Family Law Blog

If your family law case is dealt with in British Columbia’s Provincial Court, the final decision can be appealed in the B.C. Supreme Court. Matters concerning guardianship, parenting arrangements (custody/access), child support, spousal support, and protection orders, which are heard in the Provincial Court, are frequently life-changing for those involved. If there is any chance […]

British Columbia’s Family Law Act provides essential protections for spouses, partners, and children against family violence, threats, harassment, or other forms of abuse. Protective orders are issued by the B.C. courts when urgent safeguards are needed against an abusive family member and impose a series of restrictions on the abuser. This can greatly affect family […]

Which Family Court Should I Go To? If you are working through a family law matter in British Columbia and need to file a Notice of Family Claim, choosing between the Provincial and Supreme Court is one of the first important decisions you will need to make. Your decision can have significant consequences. Both courts […]

One of the major considerations for partners during separation and divorce in British Columbia is whether to leave the marital home. Will leaving the home affect your legal rights? Will it impact property division or who gets custody of the children? Will the court view my leaving as walking out on my kids? These are […]

British Columbia Supreme Court Child Custody Judgment: I.K.K. v. P.K., 2025 BCSC 1897 When a mother fled Alberta with her four-year-old son claiming family violence and seeking protection in British Columbia, the case of I.K.K. v. P.K. became a compelling test of interstate child custody law. Darlene Sandhu of DSG Family Law successfully represented the […]

When parents separate and divorce in British Columbia, decision-making for the children and parenting time are two of the most pressing matters to be resolved. Unless parental responsibilities are clearly communicated to all concerned and decisions are made in the child’s best interests, disputes can arise. Differences of opinion and parental concerns are normal, but […]

The rights and obligations of married couples are outlined in both the federal Divorce Act and British Columbia’s Family Law Act. For common-law couples, however, only the provincial Family Law Act applies. This legislation covers issues such as property and debt division, custody, and support when couples who live in a “marriage-like relationship” separate in […]

A 2025 Supreme Court of British Columbia Decision In her first published judgment before the Supreme Court of British Columbia, DSG Family Law’s Darlene Sandhu represented a mother seeking to protect her children from the emotional fallout of an increasingly high-conflict co-parenting situation. The case, I.K.S. v. P.S.A., 2025 BCSC 840, sheds light on the […]

Decision-Making Responsibilities & Custody in British Columbia In British Columbia, “child custody” and “access” are now called “parenting responsibilities” and “parenting time” in legal documents. This removes some of the negative connotations associated with the terms used previously. “Custody” is still widely used in general conversation, however. It refers to the rights and responsibilities of […]

After divorce or separation in BC, parents must decide two key matters regarding the children: how to make important decisions such as healthcare, extracurricular activities, education, religious upbringing, etc., and how to divide the children’s time between the parents and other important people in their lives. Laws concerning these matters are codified in both the […]