Law Resource, the popular family law website from Vancouver lawyer John-Paul Boyd, now completely updated for the new Family Law Act. Written in plain language, with rollover definitions for legal words and phrases, JP Boyd on Family Law provides practical, in-depth coverage of family law and divorce law in British Columbia. To get started, read Family Law in British Columbia for a quick introduction. Then dive into the main chapters of the wikibook, or see the How Do I? section for answers to common procedural questions. Read about the transition of this resource to a wiki format.

Cover of JP Boyd on Family Law
(print edition released May 29, 2013)

Contents

Getting Started

• Introduction · Family Law in British Columbia · Definitions · Family Law Legislation · Divorce Act Basics · Family Law Act Basics

Chapters

• The Legal System
  • The Court System · The Law · You & Your Lawyer

• Resolving Problems out of Court
  • Collaborative Processes · Mediation · Arbitration · Parenting Coordination

• Resolving Problems in Court
  • Starting a Court Proceeding · Replying to a Court Proceeding · Case Conferences · Interim Applications · Enforcing Orders · Changing Final Orders

• Family Law Agreements
  • Cohabitation Agreements · Marriage Agreements · Separation Agreements · Enforcing Agreements · Changing Agreements

• Children
  • Parenting after Separation · Guardianship, Parenting Arrangements & Contact · Custody & Access · Making Changes · Estranged & Alienated Children

• Child Support
  • The Guidelines · Exceptions to the Guidelines · Making Changes · Child Support Arrears

• Spousal Support
  • Basic Principles · The Advisory Guidelines · Making Changes · Spousal Support Arrears

• Property & Debt
  • Basic Principles · Protecting Property & Debt · Dividing Property & Debt

• Family Relationships
  • Marriage & Married Spouses · Unmarried Spouses · Other Unmarried Relationships · Caregivers & Extended Family

• Separation & Divorce
  • Separation · Separating Emotionally · Divorce

• Other Family Law Issues
  • Adoption · Parentage & Assisted Reproduction · Naming & Changes of Name · Aboriginal Issues · Family Violence

How Do I?

• Marriage, Separation & Divorce
  • Get Married in British Columbia? · Prepare for Separation? · Separate from My Spouse? · Find Out if I'm Divorced? · Get Divorced?

• Avoiding an Obligation
  • Get Out of Paying Child Support? · Get Out of Paying Spousal Support? · Get Out of Sharing My Assets?

• Alternatives to Court
  • Start Negotiations with My Spouse? · Start Mediation with My Spouse? · Start a Collaborative Process with My Spouse? · Start Arbitration with My Spouse? · Hire a Parenting Coordinator?

More How Do I? topics...

Court Forms & Documents

• Supreme Court Forms & Examples · Provincial Court Forms & Examples · Other Family Law Forms & Documents

Editors and Advisory Committee

Current editors

Many contributors and editors help to improve JP Boyd on Family Law and keep it current, including:

David Dundee

Jane Henderson, QC

Agnes Huang

Don Kawano, QC

Mary Mouat, QC

Justin Werb

Manjit Grewal

Advisory committee

A multi-disciplinary advisory committee of lawyers, educators, and librarians provided valuable guidance, perspective and assistance recruiting editors for this Clicklaw Wikibook.

John-Paul Boyd

Megan Ellis, QC

Deb Thomas

John Simpson

Drew Jackson

Nate Russell

Creative Commons

JP Boyd on Family Law © John-Paul Boyd and Courthouse Libraries BC is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 Canada Licence.