Our experienced family lawyer Mississauga, Brampton & Toronto team is here to help with your family law needs, and to help you through this time of emotional stress in a professional, timely and cost-effective manner. Separation rarely raises one question at a time. The children, support, the home and the paperwork all need answers together. At Law Wise Professional Corporation, your family lawyer in Mississauga explains where you stand under Ontario and federal law and works toward an arrangement that you and your children can live with. The firm is based in Mississauga’s City Centre and serves clients in Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, Milton and Toronto, and across the GTA and Ontario.
Law Wise family lawyer Mississauga: how we can help
Our divorce lawyers in Mississauga, Brampton and Toronto can help you resolve all aspects of divorce, whether contested or simple. There are many issues on which spouses may not agree. Law Wise family lawyers in Mississauga, Brampton and Toronto have a thorough understanding of the legal issues that arise during the divorce process, including division of matrimonial property and equalization, child support and spousal support, parenting (formerly custody and access) and a practical parenting plan. Our family lawyers Mississauga are easily accessible to clients and committed to their needs throughout their family law cases.
Each service below has its own page with more detail.
- Separation and divorceContested, simple (uncontested) and joint divorce, and the issues that come with them.
- Simple and joint divorceThe step-by-step process, forms and court fees when you and your spouse agree.
- Domestic agreementsSeparation agreements, marriage contracts (prenuptial agreements) and cohabitation agreements.
- Marriage contracts and prenuptial agreementsWhat a marriage contract can and cannot cover, and what makes it hold up.
- Parenting (custody and access)Decision-making responsibility, parenting time and parenting plans.
- Child supportTable amounts and special or extraordinary (section 7) expenses.
- Spousal supportWhether support is owed, how much and for how long.
- Property divisionEqualization of net family property and the matrimonial home.
- Collaborative family lawA structured negotiation in which both sides commit to settling without going to court.
- Court litigation and court ordersMotions, conferences, trials and changes to existing orders.
- FRO and default hearingsSupport enforcement by the Family Responsibility Office.
- Child protectionWhen a Children’s Aid Society becomes involved with your family.
Do you need a divorce lawyer in Mississauga?
Only married spouses need a divorce. Under the federal Divorce Act, a court can grant one when the marriage has broken down. That is shown in one of three ways: the spouses have lived separate and apart for at least one year, one spouse has committed adultery, or one spouse has treated the other with physical or mental cruelty. Most divorces rely on the one-year separation. The application can be started before the year is up, but the divorce will not be granted on that ground until the year has passed.
An Ontario court can hear the divorce if either spouse has been habitually resident in Ontario for at least one year immediately before the application is started. A divorce can be simple (uncontested), joint or contested. Couples who were never married do not need a divorce. Their parenting, support and property questions are decided under Ontario’s Family Law Act and Children’s Law Reform Act.
A divorce can be a simple divorce, a contested divorce or a joint divorce. Where there are no complex issues, a divorce application can take several months to finalize, and the divorce will not be granted until the one-year period of separation has passed. Where there are more complex issues to resolve, our experienced divorce lawyers Mississauga, Brampton & Toronto can guide you through the process and make sure your rights are protected. See simple and joint divorce for the uncontested process and contested divorce for cases where the spouses do not agree.
Parenting, custody or access (decision-making responsibility and parenting time)
Since 1 March 2021 the Divorce Act no longer uses the words “custody” and “access”, and Ontario’s Children’s Law Reform Act uses the same newer terms. Decision-making responsibility (formerly custody) is the responsibility for significant decisions about a child’s well-being, such as health, education, religion and significant extra-curricular activities. Parenting time (formerly access) is the time a child spends in the care of each parent.
In making a parenting order, the court considers only the best interests of the child, and gives primary consideration to the child’s physical, emotional and psychological safety, security and well-being.
What is a parenting plan?
A parenting plan is a written record of how separated parents will raise their children: who makes which decisions, where the children live and when, holidays and travel, and how the parents will communicate and settle disagreements. A clear plan reduces later disputes. Our page on parenting, custody and access explains more.
Child support Ontario: the table amount and section 7 expenses
Child support is set by guidelines: the Federal Child Support Guidelines in a divorce, and Ontario’s Child Support Guidelines in other cases. It has two parts:
- The table amount. In most cases, a monthly amount based on the paying parent’s income and the number of children.
- Special or extraordinary expenses (section 7 expenses), such as child care and some health and education costs. The guiding principle is that parents share them in proportion to their incomes.
The federal child support tables were last updated on 1 October 2025. See child support in Ontario for how the amounts are worked out.
Spousal support
Spousal support is not automatic. Whether it is owed, how much and for how long depend on factors such as the length of the relationship, the roles each spouse played during it, each spouse’s age and income, and the recipient’s ability to become self-supporting. Married spouses can claim support. So can unmarried partners who have lived together continuously for at least three years, or who are in a relationship of some permanence and are the parents of a child. Read more on our spousal support page.
Property division and the matrimonial home
For married spouses, Ontario’s Family Law Act provides for an equalization of net family property: each spouse’s net family property is calculated, and the spouse with the lower figure is entitled to one-half of the difference. The family residence, called the matrimonial home, is treated differently from other property. These rules do not apply automatically to common-law partners, who may have other claims that depend on the facts. Our property division page sets out the steps.
