The Survey of Child Support Awards: Analysis of Phase 2 Data Collected Through January 31, 2002

• Previous Page

Table of Contents

• ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 
• EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
• 1.0 INTRODUCTION
  • 1.1 Background
  • 1.2 Study Approach 
• 2.0 METHODOLOGY
  • 2.1 Research Design and Procedures
  • 2.2 Data Quality Issues
  • 2.3 Data Analysis Strategy
  • 2.4 Limitations of the Study 
• 3.0 DESCRIPTION OF CASES
  • 3.1 Source of Child Support Order Information
  • 3.2 Disposition of Order
  • 3.3 Legal Representation
  • 3.4 Issues Dealt with in Orders
  • 3.5 Spousal Support Awards
  • 3.6 Number and Age of Children
  • 3.7 Type of Custody Arrangements
  • 3.8 Access Terms
  • 3.9 Child Support Award Amounts
  • 3.10 Paying and Receiving Parent Incomes
  • 3.11 Determination of Award Amount
  • 3.12 Awards for Children at or Over the Age of Majority
  • 3.13 Award of Special or Extraordinary Expenses
  • 3.14 Undue Hardship Applications
  • 3.15 Variation Applications
  • 3.16 Adherence to Section 13 of the Child Support Guidelines 
• 4.0 FACTORS RELATED TO CHILD SUPPORT AWARDS
  • 4.1 Relationship between Child Support Award and Table Amount
  • 4.2 Changes in Relationship between Award Amount and Table Amount over Time
  • 4.3 Relationship between Child Support Award Amount and Paying Parent’s Income
  • 4.4 Relationship between Child Support Award Amount and Award of Spousal Support
  • 4.5 Relationship between Child Support Award Amount and Disposition of Case
  • 4.6 Relationship between Child Support Amount and Type of Custody
  • 4.7 Relationship between Paying Parent’s Income and Special or Extraordinary Expenses
  • 4.8 Relationship between Child Support Award Amount and Special or Extraordinary Expenses 
• 5.0 COMPARISON OF PROVINCIAL/TERRITORIAL DATA
  • 5.1 Type of Divorce Order
  • 5.2 Disposition of Orders
  • 5.3 Legal Representation
  • 5.4 Issues Dealt with in Divorce Orders
  • 5.5 Type of Custody Arrangements
  • 5.6 Child Support Award Amounts
  • 5.7 Award and Amount of Special or Extraordinary Expenses 
• APPENDIX A: DIVORCE AND THE PROCESSING OF CHILD SUPPORT ORDERS

List of Figures

• Figure 2.1 Percentage of Cases from Each Participating Province or Territory 
• Figure 2.2 Source Documents Used to Complete Survey 
• Figure 3.1 Type of Order Under the Divorce Act 
• Figure 3.2 Issues Dealt with in Court Orders 
• Figure 3.3 Issues Dealt with in Divorce Orders and Variation Orders 
• Figure 3.4 Age Breakdown of Children Over the Age of Majority 
• Figure 3.5 Type of Custody Arrangements (as defined by the Guidelines) 
• Figure 3.6 Paying and Receiving Parents’ Annual Incomes 
• Figure 3.7 Percentage of Paying and Receiving Parents with Legal Representation by Annual Income 
• Figure 3.8 Percentage of Contested Cases by Paying and Receiving Parents’ Annual Incomes 
• Figure 3.9 How Award Amount was Determined 
• Figure 3.10 How Award Amount was Determined for Cases Where All Children are Either Under or Over the Age of Majority 
• Figure 3.11 Percentage of Cases Specifying Special or Extraordinary Expenses Under Section 7 of the Guidelines 
• Figure 3.12 Percentage of Cases Specifying Special or Extraordinary Expenses Under Section 7 of the Guidelines for Cases with Children Under and Over the Age of Majority 
• Figure 3.13 Decision of Variation Application by Applicant 
• Figure 3.14 Percentage of Cases Containing Information Required by Section 13 of the Federal Child Support Guidelines 
• Figure 4.1 Median Child Support Amounts in Sole Custody Cases by Paying Parent Income and Number of Children 
• Figure 4.2 Relationship of Child Support Award Amount to Table Amount by Whether Monthly, Annual, or Lump Sum Spousal Support was Awarded 
• Figure 4.3 Median Monthly Child Support Award Amount by Type of Custody Arrangement and Year of Judgment 
• Figure 4.4 Percentage of Cases Having Special or Extraordinary Expenses Awarded, by Income of Paying Parent in Sole Custody Cases 
• Figure 4.5 Median Special or Extraordinary Expenses Awarded per Month by Paying Parent Income for Sole Custody Cases Where Dollar Value Stated for Special Expenses 
• Figure 4.6 Median Monthly Child Support Award Amount in Sole Custody Cases by Paying Parent Income and Whether Special or Extraordinary Expenses were Awarded 
• Figure A3.1 The Process of Divorce

List of Tables

• Table 2.1 Combinations of Source Documents Used to Complete Instrument 
• Table 3.1 Number of Cases Reporting Most Frequent Combinations of Issues Dealt with in Divorce Orders and Variations 
• Table 3.2 Type of Access Terms 
• Table 3.3 Number of Cases Awarding Most Frequent Combinations of Special or Extraordinary Expenses 
• Table 4.1 Total Child Support Award Amount in Relation to Table Amount by Paying Parent Income in Sole Custody Cases 
• Table 4.2 Total Child Support Award Amount in Relation to Table Amount by Year of Judgement in Sole Custody Cases 
• Table 5.1 Type of Divorce Order by Province/Territory 
• Table 5.2 Disposition of All Orders by Province/Territory 
• Table 5.3 Legal Representation by Province/Territory 
• Table 5.4 Issues Dealt With in Divorce Orders by Province/Territory  
• Table 5.5 Type of Custody by Province/Territory 
• Table 5.6 Median Monthly Child Support Award Amount and Paying Parent Income by Province/Territory 
• Table 5.7 Number and Proportion of Cases Having Special or Extraordinary Expenses Awarded by Province/Territory 
• Table 5.8 Median Monthly Special or Extraordinary Expenses Awarded by Province/Territory 
• Table A2.1 Types of Courts and Court Titles by Study Site (as of December 2001)