2011 - Intervened before the Supreme Court of Canada in the case of L.M.P. vs L.S., 2011 CSC 64, on behalf of the Women's Legal Education and Action Fund and the DisAbled Women's Network of Canada, and contributed to the resurrection of the test in Willick vs Willick, [1994] 3 RCS 670 as the standard for the application of section 17 of the Divorce Act, even when spouses have signed an agreement at the original divorce; by so doing, succeeded in reducing, if not erasing, the impact of the judgment in Miglin vs Miglin, 2003 CSC 24, [2003] 1 RCS 303 (especially in Québec!). Now, go figure out why that is terrific without consulting a lawyer!
2011 - Successfully obtained right for recipients of spousal and child support to benefit from automatic collection of support by the MRQ by means of deduction at source of physicians' fees directly from the RAMQ.
Honourable Justice Marie-Christine Laberge rendered her judgment on November 01 2011, ruling that the fees earned by an independent worker, in this case a physician, can and should be the object of withholding at source, here by the MRQ claiming the funds directly from the RAMQ. Previously, the MRQ had relied upon voluntary payment by physicians of their support obligations. Droit de la famille - 113647, 2011 QCCS 6247 (CanLII)
2011 - Pleaded case concerning the constitutionality of the Quebec Child Support Guidelines for being insufficient and paling in comparison to the Federal Child Support Guidelines applicable in all other provinces and territories of Canada. Honourable Justice Diane Marcelin ruled on May 26 2011 that the Quebec Guidelines are discriminatory to divorcing and divorced custodial mothers, and she invited the Quebec Government to change the Guidelines. She did not invalidate the law, saving it under section 1 of the Canadian Charter. Our firm has appealed this judgment, and the Attorneys General of Quebec and Canada have filed incidental appeals. A date of hearing will be fixed in the next few months before the Court of Appeal. Droit de la famille — 111526, 2011 QCCS 2662 (CanLII).
2011 - Successfully obtained an order of dismissal of divorce proceedings against a recalcitrant wife who refused to receive the ghet (confirmed by the Court of Appeal). Droit de la famille — 112747, 2011 QCCA 1580 (CanLII)
2011 - Successfully obtained substantial indemnification in a claim of unjustified enrichment by a widowed common law spouse, and obtained recognition in Quebec civil law of the Supreme Court judgment in Kerr vs. Baranow. Montreuil c. Jasmin (Succession de), 2011 QCCS 1032 (CanLII)
2010 - Fought for the recognition of rights for common law couples in the case known as Lola v. Eric and won the right to spousal support at the Court of Appeal. Droit de la famille — 102866, 2010 QCCA 1978 (CanLII)
2007 - Pleaded Bruker v. Marcovitz at the Supreme Court of Canada concerning the rights of obtaining a ghet which is the only way to divorce under Jewish law in addition to the civil divorce. Bruker c. Marcovitz, 2007 SSC 54, [2007] 3 SCR 607
2006 - Obtained highest child support award in Canada: Honourable Justice Ginette Piché ordered the payment of $ 411,000 per annum in child support for 3 children in joint custody, plus approximately $ 250,000 per annum in special expenses; cumulative provisions for costs in excess of $ 1,000,000; legally favourable conclusions in analysis of lifestyle, status of a trust, implication of dividends and share buybacks, amongst other complex legal questions. A. vs. B., 2006 QCCS 2850 (CanLII)
2003 - Along with Me Schirm and with the support of the Barreau du Quebec, had the Quebec Court of Appeal invalidate the law that prohibited support creditors to execute judgments rendered in their favor and prevented them from obtaining information on the support debtor. Now a creditor of support can initiate his/her own seizures without having to wait for the Minister of Revenue of Quebec. H.(J.) c. F.(W.), 2003 CanLII 47187 (QCCA)
2003 - Successfully obtained from the Court of Appeal the recognition of the right of a father to continue to share the exercise of parental authority with regard to his children, even though the custody was granted to the mother. D.W. c. A.G., 2003 CanLII 47442 (QCCA)
2002 - Successfully obtained the right for same-sex couples to marry civilly. Hendricks c. Québec (Procureur général), 2002 CanLII 23808 (QC CS)
1995 - Obtained the right of child to become a party to a litigation between his/her parents, and to be represented by an independent lawyer of their choice at the Court of Appeal. Droit de la famille - 2224, 1995 CanLII 4607 (QCCA)
1994 - Successfully enjoined Canadian Olympic Team to permit participation of a local athlete to participate in the Olympic Games in Barcelona.
1992 - Successfully obtained from the Court of Appeal the right for a parent from a common-law relationship to obtain a provision for costs in order to defray legal fees of litigation concerning the child. The Supreme Court of Canada refused leave to appeal from that judgment. Droit de la famille - 1602, 1992 CanLII 3243 (QCCA)
1991 - Had parental alienation syndrome recognized for the first time by the Quebec courts in the context of child custody dispute.