Ontario Family Law Podcast
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The Ontario Family Law Podcast is hosted by Certified Specialist in Family Law, Ontario family lawyer, mediator, arbitrator and collaborative lawyer, John Schuman. John is also the author of the Guide to the Basics of Ontario Family Law, which is available from Amazon as a paperback or a Kindle eBook and from iTunes for your iphone/ipad.
In an easy-to-understand manner, the podcast discusses all family law matters, from marriage, to separation and divorce, and child welfare issues. John discusses many, and the most important, family law issues in depth and provides pointers to keep people out of trouble.
Some of the topics covered include:
- marriage contracts and cohabitation agreement
- what does "divorce" mean
- how do you get child custody? How does a judge decide which parent gets custody?
- what say to children get in family court?
- how is child support calculated?
- what are special and extraordinary expenses? Who pays? How much?
- how is property divided?
- what is family mediation, family arbitration and collaborative practice?
- how to keep assets away from your inlays
- the Ontario Family Court process, step-by-step, from how to start court proceedings, through all the steps leading up to trial
- domestic violence and what to do
- special family law issues for Emergency First Responders (Police, Paramedics, Firefighters, etc.)
- special topics on chidren’s issues and children’s rights
- common law relationships
This podcast It is essential listening for anyone experiencing major life events. Just listening can make sure you do not fall into any family law pitfalls. You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or by using RSS.
To contact John Schuman, use the email address or telephone number at the top of this page.
The companion book to this podcast, The Guide to the Basics of Ontario Family Law is available by clicking on the book to the right. The e-book is $9.99 and is available for immediate download from Amazon for Kindle, Kobo and iTunes for iPad, iPhone and Mac.If you have found this podcast useful, please feel free to share it on your social network by using the buttons to the left or at the bottom of the page. Hundreds of people download episodes of the podcast every month because of the valuable information it provides on family law and family court issues.
If you would like to contact John Schuman, pick any episode and fill out the contact form at the bottom of the page.
This podcast is provided for general information only. It does not constitute legal advice with regard to any specific situation.
Is January Divorce Month?
CBC Ontario Morning with Wei Chen
It is not just urban legend that more couples separate or start their divorce in January. Divorce Lawyers do see more people call their offices in that month than any other. John Schuman was a guest on CBC’s Ontario Morning radio program to explain why. You can listen to interview by clicking on the player to the left.
Divorce in January
The pressure and stress of the holidays are too much for some couples. Others find that spending so much time together can exaggerate the difficulties in the relationship. Others decide that they are going to turn over a new leaf in the new year - and those plans do not include their spouses. Regardless of the reason for the separation, it is not as important as the first steps after the separation - as those decisions can have a bigger impact on the spouses, and the children, as the separation itself.
1 - Separation and First Decisions
Deciding to separate from a spouse is a decision to make carefully. It is a decision that should be made knowing what will happen next and what to do. To find out more about how to separate from your spouse and what to do next, check out the first episode of the Ontario Family Law Podcast. You should also watch the video below. Finally, get more information about the first steps after separating from your spouse on this page.
There are also a number of common mistakes that people make when separating from their spouses. Some of the most common ones are set out in the video below. However, to make sure you are making the best decisions for your and your children, you should consult with a top family law lawyer about the specifics of your case. John Schuman is a Certified Specialist in Family Law. To make an appointment with him, use the contact form at the bottom of the page, email him, or call 416-446-4036.
Another source of reliable family law information, that you can access at any time - before or after separation, is this $9.99 e-book for Kindle, Kobo, or iPad/iPhone/Mac or ordering the paperback version. It includes a lot of helpful information about Ontario Family Law issues, including property division, support, and most other family law that separating spouses and parents must address everyday. It will help you understand not only the law, but the decisions you have to make and what is involved with each choice.
Many thousands of people get family law assistance from this website everyday. If you have found this page useful, please share it on your social network using the Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest buttons at the bottom of the page. Please comment on this page using the comments section at the bottom to share your thoughts on money issues in divorce or separation.
