adoption: legal process whereby a couple (or single person) becomes the legal parents of a child
affinity: relationship by marriage
annulment: the court declaration that a legal marriage never existed
applicant: the spouse filing for divorce
application for divorce: legal document providing reason for the divorce and arrangements for child support and child custody
assets: things of value that are owned
best interests of the child: a legal test to help determine what would best protect the child’s physical, psychological & emotional, safety, security, and overall well-being
certificate of divorce: court document confirming the legal termination of a marriage
child support: the payment made from one spouse to another to meet financial needs of their children
cohabitation: legal description of two people involved in a common-law relationship
cohabitation agreement: domestic contract setting out rights and obligations of common-law partners
common-law relationship: an intimate marriage-like relationship between two people who are not legally married
consanguinity: relationship by blood
consent: agree to enter marriage willingly and voluntarily
consummate: legally validating a marriage through sexual intercourse
custom marriage: wedding ceremony between Indigenous spouses that follows traditional Indigenous practices
decision-making responsibility: responsibility to make important decisions about a child’s well-being, including areas such as health, education, culture, religion, and extracurricular activities
defined parenting time: where courts decide what the parenting time parameters are
divorce: the legal ending of a marriage
domestic contract: legal agreement that defines the rights and obligations of the married or cohabitating partners
guardian: someone that has legal responsibility for the care and upbringing of a child
marriage breakdown: the only legal grounds for divorce in Canada (living separate and apart for 1+ years, adultery, spousal abuse)
marriage contract: domestic contract for a couple about to be married
marriage license: legal document that authorizes the people to be married
mental capacity: one’s ability to understand the nature of one’s actions and to voluntarily enter into a contract
mistake: confusion or error about the identity of the person someone is marrying, or about the purpose of the ceremony
monogamy: being married to only one person
parenting arrangements: how separated parents will share parental responsibilities and parenting time
parenting time: the time a guardian spends with the children
polygamy: being married to more than one person at a time
reasonable parenting time: when parents agree on terms of parenting time
respondent: the spouse being sued for divorce
separation agreement: domestic contract that sets out the terms and conditions of the separation
spousal support: money that one spouse pays the financially dependent spouse once the relationship has ended
supervised parenting time: when the contact time by one of the parents must include the presence of a third party
under duress: being forced into marriage through fear
void ab initio: Latin term meaning that marriage is null and void from the start
2017 Child Support Table Look-up. August 25, 2022. Government of Canada. https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/fl-df/child-enfant/2017/look-rech.aspx
Blair, A., Costiniuk, W., Moles, G., O’Malley, L., & Wasserman, A. (2009). Law in Action - Understanding Canadian Law (2nd Ed.). Pearson.
Family Justice. August 13, 2023. Birth, Adoption, Death, Marriage, & Divorce. Province of British Columbia. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/life-events/divorce/family-justice
Gibson , D.L., Murphy, T.G., Jarman, F.E., & Grant, D. (2003). All About Law (5th Ed.). Thomson Nelson.
How is Spousal Support Decided? August 25, 2022. Government of BC. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/life-events/divorce/family-justice/family-law/spousal-support/how-decided
Making Plans: A Guide to Parenting Arrangements After Separation or Divorce. August 13, 2023. Family Law. Government of Canada. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/life-events/divorce/family-justice
Resources for Family Cases. August 7, 2024. Provincial Court of British Columbia. https://www.provincialcourt.bc.ca/types-of-cases/family-matters/links
The Family Law Act. August 11, 2023. Birth, Adoption, Birth, Death, Marriage & Divorce. Province of British Columbia. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/life-events/divorce/family-justice/the-family-law-act
Welcome to Family Law in BC. August 25, 2022. Legal Aid BC. https://family.legalaid.bc.ca/