An income amount used to determine child support that is based on what the person should be earning, instead of what they are actually earning or claiming to earn. Reasons for imputing income include situations where the payor is purposely unemployed or underemployed.

When you and the other party or parties involved with your case get advice from different lawyers. A lawyer should only give advice to or represent one party, otherwise, this is a conflict. Even if you are getting along with the other party, both of you should still get advice from different lawyers.

A service offered in most family courts in Nova Scotia as a way for you to begin your court application for certain issues. Intake processes differ from court to court, so you should call your local court to find out their specific process. For some courts, you will have to call and book an intake appointment, and during your appointment you will get help from an intake officer to fill out your court forms, either in a group session or one-on-one. In other courts, you may have to complete some forms first before you meet with an intake person.

Intake usually deals with issues relating to children, like decision-making responsibility, parenting time, contact time, or interaction, or child support or spousal support. Intake usually does not deal with issues like divorce.

Direct or indirect association with a child, outside of parenting time or contact time. Interaction includes communications with a child other than ‘in person’ time – like, for example:

• phone calls, emails, or letters
• sending gifts or cards
• attending the child’s school activities or extracurricular activities
• receiving copies of report cards or school photos
• Skyping with the child

A temporary order dealing with some matters until the court makes its final decision.

Parties sometimes use a special form of written questions, called interrogatories, instead of discoveries, to help them find out information that the other party has about a trial. See also 'discoveries.'