LEGAL INSIGHTS FROM CAMBRIA LAW

Parents often put estate planning behind more immediate demands. Work, housing, school schedules, health appointments, and daily family obligations can make wills and incapacity documents feel less urgent.

A handwritten will can seem practical. It may feel quick, private, and inexpensive. In Alberta, handwritten wills can be valid in some circumstances, but simple does not always mean safe.

A will is important, but it may not control every asset a person owns. Some assets can pass outside the will through joint ownership, survivorship, or beneficiary designations. That can be efficient when the plan is clear. It can also create estate surprises when the paperwork does not match what the family expected.

Estate planning is not only about what happens after death. It should also address what happens if a person is alive but unable to make or communicate decisions.

Probate is one of those words families often hear only after someone has died. It can sound like a formality, but for many estates it becomes the step that determines whether banks, land titles, investment firms, and other institutions will recognize the executor's authority.

Relocation with children after separation in Alberta is one of the most legally consequential decisions a parent can make — and one of the most misunderstood. Many parents assume that if they have primary parenting time, they can move where they like. The short answer is: that assumption can land you in court, or worse, cost you your parenting arrangement.

A title search can uncover an old caveat, builders' lien, or other registration just days before possession, turning a routine deal into a time-sensitive problem. Edmonton Real Estate Lawyers can help identify what is registered, whether it still affects the property, and what steps may be needed to keep closing on track.

Cambria LLP was proud to sponsor Racing for a Cure, an Edmonton-area charity event that brings together exotic cars, family activities, and community fundraising in support of the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Life changes — sometimes dramatically — after a separation or divorce. A new job, retirement, health issues, or changes in income can make an existing spousal support order unfair or unworkable. Alberta law recognizes this and provides mechanisms to review or vary spousal support when circumstances shift.

When families separate, courts in Alberta make parenting decisions based on one principle above all others: the best interests of the child. But when there are concerns about family violence — physical, emotional, or psychological — that assessment becomes far more complex.

Few moments feel as intrusive as when police arrive at your home or business with a search warrant. In Alberta, as across Canada, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects individuals from unreasonable search and seizure. But what counts as “unreasonable,” and what can you do if police overstep those limits?

An arrest for domestic violence can be one of the most stressful moments in a person’s life. It often happens quickly, sometimes after a heated argument or a misunderstanding that escalates. Regardless of the circumstances, the legal process that follows is serious and can have lasting effects on your family, your reputation, and your freedom.