Misconception 1: Divorce is Always a Lengthy Process
Reality:
Many people believe that obtaining a divorce in Ontario is invariably a drawn-out affair, but this isn't necessarily the case. The process can vary significantly in duration depending on several factors. The basic legal requirement in Ontario mandates that couples must live separate and apart for at least one year before a divorce can be finalized. This period is seen as a cooling-off time, allowing both parties to ensure that divorce is truly the best decision.
However, it's important to note that the one-year separation is not the only timeline to consider. The actual divorce proceedings can begin before the year is up, so long as the separation began on the date one spouse left the marital home or the couple agreed to live separately while remaining in the same house. This means that the paperwork and legal processes can be underway concurrently with the separation period.
In certain situations, a divorce can be expedited. For example, if there are grounds such as adultery or mental or physical cruelty, the one-year separation requirement can be waived, allowing the divorce process to commence immediately.
Factors Influencing Duration:
Several key factors can influence the duration of the divorce process in Ontario, either lengthening or shortening it:
Agreement on Terms: If both parties agree on major issues such as property division, child custody, and spousal support, the process can move more swiftly. An uncontested divorce, where an agreement is reached without going to court, is generally quicker.
Complexity of Assets: High asset divorces or those involving complex financial investigations (like business valuations) can take longer to resolve due to the detailed nature of the financial disclosures and negotiations.
Court Schedules: The efficiency of local courts can also affect the timeline. Delays are often caused by backlogged court schedules which can extend the time it takes to finalize a divorce.
Legal Representation: Having experienced legal representation can help in navigating the process more efficiently. Lawyers familiar with the nuances of family law in Ontario can avoid unnecessary delays and push proceedings along faster.
Willingness to Mediate: Couples who are willing to participate in mediation or alternative dispute resolution methods can often finalize their divorce quicker than those who opt for lengthy court battles.
Misconception 2: You Must Go to Court to Get a Divorce
Reality:
A common misconception about divorce in Ontario is that it necessarily involves going to court. In reality, there are several alternatives to the traditional courtroom battle that can result in a legally binding divorce without ever stepping foot in a courtroom. These alternatives include mediation, collaborative divorce, and arbitration, each offering a different approach to resolving divorce issues outside of the traditional court setting.
Mediation is a process where a neutral third party, known as a mediator, helps the divorcing spouses come to an agreement on all aspects of their separation, including asset division, custody arrangements, and support issues. The mediator does not make decisions for the couple but facilitates communication and proposes solutions to help reach a consensus.
Collaborative divorce involves each spouse hiring their own lawyer, but with a twist: all parties agree to resolve the divorce issues outside of court. This process often includes other professionals, such as child psychologists and financial planners, to advise on specific matters. The goal is to reach a mutually acceptable agreement without the adversarial setting of a courtroom.
Arbitration is somewhat similar to a court proceeding in that an arbitrator makes decisions after hearing each side's case. However, it is a private process, and the parties can define the rules differently than in court. The arbitrator’s decision is binding.
Benefits of Alternative Dispute Resolution:
Cost Efficiency: Alternative dispute resolution methods are generally less expensive than traditional court proceedings. This is because they are usually quicker and less formal, requiring fewer hours from attorneys and less administrative court costs.
Privacy: Unlike court proceedings, which are public, mediation and collaborative divorce keep the disputes and final agreements private. This can be especially important for individuals concerned about the publicity of their personal issues.
Less Emotional Stress: Alternative dispute methods tend to be less adversarial and confrontational. The focus is on cooperation and finding mutually agreeable solutions, which can reduce the emotional strain often associated with divorce proceedings. This is particularly beneficial for couples with children, as it promotes a collaborative approach to parenting post-divorce.
Misconception 3: Divorce Automatically Involves Spousal Support
Reality:
It's a common belief that spousal support, or alimony, is a guaranteed part of every divorce settlement. However, this is not the case. In Ontario, spousal support is not automatically granted upon divorce. Whether spousal support is awarded depends on various factors, including the financial circumstances of each spouse, the length of the marriage, the roles each spouse played during the marriage, and each spouse's financial needs and abilities following the separation.
Conditions under Which Spousal Support is granted:
Need and Ability to Pay: Spousal support is typically considered when there is a significant discrepancy in the financial situations of the spouses at the time of separation. The spouse seeking support must demonstrate a need for financial support that the other spouse has the ability to pay.
