Family Law

Wetaskiwin and District Victim Services provides support for victims of crime. Our role is to work in the Criminal Justice system.

Family law is civil law. For people who need support with Divorce, Separation, Child Custody and other such issues, Victim Services will make the appropriate referral.

Occasionally criminal law and civil law cross over. For example, Restitution forms are provided by Victim Services for victims for out-of -pocket expenses incurred as a result of a crime. When Resitution is ordered by a judge, it is a civil document. Another example is Emergency Protection Orders, a civil document. EPO's are important court orders that can be obtained through a Justice of the Peace for emergency family violence situations. EPO's are civil orders but are often obtained by the police with Victim Services support.

Another area where civil law and criminal law are closely connected is with Children's Services. It is the law that children at risk must be reported to Children's Services. The police work closely with Children's Services when they are investigating crimes and find that children are in any way involved.