Principles
- Written in plain language, aimed at someone with no legal background
- Based on current Ontario and federal government, court, and legal-information sources
- Hedged rather than absolute, wherever a rule depends on individual circumstances
- Linked to primary sources for concrete claims (deadlines, fees, forms, statistics)
- Reviewed periodically as laws, forms and procedures change
- Educational — never presented as personalized legal advice
How Guides Are Researched
Guides are based on publicly available primary sources: the Department of Justice Canada, Ontario.ca, the Ontario Courts, Ontario's e-Laws service, Steps to Justice, and Legal Aid Ontario, among others. Each guide's “Sources & Further Reading” section lists the specific sources used for that page. See Sources and Citations for more on this approach.
Why the Hedged Language
Family law outcomes generally depend heavily on individual facts, and rules, fees, and forms are set by regulation and can change. Rather than state a rule as universally true, guides on this site generally use words like “generally,” “can,” “often,” or “typically” to reflect that reality. Where a specific figure, deadline, or process is stated, it's because it was verified against a primary source at the time of writing — always confirm current details directly with that source before relying on them.
Editorial Independence
This website is independent. The free-consultation request form on this site can connect a reader with a participating Ontario family lawyer, but that referral relationship does not influence what any guide says. No guide promotes a specific law firm, and no page is written or edited in exchange for referral business.
Updates and Corrections
See the Content Update Policy for how this site approaches keeping guides current, and the Corrections Policy for how to flag something that looks outdated or incorrect.