Custody refers to the right to make major decisions about the child. Where one parent has sole custody, that parent alone makes all major decisions about the child. Where the parents have joint custody, the parents are to mutually agree upon major decisions concerning the child. A parent can have joint custody of the child, but not shared residence (i.e. mom and dad make joint major decisions about the child, but the child ordinarily resides with just mom).​

You should review your Will from time to time to ensure that it still meets your needs and that your property will be distributed according to your wishes. You should consider writing a new Will on the following events: 

• You get married or divorced (a change in marital status may void your old Will); 

• You are unmarried, but have a new partner; 

• The amount of money and property you own significantly changes; 

• You move to another province/territory;

• Your executor or a significant beneficiary in your Will dies; 

• There is a birth or adoption of a child in your family; 

• You change your mind about the provisions in your Will.

Spousal support in Ontario is premised on the view of a marriage as a financial partnership. When that partnership ends, the person with the greater income may have an obligation to pay the spouse with the lesser income. However, the law assumes that all individuals seek to be self-sufficient and the spousal support laws are drafted with this in mind. Fault is not part of the decision-making process about whether a spouse is to receive support.

The division of assets and liabilities between parties after separation. The value of any property that was acquired during the marriage and still exists at separation must be divided equally between the parties (some exclusions apply). Also, any increase in the value of the property from the date of marriage, must be shared. The payment that may be owed to one party, is called an “equalization payment”. Equalization payments only apply to married spouses.

Domestic violence (also domestic abuse, spousal abuse, intimate partner violence, battering, or family violence) is a pattern of behaviour which involves violence or other abuse by one person against another in a domestic setting, such as in marriage or cohabitation. Intimate partner violence(IPV) is violence by a spouse or partner in an intimate relationship against the other spouse or partner. Domestic violence can take place in heterosexual and same-sex family relationships, and can involve violence against children in the family or, in some U.S. states, violence against a roommate.

Domestic violence can take a number of forms, including physical, verbal, emotional, economic, religious, and sexual abuse, which can range from subtle, coercive forms to marital rape and to violent physical abuse such as female genital mutilation and acid throwing that results in disfigurement or death.

Alternative Dispute Resolution refers to a group of methods used to try to settle legal disputes. In family law, divorce mediation and arbitration are two commonly used alternative dispute resolution avenues for settling disputes about family property division, spousal and child support and child custody.

Mediation has been found to produce more durable outcomes, higher levels of mutual satisfaction and to decrease the likelihood of further conflict.

There are a number of benefits to choosing mediation over litigation:

1. Mediation is voluntary; it is not a mandatory process for family law matters;

2. Mediation keeps the power in the hands of the parties;

3. Mediation keeps the focus on a common interest: The best interests of the children;

4. Mediation encourages open communication and problem solving; and 

5. Mediation may be less costly and more private than court.