Time limits for an equalization claim
An application for equalization must be started before the earliest of these dates:
- two years after the divorce;
- six years after the spouses separate, where there is no reasonable prospect that they will live together again;
- six months after the first spouse’s death.
This comes from section 7(3) of the Family Law Act. Other claims have their own time limits, so ask about deadlines early.
If the home will be sold, or one spouse will buy out the other, a real estate lawyer in Mississauga handles the transfer or closing. Separation is also a sensible time to review your will and powers of attorney.
What is a domestic agreement?
A domestic agreement (the Family Law Act calls it a domestic contract) is a written agreement between partners about matters such as property and support. To be enforceable it must be in writing, signed by the parties and witnessed. There are three main kinds:
- Marriage contract, often called a prenuptial agreement: made before or during a marriage.
- Cohabitation agreement: made by partners who live together or plan to.
- Separation agreement: records what a couple has decided about property, support and parenting after they separate.
See separation agreements and other domestic agreements.
What is child protection law in Ontario?
Child protection cases are governed by Ontario’s Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017. They begin when a Children’s Aid Society has concerns that a child is being harmed or is at risk of harm. These cases move on strict timelines. It is important to seek legal advice from one of our family lawyers in Mississauga, Brampton and Toronto as soon as a Children’s Aid Society contacts you. Our child protection page explains the process.
Support enforcement and the Family Responsibility Office (FRO)
The Family Responsibility Office collects, distributes and enforces child and spousal support payments in Ontario. Our page on the FRO and default hearings explains what happens when payments fall behind.
How Law Wise family lawyers can help you
Our experienced family lawyers in Mississauga, Brampton & Toronto provide personalized care and attention, and keep your goals and your legal rights at the forefront while negotiating the terms of any agreement or representing you in court.
The Divorce Act expects separating spouses to try to resolve their issues outside court where that is appropriate, through negotiation, mediation or collaborative family law. Many family matters are settled this way. Where agreement is not possible, or the matter is urgent, a court decides. A family law matter usually moves through four stages:
- ConsultationYour first consultation is free for 15 minutes, by appointment. We listen and explain your options.
- Financial disclosureBoth sides exchange information about income, property and debts.
- Negotiation or mediationWe work toward terms on parenting, support and property.
- Agreement or court orderThe result is written into a separation agreement or decided by a court.
Your file is handled by a Law Wise lawyer licensed by the Law Society of Ontario. Service is available in English, Urdu, Punjabi and Hindi, and, if you retain the firm, fees are explained and confirmed in writing before work starts.
Common questions about family law in Ontario
How long do we have to be separated before we can divorce?
At least one year, if the divorce is based on separation. You can start the application earlier, but the court will not grant the divorce on that ground until the year has passed. Adultery and cruelty are the other two ways of showing that a marriage has broken down.
Do common-law partners have the same rights as married spouses in Ontario?
Not for property. Equalization of net family property applies to married spouses. Common-law partners may be able to claim spousal support if they have lived together continuously for at least three years, or are in a relationship of some permanence and are the parents of a child. The rules on parenting and child support apply whether or not the parents were married.
Is there a deadline to claim a division of property?
Yes. An equalization application must be started before the earliest of two years after the divorce, six years after separation where there is no reasonable prospect of living together again, and six months after the first spouse’s death.
Do we have to go to court?
Not always. Many couples settle by negotiation, mediation or collaborative family law and record the result in a separation agreement. A divorce itself is always granted by a court, but an uncontested divorce often does not need a court appearance.
How much does a divorce lawyer in Mississauga cost?
It depends on whether the divorce is uncontested or contested. Law Wise quotes a flat fee for a simple or joint divorce and confirms the fee in writing before work starts. Contested matters are billed by the hour, and we tell you the rate and the likely range at the first meeting. Your first consultation is free for 15 minutes, by appointment.
Do you take family law clients from Brampton, Oakville, Milton and Toronto?
Yes. Our office is at 33 City Centre Drive in Mississauga, beside Square One, and we act for clients from Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, Milton, Etobicoke and Toronto, and across Ontario.
Which court hears a family case for someone living in Mississauga?
It depends on the issue. Divorce and property division go to the Superior Court of Justice; parenting, support and child protection matters may be heard in the Ontario Court of Justice. Our family court page explains which court hears which case and what to expect at each step.
Can I get a free consultation with a family lawyer in Mississauga?
Yes. Your first consultation with a Law Wise family lawyer is free for 15 minutes, by appointment, in English, Urdu, Punjabi or Hindi. Call 647-948-7819 or send the form on this page and bring any agreements or court papers you already have.
What should I ask when comparing family lawyers in Mississauga?
Ask who will handle your file, how fees are charged and confirmed, how quickly calls and emails are answered, and whether the lawyer will explain the out-of-court options as well as court. It is reasonable to meet a lawyer before you decide.
Speak with a family lawyer in Mississauga
Law Wise acts for family law clients in Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, Milton and Toronto. Your first consultation is free for 15 minutes, by appointment. Call us or send a message, and bring any agreements or court papers you already have.
This page is general legal information for Ontario, current as of 10 October 2026. It is not legal advice and does not create a lawyer-client relationship. For advice about your situation, please speak with a lawyer.