The Hague Convention and Establishing a Child’s Habitual Place of Residence
The purpose of the Hague Convention is to enforce custody rights and to secure the return of wrongfully removed or retained children to the country they are habitually resident. The Supreme Court of Canada case, Office of the Children’s Lawyer v Balev, 2018 SCC 16, is the leading case on habitual residence. Balev states the aim of the Hague Convention is threefold:
Who gets the family pet in our Divorce? An Update.
Our previous pet custody blog garnered significant positive attention and therefore we think it prudent to provide our readers with an update on this subject.
Best interests of the pet – not yet
Canadians love their pets; they are often considered members of the family. As a family law lawyer, I am often questioned about the law surrounding pets when a couple separates.
Defiance of an existing parenting order during the pandemic
The pandemic has resulted in loving parents having concerns for the safety of their children when they are in the care of the other parent. Many parents are concerned about what precautions the other may be exercising during their parenting time and who the child may be coming into contact with.
Some may believe their former partner or spouse is not taking the pandemic serious enough. This has resulted in parents unilaterally defying existing parenting orders.
