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Divorce and separation help in Toronto

Toronto Divorce Lawyer

A Toronto divorce lawyer can help you understand the divorce itself and any parenting, support, property, or agreement issues that still need to be resolved.

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See the possible paths
  • $2,300 + HST published uncontested-divorce fee
  • Settlement, mediation, and court options explained
  • Toronto office at Yonge and Sheppard

Let’s start with a free case review

Tell us where you are in the separation or divorce process and which issues need attention right now. The first step is to understand the situation, flag anything urgent, and explain the possible path forward.

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Before choosing a process

What needs attention first

A divorce order ends the marriage. It does not automatically settle parenting, support, property, debt, or the terms of a separation. Start with the issue that carries the greatest risk or affects the next decision.

01

A risk or deadline

If a child may be moved, housing or property is at risk, or a court date is close, call 647-557-9698 instead of waiting for an online reply. If anyone is in immediate danger, call 911.

02

Parenting arrangements

Current schedules, decision-making, school, travel, and any proposed move can affect what should happen next.

03

Money, property, and housing

Income, support, access to accounts, the matrimonial home, debts, and missing financial information may need early attention.

04

Agreements, orders, or court steps

Bring any existing agreement, court order, application, or scheduled court date into the first review.

Possible paths

The right path depends on what is still unresolved

Some spouses need only the divorce paperwork. Others need help resolving parenting, support, property, or agreement terms as part of the wider separation.

01

Joint or uncontested divorce

This route may fit when the divorce itself is not opposed and the application does not ask the court to decide other family-law issues. Ask whether parenting, support, property, or agreement work is already resolved or will be handled separately.

02

Negotiation or mediation

Spouses may exchange information and work toward agreed terms directly, through their lawyers, or with a neutral mediator. An agreement can record the result and reduce the issues left for court.

How divorce mediation works

03

Court-based process

Court steps may be needed when an order is required, financial disclosure is missing, or important terms cannot be resolved. Starting a court case does not rule out settlement; many files resolve before trial.

Related family-law issues

Divorce is only one part of the file

Parenting, support, property, debt, and agreement terms may still need attention even if the divorce application itself is straightforward. The order ending the marriage does not decide those issues by itself.

Property claims can have separate deadlines.

Do not assume the divorce date controls every deadline. See the Ontario Family Law Act and ask a lawyer which date applies to you.

Parenting arrangements

Parenting time, decision-making responsibility, holidays, travel, exchanges, and communication should reflect the child’s circumstances and best interests. Parenting resources

Child and spousal support

Income, parenting arrangements, special expenses, entitlement, amount, and duration can affect support. Child support · Spousal support

Property and debt

Financial disclosure, ownership, debts, exclusions, pensions, and the matrimonial home may all need review. Property division

Separation agreements

An agreement can record resolved terms about parenting, support, property, debt, insurance, and ongoing obligations. Separation agreements

Advice, agreement work, or representation

How a Toronto divorce lawyer may help

The legal work depends on which issues remain unresolved. The firm can explain the proposed scope and how it would be billed before you decide whether to proceed.

Understand your position

Review the facts, documents, deadlines, existing terms, and the practical choices in front of you.

Work toward an agreement

Request disclosure, develop proposals, and prepare, review, or negotiate terms that can be recorded in an agreement.

Take court steps when needed

Prepare court materials, respond to claims, and provide representation for the work included in the retainer.

Toronto Google profile

4.8out of 5

1,131 Google reviewsToronto Google profile

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Reviewers mention clear explanations and support

“He takes the time to actually explain how the system works.”

Rachel F.Google review

“He took the time to explain everything clearly, answered all of my questions, and always made me feel supported.”

Kinselle K.Google review

Published uncontested-divorce fee

$2,300+ HST

The fee includes preparing the uncontested divorce application and related materials, plus court filing fees.

What may be billed separately

Parenting, support, property, agreements, negotiation, and disputed court work are outside this fee. See the fixed-fees page.

  • Does the fixed fee apply to my divorce?
  • What work falls outside that fee?
  • How will any additional work be billed?
Separation-based divorce

1 year

Minimum time living separate and apart before the divorce can be granted.

What the one-year rule does not tell you

It is not a total-case timeline. You can get advice and address parenting, support, property, or agreement issues before the year has passed. See the Divorce Act.

  • Whether financial disclosure is complete.
  • Whether parenting, support, or property remains disputed.
  • How long the court takes to process the file.

The legal team

Meet the firm’s family-law leadership

Barry Nussbaum and Jessica Cohen lead the family-law team shown here. The intake review identifies the legal issues, deadlines, and likely scope before the firm confirms whether it can help.

Jessica Cohen, Senior Counsel and Team Lead at Nussbaum Law

Senior Counsel and Team Lead

Jessica Cohen

She has practised exclusively in family law since 2014.

Ask who will be responsible for your file.

Before you retain the firm, confirm who will handle the day-to-day work, what the retainer includes, how updates will be shared, and how fees are billed.

View all lawyer profiles

Meet the full family-law teamAll 27 lawyers, with roles and profile links

Senior Counsel and Team Lead

Associate Lawyers

Of Counsel

Toronto office

Find Nussbaum Law at Yonge and Sheppard

The office is at Yonge Street and Sheppard Avenue.

Nussbaum Family and Divorce Lawyers
The Madison Centre, 4950 Yonge Street, Suite 801
North York, ON M2N 6K1
Phone
647-557-9698
Customer service line
Available 24/7. A customer service team member may answer first.
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Questions people ask first

Frequently asked questions about divorce in Toronto

Practical answers about first steps, court, fees, timing, parenting, support, and property.

What should I do first if I am considering divorce in Toronto?
Start by identifying what cannot wait: a safety concern, a child’s proposed move, housing or money at risk, or a court date. Gather any agreements, orders, financial records, and key dates. A Toronto divorce lawyer can then help you decide whether the next step is advice, negotiation, mediation, divorce paperwork, or court.

What is the difference between contested and uncontested divorce?
A divorce may be uncontested when the divorce itself is not disputed and no related claim needs to be decided in that application. Unresolved parenting, support, property, or disclosure issues may require separate advice or court steps; they do not automatically mean the divorce itself is contested.

Does every divorce have to go to court?
A divorce requires a court order, but not every case requires a trial or contested hearing. Spouses may settle related issues through negotiation, mediation, or a separation agreement. Court steps may be needed when an order is required, information is not provided, or important terms remain unresolved.

How much does an uncontested divorce cost?
Nussbaum Law publishes a fee of $2,300 + HST for preparing the uncontested divorce application and related materials, including court filing fees. Parenting, support, property, agreements, negotiation, and disputed court work are separate. Ask whether the fixed fee fits your situation and how any additional work would be billed.

How long can an Ontario divorce take?
A separation-based divorce cannot be granted until the spouses have lived separate and apart for at least one year. That is not the total timeline. Disclosure, unresolved issues, required court steps, and court processing time can all affect how long the file takes. You can get advice before the year has passed.

Should parenting, support, and property be dealt with before the divorce?
They can be addressed before, alongside, or separately from the divorce application, but they should not be ignored. A divorce order does not settle them automatically, and property claims can have separate deadlines. Get advice before deciding to proceed with the divorce order while leaving related issues unresolved.

Your next step

Tell us what needs attention first

Share where you are in the separation or divorce process, what remains unresolved, and what decision is coming next. Share the basic facts so the firm can assess whether it may be able to help.

Start my free case reviewCall 647-557-9698