Many of the issues that family lawyers deal with are personal problems, rather than strictly legal ones: Where will my children live? Will I have to sell the family home? Can I keep my small business? A good family law practitioner will be able to grasp the human dynamics at play, and will work with…
Family separation can be a chaotic time with significant upheaval and anxiety. We have put together some practical tips to steer you through the confusion and help protect your interests: Secure your personal and family documents including birth certificates, passports, insurance policies, mortgage and property documents. Make copies of all important documents relating to the…
The end of a relationship can be a highly emotive time, bringing with it feelings of anxiety, anger and even grief at the loss of ‘what could have been’. Family lawyers often see people during their most anxious times, when the crucial touch-points to our human nature are threatened – our homes, our children, our…
We often get asked by parents involved in legal conflict, ‘can my child choose who they want to live with?’ Simply answered, the older your child is, the more weight their views and wishes have. The legal process (including the family psychologists, lawyers and judges engaged in each case) is focused on making parenting arrangements…
Whether you are married or in a de facto relationship, the end of the relationship usually signals a time when you and your spouse will need to decide how to divide your assets and debts. Family law provides an all-inclusive process to determine the division of property, based on whether it’s just and equitable in all…
Many people still refer to ‘custody’, ‘access’ and ‘visitation’ when discussing children’s living arrangements. The current terminology is ‘lives with’ for custody, and ‘spends time with’ for access and visitation. Shared responsibility When it comes to parenting, family law is firmly focused on the best interests of the child. In the absence of any family…
Superannuation is often a significant asset to be factored into property division, along with other tangible assets such as the family home. Under family law, both spouses’ superannuation entitlements form part of the asset pool that is to be divided upon separation. A super split to one spouse can balance assets retained by the other…
Whether you are married or in a de facto relationship, the end of the relationship usually signals a time when you and your spouse will need to decide how to divide your assets and debts. Family law provides an all-inclusive process to determine the division of property, based on whether it’s just and equitable in all…
Shared responsibility When it comes to parenting, family law is firmly focused on the best interests of the child. In the absence of any family violence or child abuse, there is a presumption that it is in your child’s best interests for both parents to have equal shared parental responsibility. This means that Mum and…
The end of a relationship can be a highly emotive time, bringing with it feelings of anxiety, anger and even grief at the loss of ‘what could have been’. Family lawyers often see people during their most anxious times, when the crucial touch-points to our human nature are threatened – our homes, our children, our…