How to Handle Summer Custody Schedules Without Conflict
Springtime is finally here, and summer is just around the corner. It’s the time of year that children most look forward to, but for separated and divorced parents, it can be one of the most challenging times to handle summer custody schedules without conflict. That’s because there are often changes to routine, a greater need for childcare, and competing plans for vacation – all of it packed...
Fine & Associates Featured in Law Times on Ontario Court Changes
Fine & Associates principal Lorne J. Fine was recently featured in Law Times, providing insight on a significant change to how family law matters are handled in Toronto. What’s changing in Ontario family courts? Starting April 2, 2026, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice will require most short family law motions in Toronto to be heard in person, moving away from the Zoom-based system...
Deepfakes, Text Messages, and Secret Recordings: A New Era of Digital Evidence in Family Law
Digital evidence is becoming a central issue in family law disputes across Ontario, and the risks are evolving quickly. In a recent article published in Law360 Canada, Lorne J. Fine of Fine & Associates explores how text messages, social media, recordings, and emerging technologies like AI-generated content are reshaping how courts assess evidence in family law matters. Why this matters...
Why the Separation Date Matters
We provided a “how to” on Where spouses continue living together, disputes about the separation date are common — and often consequential. The separation date affects: When the one-year divorce period begins The valuation date for equalization of net family property under the Family Law Act The calculation and duration of spousal support Certain limitation periods As McBennett v. Danis...
Divorce After Age 50 in Ontario: What’s Different About It?
Divorce later in life—often called a “gray divorce”—is becoming increasingly common. Married couples are separating after many decades, after the children are grown or retirement is approaching. While the basic legal framework for divorce in Ontario remains the same regardless of age, couples who divorce after age 50 often face a different set of financial and practical considerations. If you...
Divorce and Your Business: How to Protect What You’ve Built
If you own a business and are going through a separation or divorce, it’s natural to feel especially concerned. You may be wondering about what will happen to the venture you’ve spent years – or perhaps decades – building. For many business owners, their company is more than just an asset – it represents their identity, their livelihood, and their source of future income. But the good news...
Financial Abuse: The Hidden Factor in Many Divorces
If you are going through a divorce, you may be focused on pressing day-to-day matters – like parenting schedules, property division, and how best to move forward. But for some people, there is undercurrent that also shapes the breakdown of the relationship: Financial abuse. It’s a kind of abusive conduct can develop gradually, and be difficult to recognize. It might also be obscured by other...
Ontario Family Law: What Are the Rights of a Divorcing Dad?
It’s a longstanding pre-conception: When it comes to parenting arrangements involving kids, the Canadian legal system favours the mother. And perhaps this was the case decades ago. But unlike many persistent stereotypes, under the modern-day legal system, this is simply not true. In fact, Ontario family law does not grant automatic preference to either parent. Instead, the focus is always on...
Understanding Parental Alienation – And What You Can Do About It
Separation and divorce are rarely easy, particularly if there are children involved. In some families, conflict can escalate to the point where one parent believes the other is undermining their relationship with the child. This situation is often described as “parental alienation.” The term is frequently used, but it’s not always well-understood. Plus, courts approach these kinds of...