Following an eight-day family law trial where the respondent father was successful on the contested issues of decision-making and parenting time, the court determined the issue of costs.
The respondent sought over $200,000 in costs, relying on multiple settlement offers that were better than the trial outcome.
The applicant mother argued against a costs award, citing divided success and her inability to pay due to financial hardship and reliance on legal aid.
The court found the respondent was the successful party and fixed his reasonable costs at $150,000.
However, recognizing the applicant's inability to pay, the court applied a 50% discount, ordering the applicant to pay $75,000 in costs.