15. Ontario Family Court Step by Step – Part 2: From First Appearance to the last court appearance before trial 

Ontario Family Court Step by Step – Part 2: From First Appearance to the last court appearance before trial 

This episode of the Family Law Podcast is the second in a series that goes over the Ontario Family Court Process step by step.  In this episode, John goes over all the steps after filing the initial court documents (pleadings) up to the last step before trial.  There are several mandatory steps in family court proceedings starting with the Mandatory Information Session and ending with the Trial Management Conference.  If the parties cannot settle, the husband and wife will go through all the mandatory steps and possibly the option ones too.  John explains what case conferences are, what happens at case conferences, who talks, and what the judge is likely to do.  He provides similar explanations for court settlement conferences and trial management conferences. 

There are steps that are “optional” in family court proceedings, although one party can be forced to participate if the other party wants them.  These steps are motions and questioning. John explains both and lets separating couples know what to expect at each of these steps.  He sets out how all the matters the parties need to address will be handled by the court up to the trial.

The way Family Court works is a lot different than most people expect. Many people get into trouble at court for not doing things the right way.  This podcast helps to understand how the family court process works and the very basics of what each party needs to do.  This podcast will be extremely helpful to anyone headed to family court. 

Contact Us

To contact John Schuman, Certified Specialist in Family Law, call 416-446-5847, email him at john.schuman@devrylaw.ca, or use the form on this page.

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