People in Ontario getting divorced or separated can now get free help filling out their court forms online.
Family Law Guided Pathways is a new tool that helps people complete their family law court forms. An animated interviewer asks users a series of questions and the answers are then used to populate the forms.
The Guided Pathways are the work of CLEO (Community Legal Education Ontario/Éducation juridique commauntaire Ontario), in conjunction with the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Aid Ontario.
"Almost everybody knows someone who has gone to court for a separation or divorce. It is a stressful and emotional time," says CLEO Executive Director Julie Mathews. "For many, filling out court forms is both challenging and frustrating."
The Guided Pathways ask users a series of plain-language questions. Based on the user's answers, the tools populate all the applicable court forms, providing tailored legal information about the court process and family law issues along the way. Each question includes a "Learn More" feature -- additional information that helps explain what is required.
Users' answers are then used to create the forms they need, which can be saved or printed. At the end of the Pathway, users receive a package of their completed forms. The Guided Pathways also generate checklists that set out steps for filing the forms with the court.
Where to find the Guided Pathways
The Guided Pathways can be found on CLEO's Steps to Justice and Justice pas-à-pas websites. Stepstojustice.ca and Justicepasapas.ca give reliable, practical information on family law problems, and other common legal problems, to people in Ontario. The pathways are also found on the Ministry of the Attorney General's Family Law Rules Forms website, Ontariocourtforms.ca, which has links to electronic versions of Ontario court forms. The Pathways complement the Ministry of the Attorney General's online filing service for divorce applications (www.ontario.ca/familyclaims).
Forms that can be completed using Guided Pathways
https://stepstojustice.ca/family-law-guided-pathways/about
Children, support, and property issues in separation and divorce
Form 8 | Form 6 | Form 6B | Form 13 | Form 13A | Form 13.1
Form 35.1 | Table of Contents | Continuing Record Cover | Endorsements Volume
Simple or joint divorce
Form 8A | Form 6B | Form 13 | Form 13.1 | Form 25A Form 35.1 | Form 36 | Support Deduction Order
Filing your agreement with the court
Form 26B
Answering a family law case
Form 10 | Form 6B | Form 13 | Form 13.1 | Form 13A | Form 35.1
Replying to your partner's answer
Form 10A | Form 6B | Form 13 | Form 13.1 | Form 13A | Form 35.1
Case Conference
Form 17A | Form 17 | Form 17F | Form 6B | Form 13B | Form 13C | Form 25
Settlement Conference
Form 17C | Form 17 | Form 17F | Form 6B | Form 13B | Form 13C | Form 25
Making or responding to a motion
Form 14 | Form 14B | Form 14A | Form 14D | Form 14C | Form 6B | Form 13
Form 13.1 | Form 13A | Form 25 | Form 35.1| Form 13 | Form 13.1 | Form 13A
Form 35.1 | Offer to settle
Most of the Pathways are available in English and French.
