Prompt Library: High-Conflict Custody (Canada)

⚠️ Note: These prompts are designed to help you work with an AI assistant to draft, organize, and prepare. They’re not legal advice. Always cross-check with your province’s official guides, forms, and—if possible—a lawyer.

Canadian Anchors for Accuracy

  • Divorce Act (best interests of the child + family violence)
  • Federal Child Support Guidelines
  • Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines (SSAG)
  • Ontario Family Law Rules & forms (swap for your province as needed)
  • BIFF communication method (Brief, Informative, Friendly, Firm)
  • CanLII for case law

References: [Ministère de la Justice][CanLII][High Conflict Institute]

1) Situation Snapshot (Case Intake)

When to use: prepping a crisp summary for a lawyer, mediator, or judge.

Prompt
Summarize my family-law case in Canada under headings: parties, kids (ages/needs), status quo schedule, disputes, family-violence concerns, court steps, next deadlines, exhibits list. Max 250 words. Highlight best interests and any family violence factors per the Divorce Act.

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2) Incident Log & Evidence

When to use: recording exchanges, threats, or safety issues.

Prompt
Turn this event into a neutral log: date/time, who/what/where, evidence refs (screenshots/email IDs), child impact, no character attacks. Add one line linking to the best-interests factor affected.

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3) BIFF Message Rewrites

When to use: replying to hostile emails/texts.

Prompt
Rewrite my draft to the other parent in BIFF style: brief, fact-based, 1 proposal + deadline, polite close. 100 words max.

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4) Parenting Plan (Canada Terms)

When to use: drafting or updating parenting plans.

Prompt
Outline a parenting plan using Canadian law terms (decision-making responsibility & parenting time). Cover: schedules, holidays, travel, info-sharing, dispute resolution, relocation notice, tech rules, and safety planning. Include a checklist of docs each parent must share.

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5) Court Forms Helper (Ontario Example)

When to use: figuring out forms or drafting affidavits.

Prompts

"List which Ontario forms I likely need (e.g., Form 10 Answer, Form 13/13.1 Financial Statement, Form 35.1 Parenting Affidavit), what each proves, and required attachments."

"Convert these facts into numbered, evidence-anchored paragraphs for Form 35.1. Neutral tone, cross-referencing exhibits."

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6) Financial Disclosure & Child Support

When to use: organizing documents and support asks.

Prompts

"Make a disclosure checklist for Form 13/13.1 with T1s, NOAs, pay stubs, bank statements, section-7 receipts—listed in filing order."

"Using the Federal Child Support Tables, estimate table support for income \$X, province Y, N kids. Note what may change the amount (special expenses, undue hardship)."

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7) Spousal Support (SSAG)

When to use: scoping ranges after entitlement.

Prompt
Make an SSAG inputs checklist: relationship length, ages, incomes, childcare, tax credits, special circumstances. Explain how ‘with child’ vs. ‘without child’ formulas change ranges, and what info is missing.

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8) Offers to Settle & Costs (Ontario)

When to use: drafting proposals + reducing cost risk.

Prompts

"Draft an Offer to Settle (Rule 18): expiry, cost consequences note, signature block. Separate issues: parenting, child support, spousal support, disclosure timelines."

"Explain Rule 24 costs: when costs are presumed, judge’s factors, and how rejected Offers affect costs."

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9) Settlement Conference Prep

When to use: organizing for a conference.

Prompt
Build a settlement-conference agenda: top 3 issues -> (a) current order, (b) my proposal, (c) child-focused rationale, (d) exhibit refs. End with my final global offer + cost-risk reminder.

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10) Case Law (CanLII)

When to use: DIY legal research.

Prompts

"Write a CanLII search string for [province], topic = [e.g. relocation], last 5 years, narrowed by court level."

"Pull 5 key quotes from these CanLII cases on [issue]. Provide short, neutral summaries with citations."

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11) OCL / Assessors

When to use: communicating with professionals.

Prompt
Draft a respectful email to the OCL/assessor: child’s needs, status quo, safety concerns (facts only), and collateral requests. Keep it concise + child-focused.

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12) School & Health Letters

When to use: requesting neutral records.

Prompt
Write a one-page request to [school/doctor] for attendance/health records. Include consent, date range, and secure delivery instructions.

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13) Parallel Parenting & Safety

When to use: when joint decision-making isn’t possible.

Prompt
Propose a parallel-parenting protocol: decision zones, info-sharing timelines, handoff rules, BIFF clause. Flag Divorce Act family-violence factors (coercive control, financial abuse).

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14) Relocation / Mobility

When to use: moving or responding to moves.

Prompt
Make a relocation checklist: notice requirements, best-interests analysis, preserving relationships (virtual time, travel cost-sharing), evidence needed.

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CustodyBuddy AI Tools for Your Case

You don't have to navigate this alone. These three dedicated AI tools are designed to help you prepare, manage communication, and organize your case. They act as your supportive guide, offering structure and clarity during a difficult time.

Report an Incident

Feeling overwhelmed by a new incident? This tool guides you step-by-step to **report an incident**, generate a neutral summary, classify it legally, assess its severity, and prepare a detailed report or lawyer email. It even includes an evidence checklist to ensure nothing is missed. Confidential and actionable.

Launch Report an Incident
Email Law Buddy

Dealing with hostile emails? The Email Law Buddy helps you manage difficult exchanges using the **BIFF** method—Brief, Informative, Friendly, Firm. It can de-escalate responses, summarize confusing conflict emails, and provide clear next steps. Stay calm, clear, and in control of your communication.

Launch Email Law Buddy
Family Law Case Analysis Tool

Need to get organized? This **Family Law Case Analysis Tool** helps you summarize key issues, guide your legal strategy, and track court forms and deadlines. Tailored by your jurisdiction and case type (custody, support, divorce), this AI assistant provides a comprehensive, structured approach to managing your file.

Launch Case Analysis Tool

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How to Use This Library

  1. Copy a prompt and paste it into your AI assistant.
  2. Replace placeholders like **[province]**, **[child's age]**, or **[income]** with your specifics.
  3. Provide your facts in a neutral, child-focused way.
  4. Save every draft and the source prompt you used.
  5. Always double-check AI output against official guides and forms. If possible, consult a lawyer.