What are they and what it means for you…
With the new changes to the federal Divorce Act, separating parents now have a legal “duty” to seek out alternate dispute resolution services before they choose to go to court. Now, what does that mean and how might it affect you?
When circumstances between the separating parents are civil and do not include such things as violence, they are required to first try out these other services; mediation being one of those.
These new guidelines are without a doubt better for any children involved. Many separations can be settled outside of a courtroom using mediation services and a collaborative approach to the issues at hand. This allows for a less drawn out, emotionally charged divorce process that can have negative effects on children – not to mention on the parents.
At TCM Mediation, helping divorcing parties avoid court is the main priority. We aren’t the only ones with this goal. As Lawrence Pinsky, the former chair of the Canadian Bar Association’s family-law section illustrates in this article, “Court should be seen as the last resort.”
With these changes, the road forward here in Regina and across Saskatchewan and Canada looks a lot brighter, with fewer families involved in the court system and more collaborative, mutually beneficial agreements.
Every situation is different. This blog post is not intended to provide legal advice. Contact us for further help on your unique parental dispute.
Artwork by Megan Hewson. View her work at https://www.instagram.com/megheworiginals/