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Calgary Lawyers | Recent Articles
Common-Law Rights in Alberta: Property Division and Support for Adult Interdependent Partners
More Albertans than ever are choosing to build a life together without getting married. Many are surprised to learn that living together can create legal rights and obligations that closely mirror those of married spouses, while others assume they are protected when,...
Amanda Ovaici Successfully Defends Hague Convention Return Application in Alberta Court of King’s Bench
In an international family law decision, our Calgary family lawyer, Amanda Ovaici, achieved a successful outcome in a complex Hague Convention proceeding before the Alberta Court of King's Bench. Acting for the Respondent mother, Amanda successfully opposed an...
Construction Disputes and Liens in Alberta: Your Frequently Asked Questions Answered
The construction industry in Alberta is a highly regulated one. Yet at OP Lawyers LLP, our civil litigation lawyers in Calgary often notice that both owners and builders are unfamiliar with the rules and regulations that govern their projects. Whether you are a...
Top 10 Divorce and Family Law Questions in Alberta: Answers from Our Calgary Divorce Lawyers
Deciding to separate is rarely easy. Along with the emotional strain, most people quickly face practical questions: How long will my divorce take? Who stays in the house? What happens to my pension? Do I really have to go to court? At OP Lawyers LLP, our Calgary...
Challenging Unfair Property Contracts in Alberta
Over the past several years, our Calgary civil litigation lawyers at OP Lawyers LLP have seen a troubling and increasingly common trend in the residential real estate industry. Developers routinely lock purchasers into extremely one-sided purchase agreements, then...
How Parenting Is Decided After Separation in Alberta
When parents separate, the first question is almost always the same: what happens to the children? Many people still ask about "custody," but Alberta law no longer uses that word in most cases. Courts now decide two related issues: parenting time (when the child is in...
What to Do If Your Renovation Company Is Billing You for Extra Work in Calgary, Alberta
Home renovations rarely proceed exactly as planned. Once construction begins, a contractor may discover hidden water damage, outdated electrical wiring, structural concerns, or other conditions that were not visible when the original quote was prepared. A homeowner...
How Alberta Divides Property After Separation
When a marriage or common-law relationship ends, one of the most pressing concerns is what will happen to everything the couple has built together: the family home, retirement savings, vehicles, investments, and even a family business. Alberta has a clear legal...
How much child support and spousal support will I receive after separation in Alberta?
When a relationship ends, one of the first questions people ask is simple: how much support will I receive? The honest answer is that there is no single number, but there is a clear method. Child support in Alberta follows set tables based on income in accordance with...
Relocating With Your Child in Alberta: What the New Family-Focused Protocol Means for Mobility Applications in 2026
Few disputes in family law carry the emotional weight of a mobility application. One parent has a new job, a partner, or a support network waiting in another city, province, or country. The other parent is left facing the prospect of seeing their child far less often....
Understanding Restraining Orders in Alberta: Legal Requirements, Risks, and Defence.
A restraining order is a critical instrument within the Alberta legal system, designed to provide immediate and necessary protection to individuals who are facing a legitimate risk of harm. However, because a restraining order fundamentally restricts an individual’s...
Mediation: A Collaborative Path to Resolving Disputes in Calgary, Alberta
In today's legal landscape, more individuals, families, and businesses are turning away from traditional courtroom litigation and towards Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). Rising legal costs, long court delays, and the emotional toll of prolonged conflict have...
Beyond the Four Corners: When Can External Evidence Be Used to Interpret a Contract in Alberta?
In the world of commerce, the written contract is often viewed as the "final word." Business owners spend weeks, sometimes months, negotiating terms, exchanging drafts, and finally putting pen to paper. There is a comforting sense of finality when a deal is signed....
Can You Terminate a Home Renovation Contract When the Contractor’s Work Is Deficient?
Home renovations can quickly become stressful when the contractor’s work is defective, incomplete, over budget, or significantly behind schedule. The situation can be especially difficult when the homeowner continues to live in the property while trying to manage...
The Supreme Court of Canada Recognizes the Tort of Intimate Partner Violence: What It Means for Family Law in Alberta
The Supreme Court of Canada has officially recognized a new tort of intimate partner violence, marking one of the most significant developments in Canadian family law and civil litigation in recent years. In the landmark case of Ahluwalia v. Ahluwalia, the Court...
How to Fight Wrongful or Vexatious Lien Registrations on Personal Properties in Alberta
At OP Lawyers LLP, our civil litigation lawyer in Calgary represented a client in the transportation industry on a case where liens were wrongfully registered on several vehicles. The client does business as a broker in the transportation industry which connects its...
Primary Parenting vs Shared Parenting in Alberta: How the Courts Decide What Is Best for Your Child
Separation and divorce raise few questions more difficult than where a child will live and how parenting time will be divided between parents. Many people assume that Alberta courts start from a presumption of equal, 50/50 parenting. They do not. Under both the...
Risks of Using Trade Names in Alberta Contracts
Many Alberta businesses operate and advertise under catchy trade names such as “ABC Drywall,” or “XYZ Transportation Services,”. Trade names are valuable; they build brand recognition, make marketing easier, and help customers remember you. However, our Calgary...
A Guide to Alberta Child Support and Income Determination
Child support is a cornerstone of family law in Alberta. Its primary objective is to insulate children from the economic fallout of a parental breakup, ensuring they continue to benefit from the financial resources of both parents. When a relationship or marriage...
The Supreme Court Names What Survivors Have Always Known: Coercive Control Is a Civil Wrong
If you have spent years walking on eggshells in your own home, tracking your partner's moods before you speak, asking permission to see your own family, watching every dollar because it was never really "yours" to spend, you already understand something the law has...
Financial Coercion and the New Tort of Intimate Partner Violence in Alberta— Ahluwalia v. Ahluwalia (2026)
In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court of Canada recognized a new civil tort for intimate partner violence in Ahluwalia v. Ahluwalia (2026 SCC 16). That ruling expressly includes financial coercion as a form of intimate partner violence that can give rise to a...
Protecting Your Financial Future: Navigating Debt Division under Alberta Family Law
When a relationship or marriage dissolves, most people immediately focus on the division of tangible assets: who gets the family home, how the vehicles will be allocated, and how savings, investments, or pensions will be split. However, in family law and divorce...
Retroactive Child Support and Spousal Support. How is it Calculated in Calgary, Alberta?
When parents separate, financial circumstances rarely remain the same. Income may increase or decrease, children’s needs evolve, and one parent may not receive the support that should have been paid. Alberta courts have the authority to order retroactive child support...
Contract Disputes: When Can External Evidence Be Used to Interpret a Contract in Calgary, Alberta?
In the world of Canadian commerce, the written contract is often viewed as the "final word." Business owners spend weeks, sometimes months, negotiating terms, exchanging drafts, and finally putting pen to paper. There is a comforting sense of finality when a deal is...