Top 4 Free Services for Family Law

There are free services available to help families in many aspects of family law.  These services help to compliment those that a Lawyer or Mediator can provide. The following are what we, at Butterfield Law, believe are the most useful free services for families: 1.LEGAL AID:  Can’t afford a lawyer…

Thinking of Divorce? Financial Information you need.

BC courts require that you complete a sworn Financial Statement. Family Lawyer and Mediator, Michael Butterfield says, “These statements are important tools, and are often what the court will depend on to make decisions regarding property division, as well as child and spousal support. If you are attending mediation or…

Child Custody Dispute-Father Prevails & Awarded Costs

A Victoria father has been awarded costs, after a Judge found the behaviour of his ex-wife “reprehensible” in a child custody dispute.  The mother, L.A.L. repeatedly made sexual abuse accusations that the father, P.A.L. She claimed he started sexually abusing there their daughter when she was 2 year old.  Over the…

Child Indicators of Parental Alienation

Parental alienation is real. It occurs when a child expresses an overwhelming preference for one parent and extreme negativity towards the other parent. Parental Alienation is different from Estrangement.  Dr. Baker, defined an “alienated child” as one who unjustifiably rejects one parent (the “disfavoured parent”) and is aligned with the other parent…

Parental Alienation & Divorce

  “Parental alienation is the term used to describe the overall problem of children being encouraged by one parent — the favoured parent — to unjustly reject the other parent – the targeted parent” (Amy J.L. Baker, Ph.D.).  This pattern of behaviour is different from normal adjustment to divorce, and…

What is a Parenting Co-ordinator?

Parenting coordination is an approach to resolving ongoing parenting issues once a parenting plan has been established. Most parenting plans are in the form of a court order or written agreement. These normally deal with guardianship, parental responsibilities, and parenting time (access). However, no agreement can cover all contingencies. Parenting…