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Grandparents Sued for Child Support
CBC All in a Day - Ottawa
On the Coast - British Columbia
Morning North - Northern Ontario
A North Bay mother has sued her daughter's grandparents for $760 in monthly child support, plus $47,000 in back pay. In what may become a more common situation as grandparents assert their “legal rights” to access to their grandchildren, the child’s parents demand that those grandparents share the responsibility for the child - especially financial responsibility. Of particular concern in this case is that the Grandparents stepped in to keep their granddaughter out of foster care and that is part of the reason that the child’s mother is now suing them for child support after the children’s aid society allowed the child to return to her care.
John Schuman provided a legal commentary on this story from North Bay to CBC Radio Programs across the country and to Global Radio. You can hear the details of the case and John’s analysis of it, by clicking on the players to the left or the CBC and Global Audio below.
Child Support Laws in Ontario clearly allow grandparents, and step parents to become liable for child support. This happens when the grandparent or step parent acts like a parent (rather than a grandparent or step parent) to the child. Anyone who stands in the place of a parent to a child becomes responsible for paying child support for that child.
12 - How Step Parents and Grandparents Can Have to Pay Child Support
Grandparents do have rights under Ontario Family Law. However, with the recognition of those rights may be a recognition of responsibilities if grandparents want to be actively involved in raising their grandchildren.
To learn more about the law that applies and can require grandparents or step parents to pay support, listen to Episode 12 of the Ontario Family Law Podcast: How Step Parents and Grandparents Can Be On the Hook for Child Support.
The Ontario Family Law Podcast is a companion to the book, Guide to the Basics of Ontario Family Law, which is available as a $9.99 eBook for Amazon Kindle and Kobo and as an iBook for iPad, iPhone and Mac or a paperback from Amazon and other fine book sellers. The Guide is an easy-to-understand explanation of the basics of all aspects of Ontario Family Law, from a description of Family Court and the other ways to resolve family law matters, to a description of the most important family law topics, to tips on how to avoid common mistakes and succeed after separation.
If you would like more assistance with child support, contact Certified Specialist in Family Law, John Schuman, by calling 416-446-5080, emailing him, or using the contact form below. You can also use the contact form to comment on this page.
If you found this page, information or audio files helpful, please share them on your social network using the buttons below.
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35 - Keeping Child Custody/Access Issues Out of Court
35 - Resolving Children's Issues Outside of Court
The research is clear that parental separation or divorce does not harm children, it is the conflict between parents, even at mild levels, that have serious long-lasting negative impacts on children. While there are many things parents can do to protect their children in these situations, one of the most important, if not the most important, is to work out post-separation parenting issues without a big fight. Family Court, as part of its adversarial system of justice, most often requires some form of conflict over children’s issues. However, there are many alternatives to Family Court for parents who want to work out custody/access issues with less conflict and with more control over the results. While judges always decide custody/access cases in the best interests of the children, what a judge thinks is in a child’s best interests can be different from what the child’s parents think.
In this edition of the Ontario Family Law Podcast, Certified Specialist in Family Law, John Schuman, explains the options for working out custody/access issues without resort to the Courts. He describes parenting mediation, parenting coordination, family law arbitration, custody/access assessments, the Office of the Children’s Lawyer and how each of these options works and when each of them can be best. This podcast also describes how parents can have greater control over the parenting plan after separation by using these other methods.
All separated parents, who do not have a parenting plan or agreement over custody/access issues must listen to this podcast to find out not only how to get the best results and protection for their kids, but also how to get the parenting arrangements that work best for them.
For more information about mediation, check out this page, with a video on what happens at family and parenting mediation.
The Ontario Family Law Podcast is a companion to the book, Guide to the Basics of Ontario Family Law, which is available as an e-book for Amazon Kindle or Kobo, and as an iBook for iPad, iPhone and Mac, or as a paperback from Amazon and other fine book sellers. Anyone who has to deal with issues related to child custody, child access or parenting after separation should rely on both of them for give easy-to-understand information and advice about how the law applies to their case and what are the best ways to address their concerns. The book also covers all the other related family law issues, such as child support, spousal support, property division and restraining orders. To get your copy of the book, click on the picture of the book above and to the left.
