Services Overview
Liberty Law Corporation assists with:
- Divorce applications
- Separation and marriage agreements
- Parenting arrangements and parenting time
- Decision-making responsibility
- Child support
- Spousal support
- Division of family property and debt
- Protection orders and urgent family matters
- Common-law separation
- Court applications in Provincial Court and Supreme Court of British Columbia
- Variation and enforcement of existing orders and agreements
Divorce and Separation
Separation often raises immediate questions about living arrangements, children, finances, and the next legal steps. Liberty Law Corporation assists clients at every stage of the separation and divorce process in British Columbia.
Services may include:
- advice at the outset of separation;
- preparation of separation agreements;
- uncontested and contested divorce applications;
- interim arrangements for parenting, support, and occupancy of the family home;
- resolution of property and debt issues; and
- enforcement or variation of existing orders.
Where spouses agree on key terms, the process may be streamlined. Where there is disagreement, early legal guidance can help identify the issues, preserve evidence, and structure negotiations effectively.
Parenting Arrangements and Decision-Making
When parents separate, decisions about children must be made in accordance with the best interests of the child. In British Columbia, parenting issues may include parenting time, parental responsibilities, and communication between parents and children.
Liberty Law Corporation assists with:
- parenting plans;
- parenting schedules;
- holiday and special occasion arrangements;
- relocation issues;
- decision-making responsibility for education, health, and other significant matters;
- contact arrangements for non-guardians where appropriate; and
- variation of parenting orders or agreements.
The objective is to create arrangements that are child-focused, workable, and legally enforceable where required.
Child Support
Child support is generally determined in accordance with the Federal Child Support Guidelines. The amount payable depends on factors such as income, parenting arrangements, and, in some cases, special or extraordinary expenses.
Liberty Law Corporation assists clients with:
- determining guideline child support;
- income disclosure issues;
- shared or split parenting arrangements;
- section 7 expenses, including child care, medical, educational, and extracurricular costs;
- retroactive child support claims;
- enforcement and variation proceedings.
Accurate income information is often central to resolving child support properly and fairly.
Spousal Support
Spousal support may arise after separation or divorce depending on the parties’ circumstances, including the length of the relationship, the roles each party assumed during the relationship, and the economic impact of the separation.
Liberty Law Corporation provides assistance with:
- entitlement to spousal support;
- amount and duration of support;
- interim support applications;
- review and variation of support;
- lump sum and periodic support arrangements; and
- negotiation or litigation of contested claims.
Spousal support cases can be fact-specific and often require careful review of income, budgets, and the history of the relationship.
Property Division and Debt
Property division in British Columbia is governed primarily by the Family Law Act. Separating spouses may need to address family property, excluded property, and responsibility for family debt.
Liberty Law Corporation advises on matters including:
- division of the family home;
- pensions, investments, and registered accounts;
- corporations, professional practices, and self-employment income;
- inheritances, gifts, and other excluded property claims;
- debt allocation;
- valuation disputes; and
- negotiation or litigation of complex property issues.
Early legal review is often important where there are business interests, trusts, significant assets, or disputes over excluded property.
Separation Agreements
A well-drafted separation agreement can provide certainty and reduce future conflict. Agreements may address parenting, child support, spousal support, property division, debt, and other separation-related issues.
Liberty Law Corporation assists with:
- preparing comprehensive separation agreements;
- reviewing proposed agreements;
- negotiating revisions;
- ensuring proper financial disclosure; and
- addressing enforceability concerns.
An agreement should reflect the parties’ circumstances clearly and use consistent terms that reduce ambiguity and future disputes.
Common-Law Separation
Individuals in marriage-like relationships may have important rights and obligations after separation in British Columbia. Issues may include support, parenting, and division of property and debt.
Liberty Law Corporation advises common-law spouses regarding:
- whether the legal test for a marriage-like relationship is met;
- child support and parenting issues;
- spousal support claims;
- property and debt division under BC law; and
- negotiated settlements or court proceedings.
Protection Orders and Urgent Family Matters
Some family law matters require immediate court intervention. This may include family violence, harassment, urgent parenting concerns, or the need to preserve property.
Liberty Law Corporation assists with urgent applications relating to:
- protection orders;
- exclusive occupancy of the family residence;
- emergency parenting arrangements;
- non-removal of a child; and
- urgent support issues.
Prompt legal action may be necessary where safety or immediate risk is involved.
If you are going through a relationship breakdown or entering a new relationship and need legal advice or representation, contact our office for competent legal counsel.
