Vancouver Family & Divorce Lawyers | Henderson Heinrichs LLP

What’s in a name?

Written by: Kevin Heinrichs (View All Posts • View Bio ) Published: February 25, 2011
Categorized: Family Court, Parenting, Procedure.

The courts are not waiting for the legislature when it comes to the wording of orders.  Changes proposed in the White Paper on Family Relations Act Reform have not yet been adopted as law; however, in keeping with the report’s recommendations, it is becoming more and more common for Judges and Masters to clarify that terms such as “Custody”, “Guardianship” and “Access” should be avoided and replaced with “Parenting Time” and “Parental Responsibilities”.  This is progress.  The words describing the relationship between parents and children are not merely reflective – they have a role in creating that relationship.  Children have a right to language which not only accurately describes the circumstances, but which supports and fosters a healthy environment.

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