Family Law

  • Preparing of the Emotional Landscape of a Divorce

    ByShannon Gunn Emery Hours

    Divorce affects more than your finances and legal status; it deeply impacts your emotional well-being. Unaddressed feelings like grief, anger, and disappointment will complicate negotiations and leave you unhappy even after an agreement is reached. Emotional support and collaborative approaches will help you to move through divorce with greater clarity and healthier long-term outcomes. Divorce is a deeply personal experience, and while legal issues take center stage, emotional challenges are frequently the most difficult part of getting through a divorce. You may find that paperwork, deadlines, and negotiations only tell part of the story. What happens emotionally during divorce will shape how you experience the process and how well you adjust afterward. You may notice that issues that seem minor on paper become emotionally charged…

  • Who Gets the Pet After a Divorce?

    ByShannon Gunn Emery Hours

    When you are separating or divorcing in Alberta, who keeps a pet can be as emotionally difficult as other key divorce decisions. You should look at legal ownership, the pet’s daily needs, who has been the primary caregiver, and who can offer the best living environment going forward. With clear communication, you and your former partner can create a plan for your pet’s well-being. For many families, pets are more than animals; they are beloved companions and important parts of daily life. Deciding who keeps a pet during a divorce or separation can feel just as emotional and stressful as other major family decisions. Even though Alberta law treats pets as property, the courts recognize that these decisions carry real emotional weight. Understanding your options…

  • Divorce: 4 Tips for a Smoother Holiday Season

    ByShannon Gunn Emery Hours

    When you are going through a separation or divorce, the holidays can feel overwhelming. You can make the season easier by keeping familiar traditions for your children, staying focused on their emotional well-being, taking care of yourself, and giving yourself permission not to solve every problem before the new year. The holiday season is supposed to be warm, joyful, and full of connection. But when you are going through a separation or divorce, this time of year can feel complicated and emotionally hard. Balancing new schedules, financial changes, and difficult conversations while trying to create a positive experience for your children can be a challenge. There are steps you can take to support yourself and your family through the holidays, especially under Alberta’s family law…

  • Substance Abuse Issues in a Divorce

    ByShannon Gunn Emery Hours

    When substance abuse becomes an issue during a divorce, Albertan families have tools and legal options to protect children while supporting recovery. Collaborative Divorce allows parents to create customized solutions like sobriety checks, counseling, and flexible parenting arrangements. Divorce, Children, and Substance Abuse Divorce is a stressful process. It becomes even more complicated when substance abuse is involved. The biggest concern is always the safety and well-being of children. Parents and lawyers must find ways to address substance use issues while keeping children at the centre of all decisions. The Impact of Substance Abuse on Parenting Substance misuse doesn’t just affect divorce negotiations; it can raise serious questions about parenting arrangements. A parent who struggles with addiction may not be able to provide a safe…

  • Prioritizing Children: Insights from the Collaborative Divorce Process

    ByShannon Gunn Emery Hours

    Keeping children’s needs front and centre is key in a divorce. Alberta’s Collaborative Divorce process helps parents to create child-focused solutions with the support of trained divorce professionals, reducing conflict and protecting family relationships. Divorce and Its Impact on Children In a divorce, emotions will run high.  It is natural for parents to focus on their own struggles. But children often carry the deepest burdens. Supporting them during this time should be every parent’s top priority. How Collaborative Divorce Puts Kids First Collaborative Divorce in Alberta offers a unique, family-focused approach. Unlike traditional court battles, the collaborative model includes trained divorce professionals called “neutrals.” These neutrals may be divorce coaches, child specialists, or financial experts who work alongside the parents and lawyers. Their role is…

  • Giving Alberta Parents the Tools They Need After Separation

    ByShannon Gunn Emery Hours

    In Alberta, divorcing parents with children must take the Parenting After Separation course. This program teaches parents how to reduce conflict, communicate better, and keep kids at the centre of parenting decisions during and after divorce. Why the Parenting After Separation Course Matters Children often feel the greatest impact in a divorce. To help families through this transition, Alberta requires divorcing parents with children to complete the Parenting After Separation (PAS) course. Far from being just another legal step, this course gives parents practical tools to manage conflict, co-parent effectively, and protect their children from unnecessary stress. The goal is simple: Children should feel loved and supported, even when their parents are no longer together. By focusing on your kids’ needs, parents can make the…

  • Family Docket Court: What to expect when you’re expecting (to go to court for the first time)

    ByJustine Fallu Hours

    So you just received an email with a Notice to Attend Family Docket, with a court date and a link, and you have some questions about what is going to happen. Maybe this is the first time you’ve ever been to court, and you don’t have a lawyer. Maybe you want information about what could happen because you filed the Notice to Attend Family Docket. Here are some answers to some common questions people have about the process: I was sent an email, but I wasn’t served in person and I’m worried about the short amount of time until the court date. Was the Notice properly filed? A Notice to Attend Family Docket can be sent by email to the people involved in the court…

  • What is so great about unbundled services?

    ByShannon Gunn Emery Hours

    The answer is – lots! But we need to start at the beginning. What does it mean when a lawyer says that they offer unbundled services? In the traditional model, the client hires the lawyer who then normally looks after the client’s legal issues from beginning to end. It is expected that the lawyer will look after all aspects that are related to the original reason why the client hired the lawyer in the first place. For example, if a client is charged with a criminal offense, and then the client hires a lawyer, the lawyer will normally, among other things: conduct the bail hearing if necessary, gather disclosure and review it with the client, make recommendations with respect to pleas, prepare evidence and witnesses…

  • Collaborative Family Law – Spreading Virtually Like a Pandemic (But a Good One!)

    ByShannon Gunn Emery Hours

    Normally, when couples decide to end their relationship, there are a number of ways they can do it. If there is a high level of cooperation between the two, they may be able to work everything out themselves. If there is little to no agreement, they can go through mediation, arbitration, collaborative law or go to court. During the pandemic, however, we have seen one method stand out far from the rest – Collaborative Family Law. The courts keep shutting down and adjourning cases with the result that there is a growing backlog. Getting a Family Law special chambers date, depending on how much time is required, may take a year or more. Do you really want to wait that long to settle your affairs?…

  • Family Court Resolutions Still Going Ahead During Pandemic

    ByShannon Gunn Emery Hours

    The past year and a half has brought in its share of problems for court-going lawyers.  In our criminal practice we have had to put off numerous trials and court appearances because of court closures due to COVID 19. However, despite the absence of Chambers sitting in family court, resolutions between parties have been going ahead, perhaps even in a more productive way. With the various orders to self-isolate and refrain from in-person meetings, our resolution discussions have had to go virtual. Prior to the pandemic, parties in a collaborative divorce would meet in person, in a boardroom, where everyone would come together as a team to work through issues and try to resolve them amicably. While there were some great aspects with this approach to resolution,…

Contact Gunn Law

Contact Gunn Law Group today to discuss your legal needs and explore your options. Our team of experienced lawyers is here to provide you with the guidance and representation you require.

Edmonton Office: (780) 488-4460
Hinton Office: (587) 467-0731
After Hours: (780) 801-8095 (for people in custody or for urgent matters)

Your future deserves the dedication of Gunn Law Group. Let us help you navigate through whatever legal challenges you are facing.

Testimonials