Glossary of Legal Terms

In B.C. family law, separation begins when spouses decide not to live together as a couple anymore. There is no separate legal status called a ‘legal separation’ in order to be considered separated.

A separation agreement is a written contract that says how separated spouses or partners will deal with parenting, support, property, and debt. It helps make each person’s rights and duties clear and can reduce future conflict if both sides understand and follow it.

Spousal support is money one spouse may have to pay the other after separation under an agreement or court order. The amount and duration depend on the facts of the relationship and the law.

A spouse is a person who is married to another person, and in some family law contexts can also include an unmarried partner who meets the legal test for a marriage-like relationship. The exact meaning can depend on the issue involved.

A support order is a court order requiring one person to pay child support, spousal support, or both. It sets the legal obligation to make the payments.

The Supreme Court of British Columbia can deal with divorce, property division, support, parenting issues, and other family law matters. Some issues, such as divorce, must go through Supreme Court.