An Independent Children’s Lawyer is a lawyer appointed by the Court to represent the best interest of a child in parenting matters during family law proceedings.
The choice of school your child attends is one of the major long-term decisions that is to be made by both parents. Unless the Family Court has made an Order to the contrary, both parents are required to consult with one another and consent to the choice or any change of a child’s school.
As family lawyers, we often come across instances where there are court orders in place (either interim orders or final orders), and one party is not complying with their obligations under the orders.
Many children spend such significant time with their grandparents that grandparents can be a primary carer in a child’s life. grandparents can apply to a Court for orders relating to who their grandchildren live with or who their grandchildren spend time with.
In this article, we will look at who is entitled to child support payments, how they are determined and calculated, options if your payments are not being made and how to apply for changes to your assessment.
After separation, there may be a point in time when a parent would like to relocate with a child to another town, state or country. In this article, we will look at when and how child relocation can occur, together with what the courts consider when determining relocation matters.
The “Parenting After Separation” program developed by Relationships Australia (also known as Supporting Children after Separation) is a course designed for separated parents and carers who want to find ways to support children through the process of separation.
Proceedings in the Family Court for children and parenting matters end when Final Orders are made (save for when proceedings are discontinued or dismissed). But are Final Orders ever really “final”?
In short, a child cannot decide where they wish to live. A child can influence a decision of a Court as to where they live however, but they cannot be the ultimate decision maker.
Proceedings in the Family Court, whether for children and parenting matters or financial matters, are stressful for all parties involved without considering the added burden of legal costs. As a family lawyer, a question commonly asked by clients is, “Can the Family Court make the other party pay my legal costs if I’m successful?”
COVID-19 gifted us with the ability to spend more time with loved ones, including our children. For many Australian families, this was a gift; for others, it was an obstacle too great.