Author: admin_htc


Do Personality Disorders Contribute to Parental Alienation?

Parents with personality disorders routinely display extreme behaviors. Parental alienation tends to occur in divorces when one parent repeatedly displays extreme words and behavior about the other parent. People with personality disorders tend to have a pattern of repeating hostile and unpredictable behavior in the presence of their children. When parents repeatedly display extreme emotion … Continue reading Do Personality Disorders Contribute to Parental Alienation?

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A.J.B. v. J.M., 2019 BCSC 2335

The narrow issue in this case was whether a s. 211 report or a Hear the Child report should be prepared. The parents had shared equal parenting time until the father relocated from the Lower Mainland to Victoria. The 13-year old child had been objecting to travelling to Victoria. The father attributed that to the mother’s alienation, which was why he thought a s. 211 report was necessary. The judge reviewed case law about when s. 211 reports would be ordered, noting that the court must strike a balance between the usefulness of the information contained in s. 211 reports, and the countervailing interests of time and delay, intrusion into the child’s life, and

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Listening to Children: New Divorce Act entrenches child’s right to be heard

On July 1, 2020, s.16(3)(e) of the Divorce Act (Canada) comes into force. This section requires the court to consider the “child’s views and preferences, giving due weight to the child’s age and maturity, unless they cannot be ascertained; when making parenting decisions.”

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Shared parenting during COVID-19

Social distancing and self-isolation have become everyday words as Canada tries to flatten the curve of the COVID-19 pandemic. And for many people that’s relatively easy to do provided they can work from home. But ex-spouses who share custody of their children may wonder how to continue to share parenting in a COVID-19 world. Read … Continue reading Shared parenting during COVID-19

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Parenting Arrangement During the time of COVID-19

The Covid-19 Pandemic represents a novel and wrenching dilemma for parents who are trying to self-isolate and protect there child. At the same time they are expected to exercise a parenting arrangement that is by Order of Agreement requiring them to relinquish the child to the other parent. Read the full article here.

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Co-parenting during the Covid-19 pandemic

For many families, COVID-19 is adding significantly to the stresses of co-parenting. For many, many families it will make sense for plans to change. If you and your co-parent are navigating this challenging time effectively that’s great. You are to be commended for being able to pull together to meet your children’s needs. Keep doing … Continue reading Co-parenting during the Covid-19 pandemic

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P.J.D. v. W.K.W., 2019 BCSC 1188

The father of 12 year old twins sought an equal time-sharing arrangement. The mother gave evidence that the children said they wanted to spend less time with their father, because they were upset by his criticism of them and of the mother. As the father had not cooperated in having a Views of the Child report prepared, the judge held that there was no evidence to counter the mother’s testimony that the children wanted to spend less time with the father. The judge accepted the mother’s evidence of the children’s views and …

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Fiona Beveridge

Lawyer Fiona Beveridge Family Law 300 – 1275 West 6th Avenue Vancouver, BC V6H 1A6 T: 604 684-5859 E: fiona@beveridgefamilylaw.com W: www.beveridgefamilylaw.com Fee: Variable Fiona is a Lawyer at Fiona Beveridge Family Law. Fiona carries on a full family law practice and is accredited by the Law Society of BC to act as a Parenting Coordinator, … Continue reading Fiona Beveridge

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R.D.M. v. X.M.M., 2017 BCSC 1674

The father sought interim changes to parenting time of the parties’ four children, pending a trial. The children, ages 17,15,13 and 11, lived primarily with their mother. The children made allegations of family violence and sexual misconduct against the mother’s new spouse. An order was made that a Hear the Child report be done, and that the report preparer specifically ask each child whether there had been sexual misconduct …

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Children’s Views: Why they Matter in Court and Mediations. October 2017

In June of 2014, we wrote a feature for BarTalk called “Children’s Voices in Family Law Disputes.” That article spoke to the legislative requirement that parents, the courts and others “consider the child’s views, unless it would be inappropriate to consider them” (section 37(2)(b) of the Family Law Act [“FLA”]).

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