Office of Children's Lawyer
What is the Office of the Children’s Lawyer?
The Office of the Children’s Lawyer (OCL) is its own legal office within the Ministry of the Attorney General. The OCL has their own lawyers and clinicians, social workers. They hire lawyers and clinicians across Ontario to work for them across Ontario. The OCL stands up for children’s rights in legal matters and court cases for children under 18 in Ontario.
What areas do they deal with?
These include issues related to parenting time, contact arrangements, and decision-making for children, alongside protection cases, civil cases, estates and trusts, and requests for funds for minors. The OCL may also involve themselves in family law situations, offering services such as Children’s Lawyer Reports, Voice of the Child reports, legal representation with or without clinical assistance. They are similar to private assessments except they are publicly funded.
What kinds of reports do they provide?
The OCL provides Children’s Lawyer reports and Voice of the Child Reports:
-
- The Children’s Lawyer Reports provides the court with information to help determine parenting-time decision-making responsibility or contact arrangements in the best interest of the child.
- The Voice of the Child’s Reports provides the court with a child’s statement regarding any issues to parenting time, decision-making, or contact cases. This report is typically taken for children over the age of seven.
Do they have to accept a judge’s request for a report?
No, they will decide if they want to accept the case.
How do you dispute an OCL report?
If a party disagrees with the factual findings of the OCL or recommendations, the party has 30 days to file a formal dispute (Rule 21 of Family Law Rules).
How does OCL respond to the Dispute?
OCL will file a Dispute Response.