Privacy Policy

Divorce is a highly personal process and your privacy is important to us. It is our promise to you that we will treat your personal information with the highest levels of confidentiality and discretion.

The information you provide to us will only be used for the purpose of typing your divorce documents. All correspondence and personal information provided by you is kept confidential and secure. Only authorized employees or agents will be allowed to access your personal information.

Your personal information will not be disclosed to any third party without your express written consent or court order.

We will not sell, rent or license your name or personal information to any third party individual or company.

Once filed, your divorce documents are protected under the Rules of Court in the jurisdiction where your documents are filed.

If you are simply browsing our website for information regarding our service, please be assured that we do not gather any of your personal information.


Introduction

This policy has been developed in compliance with British Columbia’s Personal Information Protection Act (hereinafter referred to as “PIPA”). PIPA sets out and enforces the rules as to how organizations such as ours can collect, use and disclose your personal information. By using our website, you consent to the terms of this policy for the collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information, for the purposes set out below. Untie the Knot Divorce Service (hereinafter referred to as “UTKDS”) will not collect, use or disclose personal information for any other purpose than those identified below, except with consent or as required by law.

  • Third Party Vendors:

    • Third party vendors, including Google, show our ads on sites on the internet.

    • Third party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a user's prior visits to our website.

    • Users may opt out of Google's use of cookies by visiting the Google advertising opt-out page. (Alternatively you can opt out of a third party vendor's use of cookies by visiting the Network Advertising Initiative opt out page.)

What is Personal Information and What Personal Information do we Collect?

Personal information is recorded information about an identifiable individual.

UTKDS collects, uses and discloses personal information only for the purpose of typing divorce documents. The information collected is required information by the Courts in each Province to be inserted into divorce documents. Additional information, such as payment and additional contact information, is collected strictly for the purpose of carrying out the requested services. Below is an exhaustive list of the personal information that UTKDS may collect, use, and/or disclose. Not all of the following information will be collected with each application but only as is required:

  • Applicant Information:

    • First and Last Name

    • Mailing address

    • Phone numbers

    • Fax number

    • Email address

    • At what telephone numbers are we able to leave messages

    • With whom are we able to discuss your divorce

    • To whom and by what method should your divorce documents be sent to you

    • Method by which you heard about UTKDS

  • Information About the Marriage:

    • Place of marriage

    • Date of marriage

    • Name of marriage officiator and witnesses

    • Date the parties began residing together

    • Date and place of separation

    • Attempts at reconciliation- if yes- date cohabitation recommenced and for how long

  • Information on Previous Cases and/or Agreements:

    • Previous court cases- description and date the proceeding began

    • Court jurisdiction that heard proceeding and name of Judge

    • Written agreements and court orders pertaining to the marriage

    • Date of orders and written agreements

    • Agreements regarding spousal support

  • Information About Both Spouses:

    • Full legal name of each spouse

    • Names also known as (aliases) for each spouse

    • Civic address for each spouse

    • Mailing address for each spouse

    • Phone numbers for each spouse

    • Date of birth for each spouse

    • Place of birth for each spouse

    • Last name a before marriage for each spouse

    • Last name at birth for each spouse

    • Occupation for each spouse

    • Marital status before marriage for each spouse

    • Place and date of previous divorces for each spouse

    • If a legal name change has occurred for each spouse

    • If a divorce certificate is required for each spouse

    • If a marriage certificate is required for each spouse

    • Name and addresses of employers for each spouse

    • Gross annual income and total annual taxable Income on Last tax returns (lines 150 and/or 26- of latest tax return) for each spouse

  • Information About the Children:

    • Full legal name of each child of the marriage

    • Date of birth of each child of the marriage

    • Custody arrangements for each child of the marriage

    • Access arrangements for each child of the marriage

    • Which spouse each child resides with

    • Who has medical coverage for each child of the marriage

    • Who has dental coverage for each child of the marriage

    • Amount of child support paid and by whom for each child of the marriage

    • Arrears of support for each child of the marriage

  • Type of Divorce:

    • Joint or sole divorce

    • Registry location

  • Divorce Details (for Divorce Certificates):

  • Year of divorce

  • Court file number

  • Court file location

  • Payment Information:

    • Method of payment (Cheque, Money Order or Type of Credit Card)

    • Card number

    • Security code

    • Expiry date

    • Name of cardholder

    • Signature of Card holder

Why we Collect and Use Personal Information:

UTKDS collects, uses and discloses personal information only for the purposes of providing the requested service of typing divorce documents. Our role is to type divorce documents using the information provided by you in our Questionnaire. The documents required by the court are fully completed and ready to be filed at the court registry. UTKDS provides our clients with clear instructions along with helpful and friendly support to ensure the divorce process runs smoothly.