Thousands of people tune into the Ontario Family Law Podcast to get valuable pointers on family law, divorce and separation issues. Please feel free to share this podcast with your social network using the sharing buttons below. The host of the Ontario Family Law Podcast, John Schuman, is a Certified Specialist in Family Law, practicing in Toronto. if you would like to contact him, either call 416-446-5869, email us, or fill out form below and click “send.”
You can comment on this podcast using the comments section below. Share your experiences with child custody matters to supplement what people learn from this important podcast.
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Comments:
David L. - The podcast is very good. I would like to draw attention to what goes on outside of court and agreements. When one parent does not keep the agreement they have made and turns around to alienate the children. Then there is no remedy. I and many others have that problem. Yet, to find alternate solutions by the time the children can spend the time with both the realtionship is strained. I have tried for the last 8 years to come to solutions yet due to unreasonable other side have lost that time which the children and I will not be able to get back. Moving forward low income families that struggle to spend the wanted time, need some help other than legal aid.
Response from John Schuman: It is never acceptable for a parent to alienate the children from their other parent. That is actually very harmful to children who need to know both their parents and form their own, independent, impressions of who their parent are. A child deciding whether he or her likes or dislikes a parent is important in helping the child develop a sense of identity. Episode 19 of the podcast may help you. In addition, here are some pages on tips on what to in this situation when your children are: pre-school or school age, teenagers, or infants.
Karin T. - I agree with the comment above; the podcast is very useful. I also agree that it is what goes on behind the scenes that is problematic. I had a mediated agreement that my ex-spouse didn't feel the need to comply with if he didn't agree with it. He played the role in the mediator's office and then in the parking lot would say, "I don't agree with the mediator." This caused endless frustration and grief for me. I ended up no longer willing to pay the high cost of mediation - $2,000/ hr and waste the time.
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Difficult Custody Cases - CJOB Interview
How Judges Decide Child Custody Cases
Sometimes child custody cases become very difficult, adversarial, and drawn out battles that are terrible for the kids. Those cases cane be difficult cases for Family Court Judges to decide. After a child custody case went very wrong in Manitoba, CJOB News Director, Richard Cloutier, interviewed John Schuman about child custody and access cases.
In this interview Richard and John discuss some important topics in family law, and particular to child custody:
- What are the most important things judges consider when deciding child custody cases
- How child custody cases go wrong and how they can harm the kids
- How parents can lose perspective when fighting over child custody
- The alternatives to court to avoid big fights and better protect the kids
- When going to Family Court is necessary and when it is not
- Why child custody cases can drag out
- How parents lose child custody cases
Listen to this short radio segment to gain excellent insight into how child custody cases are decided in Family Court and how to do the best things for yourself and your kids.
The featured expert on this radio interview is John Schuman. John is a Certified Specialist in Family Law and the author of the Guide to the Basics of Ontario Family Law, which is available as an e-book for Amazon Kindle or Kobo, and as an iBook for iPad, iPhone and Mac, or as a paperback from Amazon and other fine book sellers. Anyone who has to deal with issues related to child custody, child access or parenting after separation should rely on both that book, and the Ontario Family Law Podcast for easy-to-understand information and advice about how the law applies to their case and what are the best ways to address their concerns. The book also covers all the other related family law issues, such as child support, spousal support, property division and restraining orders. To get your copy of the book, click on the picture of the book above and to the left.
Contact John Schuman, Certified Specialist in Family Law and Divorce Trial Lawyer, mediator, arbitrator and collaborative lawyer, to get help with your child custody case. To reach him, either call 416-446-5869, email him or fill out form below and click “send.” We respond promptly whenever someone contacts us.
