Divorce and the Law on Getting Divorced: Difference between revisions
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Divorce and the Law on Getting Divorced (view source)
Revision as of 21:27, 8 August 2024
, 8 August 2024no edit summary
Nate Russell (talk | contribs) (From staging 2024) |
Nate Russell (talk | contribs) No edit summary |
||
| Line 272: | Line 272: | ||
====Free services==== | ====Free services==== | ||
[ | The BC Ministry of Attorney General has an [https://justice.gov.bc.ca/divorce online do-it-yourself joint divorce application] process, called the Online Divorce Assistant. This process can only be used when all orders being sought are by consent, which is also known as an ''uncontested divorce''. | ||
For a little more help, [https://accessprobono.ca/ Access Pro Bono] offers free meetings to those who qualify based on household income (households with 1-3 people earning less than $60,000 in total income, or with 4 or more people earning less than $84,000 in total income may qualify). You may be able to meet with a lawyer who can <span class="noglossary">review</span> your forms with you before you file them in court. Although the lawyers available through this program are not likely to prepare your documents, they may give them a check to make sure that the registry will accept them. Access Pro Bono also operates the Everyone Legal Clinic, which is not free, but assures much more affordability. The clinic advertises ''uncontested divorces'' as [https://everyonelegal.ca/services-for-everyone/family one of their services]. | |||
The [http://www.cle.bc.ca/ British Columbia Continuing Legal Education Society] has published an excellent guide to the desk order divorce process called ''Desk Order Divorce—An Annotated Guide'', which has samples of the different clauses you may need to complete your court forms. This book is available at your local courthouse library. | The [http://www.cle.bc.ca/ British Columbia Continuing Legal Education Society] has published an excellent guide to the desk order divorce process called ''Desk Order Divorce—An Annotated Guide'', which has samples of the different clauses you may need to complete your court forms. This book is available at your local courthouse library. | ||
[https:// | [https://family.legalaid.bc.ca/separation-divorce/getting-a-divorce Legal Aid BC] also has an excellent online step-by-step guide to the divorce process. | ||
====Services that are not free==== | ====Services that are not free==== | ||
| Line 284: | Line 284: | ||
You're usually best off if you hire a lawyer to handle your divorce for you, as a lawyer will be familiar with the nuances and complications of the desk order divorce process and can give you expert advice about the short- and long-term advantages and disadvantages of the arrangement you've worked out with your spouse. This can be critical where the terms or circumstances of your divorce are unusual or complicated. | You're usually best off if you hire a lawyer to handle your divorce for you, as a lawyer will be familiar with the nuances and complications of the desk order divorce process and can give you expert advice about the short- and long-term advantages and disadvantages of the arrangement you've worked out with your spouse. This can be critical where the terms or circumstances of your divorce are unusual or complicated. | ||
Lawyers, however, come at a cost. You should expect that you will be charged fees of anywhere between $1, | Lawyers, however, come at a cost. You should expect that you will be charged fees of anywhere between $1,500 and $3,500 for your divorce, plus the lawyer's out-of-pocket expenses for things like court fees and photocopying. | ||
There are also a number of commercial services available online that will prepare the necessary documents for you, likely at a rate lower than what a lawyer would charge. Mentioned above, the Everyone Legal Clinic is worth looking into since it is associated with a trustworthy organization (Access Pro Bono), and offers limited services (such as uncontested divorces) to anyone at an affordable rate. | |||
Many online providers will also file your documents in court for you. A Google search for the phrase "desk order divorce BC" should provide you with a few other options, but whatever you do, make sure you're using a service that offers the forms required for a divorce in British Columbia! | |||
===What happens if a response or counterclaim is filed?=== | ===What happens if a response or counterclaim is filed?=== | ||
| Line 318: | Line 314: | ||
*[https://www.bccourts.ca/supreme_court/ Supreme Court of British Columbia website] | *[https://www.bccourts.ca/supreme_court/ Supreme Court of British Columbia website] | ||
*[https://www.provincialcourt.bc.ca/ Provincial Court of British Columbia website] | *[https://www.provincialcourt.bc.ca/ Provincial Court of British Columbia website] | ||
*[https:// | *[https://bc.familieschange.ca/en Families Change] website from the Justice Education Society of BC and BC Ministry of Attorney General | ||
*[https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/life-events/divorce/family-justice/who-can-help Support and Resources for Dealing with Separation and Divorce] website from the BC Ministry of Attorney General | *[https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/life-events/divorce/family-justice/who-can-help Support and Resources for Dealing with Separation and Divorce] website from the BC Ministry of Attorney General | ||
*[https://divorceoptions.ca/ DivorceOptions.ca] | *[https://divorceoptions.ca/ DivorceOptions.ca] | ||
| Line 326: | Line 322: | ||
===Resources=== | ===Resources=== | ||
*[https:// | *[https://family.legalaid.bc.ca/separation-divorce/getting-a-divorce Legal Aid BC's Family Law website's information page "Getting a divorce"] | ||
*[https://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/resource/1058 "Living Together or Living Apart: Common-Law Relationships, Marriage, Separation, and Divorce"] from Legal Aid BC | *[https://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/resource/1058 "Living Together or Living Apart: Common-Law Relationships, Marriage, Separation, and Divorce"] from Legal Aid BC | ||
*[https://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/resource/4340 Divorce Fact Sheet] website from the Department of Justice | *[https://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/resource/4340 Divorce Fact Sheet] website from the Department of Justice | ||