Blog

In the Event of Divorce, How Does the Court Divide Property?

• In Australia, the principles which apply are the same for married couples and de facto couples • First, work out the total value of your existing property, which each of you own, regardless of whether it is in joint or single names • Property includes real property,...

How Much Does A Divorce Cost In Australia

What Is The Real Cost Of A Divorce? The answer to this question is not always easy to define. Each divorce may have different costs, determined by the way both parties feel about the settlement. If there are disputes then legal fees will increase due to hourly legal...

Can A Spouse Refuse A Divorce Application?

Below we explain what can happen, if your partner attempts to refuse your request for divorce. • If your spouse wishes to oppose a divorce, they must file a response to your application and serve this response to either you or your lawyer before the hearing date for...

Tips on how to prepare for your first meeting with your family lawyer

By Jessica Coles-Black Separating from your former spouse is one of the most stressful events you can go through. There are a number of things that you will need to consider in order to finalise your separation, including legal representation. You may also have never...

Rare bipartisan support for new super splitting law

By Lloyd Skinner Single, older, and non-home owning women have been identified as being increasingly at risk of economic hardship including homelessness and poverty (Darab & Hartman, 2013). This problem is significantly caused by issues of family breakdown such as...

The Family Court Merger: can they do it?

By Lloyd Skinner Following the recent passage of the court merger legislation creating the combined Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (FCFCA), officially commencement is set to occur on 1 September 2021. We want to explore the procedural changes that...

Tips on How to Manage your Marriage or Defacto Separation

By Jessica Coles-Black   Separating or divorcing from your spouse is one of the most stressful and emotional periods in a person’s life. There are often many moving variables to consider whilst trying to finalise your separation. It can be slow moving and...

Parental Alienation Australia

By Lloyd Skinner Parental alienation is the pattern of behaviour which involves one parent acting in certain ways that undermine and denigrate the relationship of the other parent with the child. Alienating behaviours induced by a parent onto a child are usually done...

Would you go to the High Court over a 23 day marriage?

In the recent and unusual matter of Hsiao v Fazarri, the Husband, who had only been married for 23 days, sought a property settlement in the Family Court. The matter seems straight forward, so how did it end up in the High Court of Australia? The Husband, Mr Fazarri,...

Breaches of Intervention Orders in Victoria

Court-sanctioned Family Violence Intervention Orders (FVIO) are the first port of call for victims of family violence. Anna Goldsborough, a magistrate specialising in family violence, believes that intervention orders are a crucial method in curbing actions of future...