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34 - Disclosure in Family Law Cases
34 - Financial Disclosure in Family Law Cases
In Ontario Family Law, financial disclosure is both the starting point and the cornerstone of the separation or divorce process whenever there is money involved. It can often also be a bone of contention between spouses in itself, with one spouse feeling that he or she is being abused by massive disclosure requests and the other spouse being angry and suspicious that his or her ex is avoding disclosure to hide money.
In this edition of the Ontario Family Law Podcast, Certified Specialist in Family Law, John Schuman, explains what disclosure is necessary in family law cases, when spouses have to provide it and what happens when one spouse is not satisfied with the disclosure provided. He goes over the disclosure process in Family Court, Mediation, Arbitration and Collaborative Practice and goes over the privacy concerns that disclosure can create in Family Court. This podcast also describes the serious consequences that can arise for a party who refuses to provide financial disclosure.
Find our about your disclosure obligations in your family law case, as well as how to deal with disclosure problems by listening to this edition of the podcast.
The host of the Ontario Family Law Podcast, John Schuman, is a Certified Specialist in Family Law and Divorce Trial Lawyer, mediator, arbitrator and collaborative lawyer, practicing in Toronto at Devry Smith Frank LLP, which is a full service law firm with several excellent lawyers in family law. If you would like to contact John Schuman, either call 416-446-5869, email him or fill out form below and click “send.” We respond promptly whenever someone contacts us.
Thousands of people tune into the Ontario Family Law Podcast every month to get valuable pointers on family law, marriage, divorce and separation issues that can save them thousands of dollars. It is also available on iTunes. The Ontario Family Law Podcast is a companion to this easy-to-understand book on the Basics of Ontario Family Law, which is also available for immediate download as a $9.99 ebook from Amazon (Canada) and Kobo or as and iBook for iPad, iPhone or Mac. For a more comprehensive explanation of family law issues, a guide to Ontario’s Family Courts and all the alternatives to court such as mediation, arbitration and collaborative practice, download a copy, order a paper copy from Amazon, or request it at your favourite bookstore or library,
If you would like to comment on this edition of the podcast, please use the form below. Your comments may help others in difficult family law, divorce or estates and succession situations. You can also use the form below to suggest topics for future editions of the Ontario Family Law Podcast. Please feel free to share this podcast with your social network using the sharing buttons below.
Call John: 416-446-5080
32 - How to Change a Support Order or Agreement
32 - How to Change a Support Order
Things in life change. That is expected. People’s incomes go up and down. When that happens, child support changes and spousal support may change. That is important to make sure that the support payer is providing the right amount of support and that children share in the lifestyle of their parents. Sometimes, it is necessary to change support to avoid financial hardship for either the support payer or the recipient.
However, there are set procedures to change support. It is important to follow them because, in Ontario, support is enforced by the Family Responsibility Office. Other provinces and some other jurisdictions have similar government agencies. If the parties do not change support properly, the FRO or other agency may enforce the wrong amount of support. It may collect too little or too much. In addition, at one parties’ request, it may make the adjustment retroactive and cause serious financial hardship for one side. All because the parties did not change support properly.
This edition of the Ontario Family Law Podcast explains how changing support is easier and simpler than setting support in the first case - in some cases much easier. It describes the steps to follow to change support both by agreement and when the parties have a dispute about the amount of support. Listen to this podcast to find out how to change support properly and avoid problems.
The host of the Ontario Family Law Podcast, John Schuman, is a Certified Specialist in Family Law and Divorce Trial Lawyer, mediator, arbitrator and collaborative lawyer, practicing in Toronto at Devry Smith Frank LLP, which is a full service law firm with several excellent lawyers in family law. If you would like to contact John Schuman, either call 416-446-5847, email him or fill out form below and click “send.” We respond promptly whenever someone contacts us.
Thousands of people tune into the Ontario Family Law Podcast every month to get valuable pointers on family law, divorce and separation issues that can save them thousands of dollars. It is also available on iTunes. The Ontario Family Law Podcast is a companion to this easy-to-understand book on the Basics of Ontario Family Law, which is also available for immediate download as a $9.99ebook from Amazon (Canada) and Kobo or as and iBook for iPad, iPhone or Mac. For a more comprehensive explanation of family law issues, a guide to Ontario’s Family Courts and all the alternatives to court such as mediation, arbitration and collaborative practice, download a copy, order a paper copy from Amazon, or request it at your favourite bookstore or library.
