Serving Vancouver
Family lawyers serving Vancouver, BC
Vancouver clients meet with us at our Surrey office, and the first consultation is free. Where a Vancouver case needs a court appearance, we appear at the Vancouver Law Courts.
High property values mean a Vancouver separation often turns on a condo or house worth more than everything else combined, sometimes with a business or a title shared with family. Valuation and tracing excluded property are usually the main issues.
How we help Vancouver clients
- Divorce & SeparationEnding a marriage or common-law relationship, from the first weeks after separating to the final divorce order.
- Parenting & CustodyParenting time, decision-making and guardianship arrangements built around your children after separation.
- Child & Spousal SupportSetting, reviewing, changing and enforcing child support and spousal support.
- Division of Property & DebtDividing the home, pensions, savings, businesses and debt under the Family Law Act.
- Marriage & Cohabitation AgreementsPrenuptial, marriage and cohabitation agreements that settle the big questions before any dispute exists.
- Mediation & Collaborative LawResolving family disputes through mediation, collaborative practice and negotiation rather than a trial.
- ArbitrationA binding decision from a private arbitrator instead of waiting for a court date.
- Relocation & MobilityMoving with a child after separation, or responding when the other parent plans to move.
- Protection OrdersCourt orders under the Family Law Act that protect you or your children from family violence.
- Common-Law SeparationYour rights when an unmarried relationship ends, which in BC are often broader than people expect.
Courts that hear Vancouver matters
- Vancouver Law Courts, 800 Smithe Street: Supreme Court matters for Vancouver, including divorce and property division.
- Vancouver Provincial Court, 222 Main Street: Provincial Court family matters and small claims.
- Civil Resolution Tribunal (online): small claims up to $5,000 and most strata disputes.
Questions from Vancouver clients
Do I have to go to a Vancouver court if I live in Vancouver?
Supreme Court cases are usually filed in the registry nearest where you or the other party live, which for Vancouver is the Vancouver Law Courts. Most family cases settle without a trial, and many steps can be handled in writing.
How long does it take to get a divorce in BC?
Once you have been separated for a year, an uncontested divorce with the documents in order is usually granted a few months after filing, depending on the registry’s workload. A contested case takes much longer, and the delay nearly always comes from the parenting, support or property issues attached to the divorce rather than from the divorce order itself.
Do we have to be separated for a year before anything can happen?
No. The one-year period applies only to getting a divorce on the basis of separation. Parenting arrangements, support and property division can all be dealt with right away, and it is usually better to address them early.
How is child support calculated in BC?
Under the Federal Child Support Guidelines. The starting point is a table amount based on the paying parent’s annual income and the number of children. Parents then share certain extra costs, called section 7 expenses, generally in proportion to their incomes. Shared parenting, split parenting and disputed income can all change the result.
Family Law in other communities
Book a consultation
Tell us what has happened. We will tell you where you stand.
The first consultation is free, at our Surrey office on 120 Street.