Glossary
Date assignment conference A short appearance (usually 30 minutes) before the trial judge in a divorce matter, to get the file ready for trial. The date assignment conference has 3 main purposes: to ensure all required disclosure has been filed, to determine if any witnesses will be called at trial, and to determine how much time is necessary for trial. |
Date of separation The date when one or both spouses decide they will no longer live together as spouses. Sometimes this is also the date that one of the spouses moves out, but spouses can be separated and still live together. |
Designated address An address at which a person is guaranteeing they will be able to receive court documents. When a person gives their designated address, they are certifying that anything sent to that address by the court or by the other party will be received by them. Some courts call this a ‘service address.’ A designated address does not have to be the person’s home address (for example, another address, like a work address, can be used). |
Direct examination Direct examination is when your lawyer is asking you, or one of your witnesses, questions when you are testifying in court. Direct examination also occurs when the other party’s lawyer is asking the other party, or one of their witnesses, questions in court. If you do not have a lawyer, then you would ask questions of your own witnesses when conducting a direct examination. Direct examination is sometimes just called ‘direct.’ |
Discoveries Parties sometimes hold Examinations for Discovery (Discoveries) where the parties are given an opportunity to question each other or each other’s witnesses, under oath, before a trial. The discovery allows the parties to narrow the issues and focus their trial on contested matters (those that the parties do not agree on). In family law, discoveries are normally only held in divorce cases, unless a judge orders otherwise. |
Division of property Division of property is how spouses divide what they own, and includes division of their debts. Each province has its own laws governing property division on separation. Nova Scotia’s law is called the Matrimonial Property Act. It applies to married spouses and registered domestic partners, but does not apply to common law spouses. Spouses who cannot agree can apply to the court to divide their property after separation or death of one spouse. |
Divorce The legal end to a marriage. You have to apply to the court to become divorced – divorce never happens automatically in Canada, no matter how long you are separated from your spouse.
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Divorce Act The law that applies to all divorces filed in Canada. No matter which province or territory your divorce is started in, it is dealt with under the Divorce Act. The Divorce Act applies to heterosexual and same-sex couples who were married and are now divorcing. When you are divorced, and in the future need to apply to the court to change your Corollary Relief Order (the order issued as part of your divorce), you will often still use the Divorce Act to apply for this change (‘variation’). |
Divorce Order An order from the court that says that two people are divorced. Unless one of the parties appeals the divorce, the Divorce Order becomes effective after 31 days. The Divorce Order is often issued at the same time as the Corollary Relief Order. |
Docket Can refer to a brief courtroom appearance in front of a judge in the Family Court, or to the schedule of court matters being heard on any given day. |
Domestic violence Also called relationship or dating violence, spousal abuse, family violence, intimate partner violence or gender-based violence. Domestic violence is violence or abuse that can happen between people who are related to each other or who have relationships with each other. It includes violence, abuse or intimidation by one person over another which causes fear, physical, and or psychological harm. It may be a single act or a series of acts forming a pattern of abuse. |