If you would like to comment on this edition of the podcast, please use the form below. Your comments may help others in difficult family law, divorce or estates and succession situations. You can also use the form below to suggest topics for future editions of the Ontario Family Law Podcast. Please feel free to share this podcast with your social network using the sharing buttons below.
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31 - How Lawyers Help at Family Mediation
31 - How Lawyers Help at Family Mediation
Many separating or divorcing couples are choosing to go to family mediation, rather than family court to resolve the legal issues between them. They do this because family mediation is usually, faster, much less expensive, less emotionally draining and results in much more tailored resolutions that family court. Some people incorrectly believe that they can avoid seeing a lawyer by choosing mediation. Ontario Law says that is not the case. In addition, there are many good reasons to get help from a lawyer before, during and after mediation. This is not just a pitch by lawyers to keep business. To show why having getting help from a lawyer during mediation is helpful, even essential, we invited Accredited Family Mediator, Todd Slonim, to the podcast to explain.
Mr. Slonim, who is a professional and accredited family mediator conducts mediations both at the Toronto Family Court Mediation Service and privately, explains how parties who have assistance of lawyers find that the mediation goes more smoothly, has better and more creative resolution, and results in a more lasting agreement. When the parties get help from good family lawyers, they get better results more quickly and at lower cost. Mr. Slonim explains why that is the case and some of the problems that arise when parties do not have lawyers assist them with preparing for mediation and understanding the mediation process. From the perspective of a family mediator, Mr. Slonim describes how the involvement of family lawyers, early on, significantly helps the mediation process and leads to better results for the separating or divorcing couples. Especially in mediations over financial matters, one or both parties not having a lawyer can actually impede the mediation process. But, in every mediation, lawyers facilitate and expedite the process by ensuring the parties stay focussed on reasonable outcomes.
To assist with understanding the content of this podcast, Mr. Slonim, prepared slides that highlight the points he makes. Those slides show up on your screen on the iTunes version of the podcast. They are also shown to the left on this page if you are listening to the podcast on your desktop. If you are listening to this podcast throught the website on your mobile device, look for the slides below.
Mediation is an excellent process. But it can lead to poor results when the parties do not know what they are doing. Listen to this edition of the podcast to hear why seeing a family lawyer is essential for getting the best possible results from the family mediation process.
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Lawyer have experience and understand the variability of the application of the law in cases
Provide different approaches to resolution of matters
Help design unusual resolutions that will be respected and enforced [by the courts]](../_Media/slide74_med.jpeg)
The host of the Ontario Family Law Podcast, John Schuman, is a Certified Specialist in Family Law and Divorce Trial Lawyer, mediator, arbitrator and collaborative lawyer, practicing in Toronto at Devry Smith Frank LLP, which is a full service law firm with several excellent lawyers in family law. If you would like to contact John Schuman, either call 416-446-5847, email him or fill out form below and click “send.” We respond promptly whenever someone contacts us.
Thousands of people tune into the Ontario Family Law Podcast every month to get valuable pointers on family law, divorce and separation issues that can save them thousands of dollars. It is also available on iTunes. The Ontario Family Law Podcast is a companion to this easy-to-understand book on the Basics of Ontario Family Law, which is also available for immediate download as a $9.99 ebook from Amazon (Canada) and Kobo or as and iBook for iPad, iPhone or Mac. For a more comprehensive explanation of family law issues, a guide to Ontario’s Family Courts and all the alternatives to court such as mediation, arbitration and collaborative practice, download a copy, order a paper copy from Amazon, or request it at your favourite bookstore or library.
If you would like to comment on this edition of the podcast, please use the form below. Your comments may help others in difficult family law, divorce or estates and succession situations. You can also use the form below to suggest topics for future editions of the Ontario Family Law Podcast. Please feel free to share this podcast with your social network using the sharing buttons below.
