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Family Reports in parenting proceedings

Family Reports in parenting proceedings

When you have parenting proceedings before the Court, the Court may decide (or the parties may agree) that the matter would benefit from the assistance of a social worker/psychologist or psychiatrist to undertake a forensic assessment of the family. The appointed person is referred to as the Single Expert Witness or Family Report Writer.
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Arranging extra-curricular activities that may infringe on the other parent’s time with the child

Arranging extra-curricular activities that may infringe on the other parent’s time with the child

We look at how making arrangements for your child’s extra-curricular activities can lead to conflict around parenting arrangements and the Court’s view about applications to deal with such conflict.
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Property valuations in family law proceedings

Property valuations in family law proceedings

For most separating couples, the family home is their most valuable asset in both a sentimental and monetary sense. Its precise valuation is paramount in ensuring a fair distribution during a family law dispute. So, what happens when your ex doesn’t agree with your estimated value?
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Is my overseas marriage recognised in Australia?

Is my overseas marriage recognised in Australia?

Many Australians dream about having a destination wedding in an exotic location like Thailand, Hawaii or even Las Vegas. However, that dream can turn into a nightmare if the parties don’t have a good understanding of the legalities involved with getting married overseas.
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Dealing with overseas assets in property settlement

Dealing with overseas assets in property settlement

In today’s globalised world, we are more connected with other countries than ever before. We are able to trade internationally with just the click of a button, resulting in many Australians owning foreign assets and investments. So, what happens with that overseas property after separation?
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Pre-action procedures before commencing proceedings in the Family Court

Before you can take your family law dispute to court, you must fulfil certain “pre-action procedures” to show the courts you have made a genuine effort to resolve your dispute before commencing proceedings.
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Can I secretly record my ex for family law proceedings?

Can I secretly record my ex for family law proceedings?

If your communications with the other side start to get messy or out of control, sometimes there is panic and people can be tempted to covertly and secretly record conversations. It’s important to know that there are legal limitations as to whether those recordings can or will be considered in Court and whether they were legally taken at all.
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Can I claim more after finalising property settlement?

Can I claim more after finalising property settlement?

When a property settlement has been finalised after separation, the parties’ financial relationship ends on a full and final basis. However, there are some instances where the Court may set aside a property settlement in order to re-assess and possibly vary the outcome.
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Can I keep the engagement ring after separation or divorce?

Can I keep the engagement ring after separation or divorce?

This seems like a simple question, but the answer is far from simple. Who keeps the engagement ring after separation or divorce will depend on your individual circumstances. The issue of who keeps the ring is a question frequently asked of family lawyers.
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Can I use financial information disclosed during property settlement for another purpose?

Can I use financial information disclosed during property settlement for another purpose?

During property settlement proceedings, documents may come into your possession that are relevant in other processes like child support assessments or spousal maintenance applications. We look at when you can share documents disclosed in one part of your family law proceedings for a separate part of your family law proceedings.
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Can I finalise property settlement without getting a divorce?

Can I finalise property settlement without getting a divorce?

After separation or divorce, things can get confusing and sometimes overwhelming. There are often several family law processes all happening at the same time, and many of these will have timeframes you need to be mindful of and adhere to. In this article, we specifically look at the process of how divorce intersects with property settlement.
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Paternity tests to prove parentage in family law matters

Paternity tests to prove parentage in family law matters

A DNA paternity test can be performed where there is a dispute about who the child’s parents are. Most commonly, disputes can arise about who the father is in the context of child support. However, it is also common to see an application for DNA paternity testing in family law proceedings where a party is seeking to spend time with a child.
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