William S. Mathers

A family law trial addressing custody, access, child support, section 7 expenses, spousal support, and property equalization following the parties’ separation after an approximately eleven-year marriage with two children.

Custody and primary residence with the mother were ordered on consent, with supervised access for the father at his cost.

The court fixed guideline child support and arrears, determined responsibility for special and extraordinary expenses, and rejected certain claimed section 7 items such as chiropractic treatment while permitting others including hockey and school food programs subject to limits.

The mother’s claim for spousal support was dismissed due to lack of compensatory or needs-based entitlement.

Instead of equalization, the father was ordered to assume full responsibility for the parties’ joint line of credit.

The accused was charged with eight counts of animal cruelty involving three domestic cats.

The Crown proceeded summarily.

The trial involved evidence from veterinarians, an OSPCA agent, and the apartment owner regarding injuries to the animals and their deaths.

The accused testified that he did not harm any of the animals.

The court found the Crown proved all charges beyond a reasonable doubt based on circumstantial evidence, including the animals' presence in the accused's room when they died, the severity of injuries consistent with blunt force trauma, and the lack of any other reasonable explanation for the injuries.