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30 - Spousal Support (Alimony) Entitlement
30 - Entitlement to Spousal Support
Spousal support is an issue after the separation of many married and common law couples. It is a complicated area of law that is often misunderstood by people who are not family law lawyers. As a result, it is an area where separating spouses can make some very expensive mistakes. One of the biggest possible mistakes to make is the assumption that a spouse is entitled to spousal support. People look at on-line support calculators and assume that if that calculation shows spousal support owing that there must be support owing. That is absolutely a mistake. The Guidelines on which those calculations on based state that you should not even look at those calculations until it is clear that there is entitlement to spousal support.
Entitlement to spousal support is harder to achieve that many people assume. The Family Law Statutes set out specific tests and circumstances when spousal support is payable, which if not met, means no spousal support. Entitlement can be established on the basis of contractual obligations, compensatory support or non-compensatory support. Where entitlement is established, the same considerations affect how much spousal support is paid and for how long. It is not always correct to assume the midpoint for quantum and duration of spousal support. Considering all these factors correctly can put a lot more money into the pocket of a separating spouse. This edition of the Ontario Family Podcast gives an overview of entitlement to spousal support and all these factors. Separating spouses should list to this podcast to make sure that they do not shortchange themselves.
Thousands of people tune into the Ontario Family Law Podcast every month to get valuable pointers on family law, divorce and separation issues that can save them thousands of dollars. It is also available on iTunes. The Ontario Family Law Podcast is a companion to this easy-to-understand book on the Basics of Ontario Family Law, which is also available for immediate download as a $9.99 ebook from Amazon (Canada) and Kobo or as and iBook for iPad, iPhone or Mac. For a more comprehensive explanation of family law issues, and a guide to Ontario’s Family Courts, download a copy, order a copy from Amazon, or request it at your favourite bookstore.
The host of the Ontario Family Law Podcast, John Schuman, is a Certified Specialist in Family Law and Divorce Trial Lawyer, mediator, arbitrator and collaborative lawyer, practicing in Toronto at Devry Smith Frank LLP, which is a full service law firm with several excellent lawyers in family law. If you would like to contact John Schuman, either call 416-446-5847, email him or fill out form below and click “send.” We respond promptly whenever someone contacts us.
If you would like to comment on this edition of the podcast, please use the form below. Your comments may help others in difficult family law, divorce or estates and succession situations. You can also use the form below to suggest topics for future editions of the Ontario Family Law Podcast. Please feel free to share this podcast with your social network using the sharing buttons below.
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29 - Common Law Separation and Property Division
29 - Common Law Separation and Property Division
One of the most frequent mistakes people make about Ontario Family Law is thinking that becoming common law is exactly the same as being married. However, as discussed in previous episodes of this podcast, that is just simply not the case. Being common law is very different from being married. One of the biggest ways that it is different is with respect to property division. If you are common law do NOT assume everything is divided 50/50. Sometimes, property division between common law couples can seem like the Wild West. In some ways, it is. This podcast gives an in-depth, comprehensive, explanation of how common law couples can divide their property when the relationship ends, and how they do not. It also explains other Family Law remedies that can help out when the property division is unfair.
This episode of the podcast is, in part, a live recording of a seminar on the topic of mistakes that common law couples make when separating. Their are slides that assist with the understanding of some of these complex topics. On the iTunes version of the podcast, the “slides” will appear on your screen while you listen. Those slides are also shown to the left of this text if you are listening to this podcast through the webpage on your desktop. If you are listening through the webpage on your mobile device, look for the slides below.
Being common law, instead of married, can make property division much more complicated on separation. One partner may have no entitlement in law to share in anything that the couple accumulated during their relationship. But, the partner who just “walks away” may be giving up too much. If you have, or are about to, separate from your common law spouse, listen to this podcast and then speak to a family law lawyer to determine your rights and obligations in your particular circumstances.
For more information about what it means to be “common law” in Ontario, check out episode #20 of this podcast: “What Living Common Law Means (and What It Doesn’t.”