Limits on Collection, Use, and Disclosure:

UTKDS will only collect, use and disclose personal information that is necessary to fulfill the requested services, in a manner that is in accordance with PIPA. We will not collect, use or disclose personal information except for the identified purposes unless UTKDS has received further consent from the individual, or as required by law.

UTKDS is not a law firm and therefore cannot provide legal advice. If you have been unable to resolve any issues regarding division of assets or property, spousal support, child custody, access to children, child support or any other legal issue, it is important that you discuss your options with a family lawyer.

How we Disclose Personal Information:

Where authorized to do so by you, we will disclose personal information to Vital Statistics for the purpose of obtain marriage certificates, and to court registries for the filing of divorce documents and requesting divorce certificates. The personal information contained in your divorce documents is also made available to process servers and court filing agents where necessary to do so in order that we may fully complete the requested service.

UTKDS will only discuss and disclose information pertaining to divorce files with spouses where we have received express written consent form our clients to do so. UTKDS will not disclose personal information to any other third parties except where we have been authorized to do so or where required to by law.

How we Obtain Consent to Collect, Use, and Disclose Personal Information:

Where personal information is voluntarily submitted to UTKDS for the obvious purpose of typing divorce documents we consider consent to be implied. Consent for assistance with filing is obtained in writing at the time questionnaires are submitted, this consent will also be accepted verbally over the telephone. Where required to by regulations set out by the Vital Statistics Agencies and Court Registries across Canada written authorization will also be obtained from our clients for the purpose of obtaining marriage and divorce certificates. Personal information will be used for no other purpose commercial or otherwise, except where authorized or required by law.

How Long we Retain Personal Information:

UTKDS will retain paper copies of personal information for a minimum of one year as is required by PIPA, to a maximum of three years.

Electronic copies will be retained in order to fulfill our business and legal requirements, for a minimum of one year as required by PIPA, to a maximum of seven years.

How we Keep Personal Information Secure:

UTKDS has security measures in place to prevent against risks such as unauthorized access, collection, use, disclosure, copying modification and disposal of personal information. These security measures include appropriate physical, electronic, and management procedures to ensure the safety and protection of your personal information.

How we Ensure that Personal Information is Accurate:

UTKDS is committed to ensuring that the personal information we collect, use and/or disclose is accurate and complete. Whenever possible, UTKDS obtains information directly from our clients and not from other sources such as public resources available online. UTKDS cannot be held accountable for inaccurate or incomplete information that has been provided to us directly by our clients.

How we Provide Individuals with Access to Their Personal Information Under our Control or Custody:

At any time you have the right to access your personal information that UTKDS has under its control and custody. All requests for access must be made in writing along with a photocopy of a piece of government issued photo identification. UTKDS will only release information to the individual it pertains to.

At a request for information, UTKDS will give individuals a copy of their personal information we hold, information about the ways in which their information has been used, and the names of the organizations to which their personal information has been disclosed. UTKDS will respond to all requests for information within 30 days of the request. UTKDS will only refuse access to personal information where authorized or required to by PIPA or where required to by law. If UTKDS refuses an access request, you will be notified in writing stating the reasons for the refusal and provide you with any further steps that are available to you.

How Individuals Can Complain, Ask for Access or Ask Questions:

To make inquires, make a request for access or file complaints please contact our office at:

Tel: 1-866-788-7510
Fax: 1-866-239-7495
Email: [email protected]
78-622 Front Street
Nelson, BC
V1L 4B7

At any time if you are not satisfied with UTKDS’ response, you may contact the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of British Columbia at:

Tel: 250-387-5629
Email: [email protected]
PO Box 9038. Stn. Prov. Govt.
Victoria, BC
V8W 9A4

Disclaimer

Although the majority of divorces in Canada are uncontested and do not require the use of a lawyer, there are some couples we simply cannot help. We are not a law firm and cannot provide legal advice. If you have been unable to resolve any issues regarding division of assets or property, spousal support, child custody, access to children, child support or any other legal issue, it is important that you discuss your options with a family lawyer.