Valerie Morinville

In a high-conflict family law trial, the court determined the appropriate parenting schedule and decision-making responsibility for three children.

The mother made numerous allegations of family violence, sexual assault, and child abuse against the father, all of which were investigated by police and child protection services and found to be unsubstantiated.

The court found the mother's evidence lacked credibility and that she had engaged in a pattern of alienating behaviour, supported by the maternal grandparents, to unjustifiably restrict the father's parenting time.

The court ordered equal parenting time for the two younger children and a stepped-up reunification schedule for the eldest child, granting the father sole decision-making responsibility over the reunification therapy process.

The applicant mother brought an urgent motion to vary a temporary parenting order based on a newly released parenting assessment.

The assessment concluded there was a significant risk of ongoing harm to the children due to the father's alienating behaviours and exposure to parental conflict.

The court found overwhelming evidence that the children were at risk of severe emotional harm if the current arrangements continued.

The court ordered that the children reside primarily with the mother, the father's parenting time be supervised, and the family immediately commence reunification therapy.

The respondent father brought a motion seeking an order to compel the applicant mother to cooperate with an update to a Custody/Access Assessment and to share the cost of the update.

The respondent also sought an order requiring the applicant to sign consents for the release of the children's medical and educational records.

The court ordered the applicant to cooperate with the update to ensure the trial could proceed as scheduled, but directed the respondent to pay the cost of the update.

The court also ordered the applicant to execute the requested consents.