Thousands of people tune into the Ontario Family Law Podcast every month to get valuable pointers on family law, divorce and separation issues. It is also available on iTunes. The Ontario Family Law Podcast is a companion to this easy-to-understand book on the Basics of Ontario Family Law, which is also available as a $9.99 ebook from Amazon (Canada) and Kobo or as and iBook for iPad, iPhone or Mac For a more comprehensive explanation to family law issues, and a guide to Ontario’s Family Courts, download a copy immediately, or order a copy from Amazon, or request it at your favourite bookstore.
The host of the Ontario Family Law Podcast, John Schuman, is a Certified Specialist in Family Law and Divorce Trial Lawyer, mediator, arbitrator and collaborative lawyer, practicing in Toronto at Devry Smith Frank LLP, which is a full service law firm with several excellent lawyers in family law. If you would like to contact John Schuman, either call 416-446-5847, email him or fill out form below and click “send.” We respond promptly whenever someone contacts us.
If you would like to comment on this edition of the podcast, please use the form below. Your comments may help others in difficult family law, divorce or estates and succession situations. You can also use the form below to suggest topics for future editions of the Ontario Family Law Podcast. Please feel free to share this podcast with your social network using the sharing buttons below.
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28 - What to Do When a Children’s Aid Society Calls Doing a Child Abuse Investigation
28 - What to Do When The Children's Aid Society Calls
It can be terrifying to be contacted by a children's aid society because it is doing a child abuse or child neglect investigation regarding your kids - and for good reason. Children’s aid societies can take your children away and put them in foster care and then take you to family court to get an order that allows another family to adopt your kids so that you never see them again. Further, it is very easy to give the children’s aid society the wrong impression - making the children protection worker believe you are a child abuser. Many parents do that unintentionally because they do the wrong things, thinking that interacting with a children’s aid society is like interacting with other government agencies.
In addition, if you say the wrong things to a child protection worker, the police can show up and lay criminal charges.
This podcast goes over some of the essentials of what you need to know when you find out you are being investigated by a children's aid society. It goes over:
(a) how to speak to the investigating worker;
(b) whether to let your children speak to the investigator;
(c) when you have the right to remain silent;
(d) how you should answer questions;
(e) what to sign and what not to sign; and
(f) when you need to speak to a lawyer.
Listening to this podcast can help you do the best for your children by keeping your family together.
For more about what to when the children’s aid society calls, also check out this page. Also, watch the video below on the Ontario Law about child abuse cases and children’s aid societies. And, for more about the children’s aid society, police, or other authorities speaking to your kids about child abuse, read this page. Use the search box at the top right to find out more about children’s issues and rights under the law. (Click here for specific information about children’s rights at school.)
Thousands of people tune into the Ontario Family Law Podcast every month to get valuable pointers on interacting with children’s aid societies, child protection court and family court issues and procedures, and other tips on protecting your children in court. It is also available on iTunes. The Ontario Family Law Podcast is a companion to this easy-to-understand book on the Basics of Ontario Family Law, which is also available for as a $9.99 ebook from Amazon (Canada) and Kobo or as and iBook for iPad, iPhone or Mac For a more comprehensive explanation to family law issues, and a guide to Ontario’s Family Courts, download a copy immediately, or order a copy from Amazon, or request it at your favourite bookstore.
The host of the Ontario Family Law Podcast, John Schuman, is a Certified Specialist in Family Law and Divorce Trial Lawyer, mediator, arbitrator and collaborative lawyer, practicing in Toronto at Devry Smith Frank LLP, which is a full service law firm with several excellent lawyers in family law. If you would like to contact John Schuman, either call 416-446-5847, email him or fill out form below and click “send.” We respond promptly whenever someone contacts us.
If you would like to comment on this edition of the podcast, please use the form below. Your comments may help others in difficult family law, divorce or estates and succession situations. You can also use the form below to suggest topics for future editions of the Ontario Family Law Podcast. Please feel free to share this podcast with your social network using the sharing buttons below.
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