This paper reviews 5 important decisions from Alberta courts from 2014–2015 that impact the practice of family law in the area of matrimonial property law. The cases considered highlight such issues as the valuation date of assets, filing certificates of lis pendens, financial hardship, pensions, and the intersection of bankruptcy and matrimonial property. Further, one of the most significant recent developments in the area of matrimonial property law, the Alberta Law Reform Institute’s Matrimonial Property Act: Valuation Date, Final Report 107 (September 2015), is reviewed, and its potential impact on matrimonial property-related practice going forward is discussed.

This paper is part of a collection presented at LESA’s Family Law 25 program in Edmonton on March 3, 2016 and in Calgary on March 8, 2016.