Marriage and Family Law

Divorced or separated parents can draw up a Visitation Agreement for a grandparent to visit with their grandchildren using this ready-made template.

• The Agreement provides for regularly scheduled visitation periods, as well as overnight stays.
• The parties agree not to interfere with each other's relationship with the child.
• The parent agrees to allow open communication between the child and the grandparent.
• The form contains alternate travel provisions either allowing or disallowing travel outside of the child's State of residence, depending on the arrangements approved by the Court.
• The parties agree to refer any disputes to a third party mediator.
• This Grandparent Visitation Agreement is governed by U.S. laws and is intended for use within the United States.
• The form is available as an easy-to-use MS Word template.

If you and your partner own property as tenants in common, you'll need to grant a life estate to your partner to make sure the property doesn't become part of your estate when you die.

• Unlike joint tenancy ownership, which transfers title to the survivor upon the death of one of the joint tenants, any real property owned as tenants in common will become part of your estate and be disposed of under your will.
• A life estate is a way of designating who you want to give the property to when you die, but leaving you the right to continue to live in the property during your lifetime.
• Under this Mutual Grant of Life Estate, each tenant in common grants the other a life estate in the property.
• Each party agrees to contribute equally to mortgage payments, maintenance costs and expenses related to the property.
• Each party indemnifies the other against claims and damages.
• Upon the death of one of the parties, title to the property will transfer to the survivor.
• Keep your property out of your will and make sure it goes to the right person after you die.
• Available in MS Word format.
• Intended to be used only in Canada.

Gather the information you require for matrimonial interrogatories with this form for the State of Illinois, in accordance with the Supreme Court Rules.

• This form allows you to compile all relevant personal and financial data from a client with respect to divorce, maintenance and custody matters, including:
  • employment history,
  • income,
  • assets,
  • liabilities,
  • living expenses,
  • opinion witnesses.
• This form is available in MS Word format.
• For use only in the State of Illinois.

Manitoba law treats common law relationships of 3 years or longer the same as legal marriage, and you could end up losing all or part of your separately owned assets if you separate. You should consider signing a Manitoba Cohabitation Agreement.

• The purpose of a Cohabitation Agreement is to determine who owns what, how jointly owned property will be distributed if the relationship ends, and what each partner's responsibilities are to raise and support their children.
• Whatever assets a partner brought into the relationship will continue to belong to that partner. The other person has no ownership interest in them.
• Any assets that were purchased jointly during the relationship would be divided equally between the partners if they decide to break up.
• Both parties are responsible for raising and caring for the children they have together.
• You must both get independent legal advice from a lawyer before you sign. The document includes a Certificate of Independent Legal Advice for the lawyer to sign after seeing you.
• Available in MS Word format.
• Intended to be used only in the Province of Manitoba, Canada.

The New Brunswick Marital Property Act does not apply to common law couples unless they have signed a domestic contract. That's why you and your partner need to sign a Cohabitation Agreement.

• This Agreement sets out each partner's legal rights and obligations with respect to child support, estate rights and jointly and separately owned property.
• Each partner continues to own the assets he/she brought into the relationship, and any assets acquired during the relationship are jointly owned by both partners.
• Each partner is solely responsible for his/her own debts and financial obligations.
• The partners agree to jointly raise and support the children they have together.
• Each partner waives any right to any inheritance left to the other partner by a will or under the laws of succession.
• This document comes with a Certificate of Independent Legal Advice for each partner. You must see a lawyer and get independent legal advice before you sign the Agreement.
• Intended for use only in the Province of New Brunswick, Canada.

Have you and your spouse decided to separate? Put the terms of the separation in writing with this New Zealand Separation Agreement.

• Provisions of the Agreement include:
  • which party the children of the marriage (if any) will reside with - this party will also retain temporary possession of the family residence;
  • the amount of financial support to be paid by the parent who does not have day-to-day care of the children;
  • payment of joint debts;
  • neither party will incur any further debt on joint credit of the parties;
  • division of jointly owned property;
  • ownership of separate property;
  • payment of expenses related to the family residence;
  • each party releases all claims or demands on the other party's estate.
• Available in MS Word format, fully editable and easy to use.
• Intended to be used only in New Zealand.

Common law couples do not have the same rights as married couples under Newfoundland law. To make sure your rights are protected, download this Cohabitation Agreement for Newfoundland and Labrador.

• A cohabitation agreement is permitted under the Family Law Act. It gives you and your partner the opportunity to set out in writing what your rights and obligations to each other are.
• You can decide what happens to assets that the two of you purchase jointly, if the relationship comes to an end.
• The agreement sets out what each partner's responsibilities will be with respect to raising and caring for the children, and paying the household debts.
• Since common law spouses do not have matrimonial property rights under provincial law, this agreement covers that as well.
• Both partners must get independent legal advice from a lawyer before signing the agreement. The form includes a Certificate of Independent Legal Advice that the lawyer must complete.

Get your copy of the Newfoundland and Labrador Cohabitation Agreement and be sure that your spousal rights are protected.

In Nova Scotia common law couples can register as domestic partners, which gives you some of the same rights as a married couple. But for better protection, you should have a Cohabitation Agreement in place.

A cohabitation agreement covers such things as:

• the ownership of assets,
• how the couple's children will be raised,
• how bills and debts will be paid,
• what will happen with the children, the debts, and the property if the couple splits up.

Before signing this Agreement, you and your partner must each get independent legal advice from a lawyer. The form includes a Certificate of Independent Legal Advice for each party.

Don't take a chance that your marital rights will not be covered by provincial or federal laws. Get the Nova Scotia Cohabitation Agreement and put it all in writing.

Cohabiting couples in Ontario can establish their rights and obligations and the ownership of their separate and joint property in a Cohabitation Agreement, under section 53 of the Family Law Act.

• The Agreement allows you and your partner to specify which assets each of you owned prior to the relationship, and which are jointly owned by both of you.
• You can also set out how your joint assets will be distributed if you decide to end the relationship.
• You can also agree upon how household expenses will be split, and who is responsible for other debts. For instance, if your partner owes money on a student loan incurred before you met, he/she may be solely responsible for paying it off.
• If the two of you decide to get married, the Cohabitation Agreement becomes a prenuptial (pre-marriage) agreement.
• You will both need to get independent legal advice from a lawyer before you sign the Agreement. A Certificate of Independent Legal Advice is included for each of you, which the lawyer will sign after seeing you.

Ontario law treats married and cohabiting couples differently with respect to property rights. Make sure yours are protected - get this Ontario Cohabitation Agreement.

Give written consent for your child to travel outside of the United States in the company of another adult with this Parental Consent form for minor children.

• This form can only be used by U.S. residents.
• The parent or guardian authorizing the trip must swear that he/she has legal custody of the child.
• The parent/guardian must also attest that no divorce or custody proceedings are pending that would involve the child.
• The form must be acknowledged in front of a Notary Public.
• This is a downloadable MS Word template which can be re-used as often as you require.