International Law

Warring Couple Barred from St. Catharines Family Court

The Globe and Mail reports on a very unusual decision handed down by Mr. Justice Joseph Quinn, barring both spouses in an apparently long and never-ending family law battle from further resort to the Court.

In holding that neither couple could bring on further proceedings without leave of the Court, Justice Quinn stated:

The parties have gorged on court resources as if the legal system were their private banquet table. It must not happen again... Both sides have shown an inability to abide by court orders such that their access to this court should be restricted by the requirement to obtain leave.

Some day, a wise person in a position of authority will realize that a court of law is not the best forum for deciding custody and access disputes, where principles of common sense masquerade as principles of law.

According to the Globe the couple's litigation, "...has dragged on for seven years, involving 12 different judges, a dozen lawyers, 25 court orders, 2,000 pages of court filings, three contempt motions and one suspended sentence.

- Garry J. Wise, Toronto

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Full post as published by Wise Law Blog on May 08, 2008 (boomark / email).