Do you have a family law problem in Kitchener Ontario? Divorce is one of the most stressful things someone can deal with. Research has shown that it is on the same level as going to prison or a family member dying. When dealing with something so stressful, it’s important to have a family legal expert in Kitchener who can assist you.

The most common problems people have during divorce are child custody, division of assets, and child support disputes. However, family law can include a lot more than that. Our family lawyers can help you if you are having a common-law dispute, plan to get married or want to get separated.

This article will give you an overview of the family law process in Kitchener. Once you have reviewed the information, you will likely have more questions. It’s a good idea to book a consultation with a family law firm in Kitchener to get legal advice.

Family Law in Kitchener and Ontario is complicated. Some people spend years on their divorce. Even if people don’t hire a lawyer, it can cost them a fortune on paying court fees and paying the other side’s legal fees (if they lose.) Information is king when dealing with a Kitchener family law issue. Read on to learn more about Ontario family law.

Courthouse in Kitchener Ontario

The courthouse in Kitchener is located at 85 Frederick Street, Kitchener, Ontario N2H 0A7. It is commonly referred to as the Ontario Court of Justice or the Kitchener Courthouse.

For inquiries, you can contact the courthouse through the following phone numbers:

General Inquiries: (519) 741-3200
Criminal Court: (519) 741-3200
Family Court: (519) 741-3200
Alternatively, you may visit their website at https://www.ontariocourts.ca/ocj/courthouses/kitchener/ for more information regarding court schedules, forms, and fees.

In addition to the Kitchener Courthouse, there is also a Family Court satellite location in the Waterloo Region Courthouse located at 200 Frederick Street, Kitchener, Ontario N2H 6P1. This location deals solely with family law matters such as divorce, child custody, and support issues.

Famous divorce cases in Kitchener Ontario

Kitchener, Ontario has been the site of various high-profile divorce cases that have garnered media attention and shone a light on the complexities of divorce. These cases illustrate the emotional and financial toll it can take on individuals and families, regardless of social status.

The divorce of former Kitchener Rangers general manager, Murray Hiebert, and his wife Linda was one of the most well-known cases in Kitchener. The couple had been married for over 30 years, and the divorce proceedings were acrimonious, with allegations of infidelity being aired in court. The court awarded Linda a settlement worth over $1 million, including a cash payout and a share of the couple’s assets.

Divorce of billionaire businessman

In 2012, the divorce of billionaire businessman Frank Stronach and his wife, Elfriede, gained significant media attention. The couple had been married for over 50 years and had built a business empire together. Elfriede filed for divorce, alleging that her husband had frozen her out of their company and cut her off financially. The case went to trial, and in 2020, the court awarded Elfriede a settlement worth over $150 million, including a $50 million cash payout and a share of the couple’s assets.

Walter Fust, a local businessman, and his wife, Helen, also went through a contentious divorce in Kitchener. The couple had been married for over 20 years and had three children. The case was complicated by the couple’s significant assets, with allegations of financial impropriety aired in court. The court awarded Helen a settlement worth over $10 million, including a cash payout and a share of the couple’s assets.

Highly publicized divorces

In 2015, John Sleeman, the founder of Sleeman Breweries, and his wife, Marijke, went through a highly publicized divorce. The couple had been married for over 30 years and had four children together. The divorce proceedings were complicated by the couple’s significant assets, with allegations of infidelity also being aired in court. The couple eventually reached a settlement, and the terms were not disclosed.

The 2017 divorce case of former NHL player Sheldon Kennedy and his wife, Jana, also garnered media attention in Kitchener. The couple had been married for over 20 years and had three children together. The divorce proceedings were complicated by the couple’s significant assets and allegations of infidelity. The couple eventually settled out of court, and the terms were not disclosed.

These high-profile divorce cases highlight the importance of seeking the guidance and support of qualified professionals throughout the divorce process. No matter the social status or assets involved, divorce can be emotionally and financially taxing. Therefore, individuals going through a divorce need to seek the counsel of an experienced family lawyer to provide legal advice and support to help them navigate the proceedings and reach a fair settlement.

Benefits of using a Family Lawyer in Kitchener

Many people think that a trial will be as easy as it is shown on TV. The trial lasts five minutes, and the judge picks the nicest person.

Many people don’t realize that it will often take tears of work to get to a trial. A trial will normally take around five days. For a five-day trial, you might need to put in ten days of full-time work to prepare. Are you able to take 15 days off work for a trial?

Prior to a family law trial, there will be many other hearings as well. The benefits of using a family lawyer are that they save you time and stress. Also, it reduces the risks of you losing your case, and having to pay the other side’s legal fees. If the other side wins, and they paid a lawyer $20,000, you might have to reimburse them.

Family law is a legal practice area that focuses on issues involving family relations, such as adoption, child support or custody, etc. If you want to speak to family law practice in Kitchener, fill out our form and an experienced lawyer will call you.

Hiring an experienced Family Lawyer can thus even the odds for your case and provide you with the assistance you need.

A Family Lawyer can help you handle all different kinds of family law Pleadings

A family lawyer can help to handle all kinds of family law pleadings. You can save money by letting our lawyers process everything you need for pleadings cases. The separation lawyers keep with all types of cases to make sure that everything is properly documented and filed with the court.

Normally, a family lawyer will start with a demand letter, to see if the other side is willing to play ball. If not, they will start working on the pleadings. The pleadings can then be filed with the family law court. The other side then has a short period of time to respond. If the other side refuses to respond, then you will win your case by default. The other side will likely have to pay your legal fees.

The Various Types Of Family Law

There are various types of family law cases. These include guardianships, marriage dissolution, child support, juvenile matters, divorce and many more. The most common thing a family lawyer does is a separation agreement. Marriage and cohabitation agreements are becoming more common as well. More people are choosing to be common-law instead of getting married. Common-law can lead to massive court battles, as the rules are less clear than marriage.

You can get a lawyer to do cohabitation agreements or separation agreements. The family lawyers serve the Kitchener Waterloo region.

Our intake team will take your information and pass it to the right lawyer. Once the lawyer is available, they will call or email you. Top lawyers don’t sit around waiting for the phone to ring, they are busy in court getting things done. If a lawyer seems desperate for work, it might be a warning sign.

Some of the Reasons to Hire a Law Firm

Hiring a family lawyer often saves you time and money
It reduces the amount of stress so you can sleep at night
Doing it right the first time is the best way
Get expert legal advice

Hiring an experienced Family Lawyer can thus even the odds for your case and provide you with the assistance you need.

Can I create a separation agreement without a lawyer?

Normally, someone hires a Family Law Practice in Kitchener to create their separation agreement. However, it is possible to create it without a lawyer.

See the article above to learn how to do it yourself. Regardless of if you write the content yourself or not, you will need to hire a lawyer for independent legal advice. Without ILA, the agreement has many holes in it.

Some people prefer not to meet their lawyers in person. Our lawyers can assist them by phone, email, or via video conferencing. This is helpful if you live in a more remote place. If you want to meet a lawyer in Kitchener face-to-face, that’s fine as well! Our lawyers have many offices around Kitchener and the GTA.

Need Legal Help? Contact Kitchener Family Lawyers

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