Length of the Marriage: Generally, longer marriages are more likely to lead to spousal support awards, particularly where one spouse may have sacrificed career opportunities for the sake of the marriage or family.
Age and Health of the Spouses: These factors are considered to determine the ability of the spouse seeking support to become self-sufficient and the fairness of requiring one spouse to provide financial support.
Economic Impact of the Marriage on the Spouses: This includes consideration of the financial position each spouse will be in post-divorce, including the impact of child care responsibilities.
Calculating Spousal Support:
In Ontario, the calculation of spousal support is guided by the Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines (SSAG). These guidelines provide a framework for determining the amount and duration of support based on factors such as the spouses' incomes, the length of the marriage, and whether children are involved. The SSAGs offer two formulas:
Without Child Support Formula: Used when child support is not a factor, this formula considers the length of the marriage and the difference in spouses' incomes to suggest a range for both the amount and duration of support.
With Child Support Formula: This formula is used when child support payments are involved. It accounts for the higher financial burden of caring for children post-divorce and adjusts the spousal support amount accordingly.
Misconception 4: All Assets are Split Equally
Reality:
The division of assets in a divorce in Ontario is often misunderstood. Many believe that all assets are split equally between the spouses, but the actual process is more nuanced. The law in Ontario does not necessarily require an equal split of each asset. Instead, it focuses on the equalization of the net family property, which means that the value of any property that each spouse accumulated during the marriage is divided equally, rather than the property itself.
Equalization of Family Property:
The process of equalization in Ontario is intended to ensure that the increase in net worth of each spouse during the marriage is shared fairly. To achieve this, each spouse calculates their net family property (NFP), which is the difference between the value of their assets at the time of separation minus the value of their liabilities and any excluded assets they had on the date of marriage. The spouse with the higher NFP pays half the difference between their NFP and the other spouse’s NFP to the spouse with the lower NFP. This payment is known as an "equalization payment."
Exemptions and Exclusions:
Certain types of assets are typically excluded from this calculation of net family property, which means they are not subject to division upon divorce. These exclusions include:
Gifts and Inheritances: Gifts and inheritances received during the marriage from someone other than the spouse, provided they were not used towards the matrimonial home.
Property Owned Before Marriage: Assets that one spouse owned before getting married are usually excluded from the equalization process, except for the increase in value of these assets during the marriage.
Personal Injury Awards: Settlements for personal injuries, pain and suffering, or other awards that are not related to loss of income during the marriage.
Life Insurance Payouts: Proceeds received under a life insurance policy that are not specifically designated for family support.
Misconception 5: Child Custody is always awarded to the Mother
Reality:
In Ontario, the widespread belief that child custody is automatically granted to the mother is a significant misconception. Child custody decisions are based on the best interests of the child, not the gender of the parent.
Types of Custody:
In Ontario, there are several types of custody arrangements that reflect the diverse needs of families:
Sole Custody: One parent has the responsibility for the care and decision-making regarding the child. The child primarily resides with the custodial parent, and the non-custodial parent typically has rights to visitation and access. Sole custody might be granted if one parent is deemed unfit or unable to care for the child, or if high levels of conflict prevent effective co-parenting.
Joint Custody: Both parents share the decision-making responsibilities for the child, but it does not necessarily mean the child's time is equally split between the two.
Shared Custody: This is a form of joint custody where the child spends at least 40% of the time with each parent.
Split Custody: Although less common, split custody occurs when there are multiple children and each parent obtains full physical custody over different children. This type of custody is rare and typically only chosen when it's in the best interests of each child.
Misconception 6: Living Together Before Marriage Reduces the Chances of Divorce
Reality:
The idea that living together before marriage can reduce the likelihood of divorce has been a topic of debate and study for many years. However, research findings on this subject are mixed, and there is no definitive evidence that cohabitation before marriage universally lowers divorce rates. Some studies suggest that couples who live together before marriage have similar or even higher rates of divorce compared to those who do not.
Legal Implications of Cohabitation:
Property Rights:
Cohabitation Agreements: Similar to prenuptial agreements, cohabitation agreements allow couples to outline how they will divide property if the relationship ends. Without such an agreement, cohabitants do not have the same automatic rights to property division as married couples under the Family Law Act.
