Expert evidence

John-Paul E. Boyd, KC is available to provide expert assistance and evidence in family law cases on a range of issues in which he has particular experience, knowledge or competence. These include:

  1. the provincial law on domestic relations and court processes in British Columbia, for jurisdictions outside of British Columbia;

  2. the provincial law on domestic relations in Alberta, for jurisdictions outside of Alberta; and,

  3. the federal law on marriage and divorce, for jurisdictions outside of Canada.

John-Paul will provide expert evidence by report or affidavit, or as a witness as the circumstances require.

John-Paul has provided expert evidence on polyamorous relationships and the experiences of litigants without counsel. His views of the child reports have been cited by the provincial and superior courts of British Columbia, and his writing on guardianship and family law in British Columbia, the alienation and estrangement of children, and retroactive support orders have been relied on in superior court decisions in British Columbia, Ontario and Nova Scotia.

Many of the research reports and studies John-Paul completed as the executive director of the Canadian Research Institute for Law and the Family may be downloaded from the website of the University of Calgary Library; some of his other work may be found in the Library page of this website. Other papers and publications are available upon request.

Download John-Paul’s curriculum vitae, current to 16 May 2024.

consultations, writing & opinions

John-Paul provides a range of other expert services, including:

  1. consulting on statutory and regulatory measures;

  2. consulting on complex family law matters generally;

  3. consulting on family law disputes in British Columbia, for counsel outside British Columbia;

  4. consulting on family law disputes in Alberta, for counsel outside Alberta;

  5. preparing chapters, articles and reference materials on family law, for governments, legal organizations, mental health professional organizations and public legal information and advocacy groups;

  6. editing legal reference materials; and,

  7. providing opinions on matters relating to family law and children and the law.

John-Paul has been consulted by the federal and British Columbia governments on changes to the law on domestic relations, and has twice presented expert evidence on proposed family law reforms to the Canadian Senate’s Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs. He has received contracts to write on family law issues for the federal government and professional organizations, and has provided opinions on practice issues for legal, mental health and other professional organizations.

Rate & retainer

Our services for this sort of work are billed at John-Paul’s usual rate of $500 per hour, plus GST (and PST in British Columbia), although flat rates can often be arranged. When John-Paul is required to travel outside Calgary, we charge a flat per diem rate of $500; clients are not otherwise responsible for John-Paul’s travel costs or travel time, and will not be asked to pay for common disbursements such as accommodation, airfare or mileage.

Retainers may be requested, depending on the nature of the services to be provided.