Property Claims: If a cohabiting relationship ends, individuals may still make claims for a share of property under the principle of unjust enrichment. This is a common law principle where one can argue that they have contributed to the increase in the other partner’s property value and deserve compensation.
Spousal Support:
Under Ontario law, an individual may be eligible for spousal support after cohabitation if the relationship lasted at least three years or they have a child together and lived in a relationship of some permanence. The eligibility and amount of support are influenced by factors similar to those considered in divorce, such as the roles during the relationship, the length of cohabitation, and each person’s financial status post-separation.
Misconception 7: You Can Divorce for Any Reason
Reality:
While it's true that modern divorce laws have become more flexible, in Ontario, there are specific legal grounds for divorce that must be met. The grounds for divorce are not as broad as "any reason," but they do encompass several major categories that allow for considerable latitude in determining the basis for legally ending a marriage.
Grounds for Divorce in Ontario:
Separation: The most common ground for divorce in Ontario is living "separate and apart" for at least one year. This ground is part of what's known as a no-fault divorce, where the reason for the separation does not need to be connected to wrongdoing by either spouse. The one-year period is intended to give couples time to reconsider their decision and ensure that reconciliation is not possible.
Adultery: Another ground for divorce is adultery, where one spouse has had sexual relations with someone else during the marriage. To use adultery as a ground for divorce, the spouse who was cheated on must not have condoned the adultery or lived with the adulterous spouse for more than 90 days after finding out about the infidelity.
Mental or Physical Cruelty: This ground for divorce is used when one spouse has treated the other with such severe mental or physical cruelty that living together is no longer bearable. This includes behavior such as violence, ongoing verbal abuse, or other forms of psychological harm.
No-Fault Divorce:
In Ontario, no-fault divorces, primarily based on the ground of separation, are the most common. This process is favored because it avoids the need to prove fault or wrongdoing by either spouse, which can exacerbate conflict and emotional distress.
Process of No-Fault Divorce: To proceed with a no-fault divorce due to separation, one needs only to demonstrate that they have lived separate and apart for at least one year. It is important to note that couples can be considered "separated" even if they continue to live under the same roof, provided they lead separate lives—meaning they do not share meals, bedrooms, or participate in joint social activities.
Filing for Divorce: The process involves filing a divorce application at the Superior Court of Justice, detailing that the marriage has broken down due to a year of separation. The divorce will typically be granted without requiring a court appearance if the application is uncontested.
Misconception 8: Divorce Decrees are Final and Cannot Be Changed
Reality:
While divorce decrees are legally binding documents, they are not necessarily set in stone. In Ontario, as in many jurisdictions, divorce orders, particularly those relating to support payments, child custody, or access arrangements, can be modified under certain conditions. The legal system recognizes that life circumstances change, and the arrangements made at the time of divorce might not be suitable or feasible indefinitely.
Circumstances Under Which Divorce Orders Can Be Modified:
Significant Change in Circumstances: A modification can be requested if there has been a significant change in the circumstances of one of the parties involved. This might include a substantial increase or decrease in income, job loss, relocation, or a change in the health status of either parent or child.
Best Interests of the Child: Changes in child custody and access orders may be warranted if it’s in the best interests of the child. Changes in the child’s needs as they grow older or changes in the living situation or behavior of the custodial parent might prompt a review.
Non-compliance with the Original Order: If one party fails to comply with the terms of the original divorce decree, such as not making agreed-upon support payments, the other party can seek a modification of the order to address these issues.
Modification Process:
To modify a divorce decree in Ontario, the following steps are typically involved:
Application for Variation: The party seeking the change must file an application for variation with the court that issued the original divorce order. This application should clearly outline the changes requested and the reasons for these changes, supported by relevant evidence.
Evidence of Change in Circumstances: The applicant must provide evidence of a significant change in circumstances that justifies the modification of the divorce order. This might include financial statements, medical reports, or other relevant documents.
Legal Representation: While not mandatory, it is advisable to seek legal representation to navigate the complexities of modifying a divorce decree. A lawyer can help present the case effectively and ensure that all legal procedures are correctly followed.
Court Hearing: Most applications for modification will result in a court hearing where both parties can present their arguments. The court will assess the evidence and determine whether the requested changes are justified and in line with legal standards.
Issuance of a New Order: If the court decides that the circumstances warrant a modification, it will issue a new order, replacing the relevant parts of the original decree.
