In December 2017, Australian law changed to allow same-sex couples the same rights that heterosexual couples have been enjoying for decades. On this day, the Marriage Act 1961 was updated to define...
Who pays the mortgage after separation in Australia?
Separating from your partner can be a difficult and complicated process, whether you’re married or in a de facto partnership. This is especially true when you have joint ownership of property. In...
Can you represent yourself in family court in Australia?
If you have to attend family court in the near future, you might be wondering - can I represent myself? The short answer to the question is yes. Family court allows self-represented litigants....
They called him what?! Naming Children in Australia
Unusual Celebrity Baby Names We have all heard of celebrities gifting their children unusual and often strange names. Think Kal-EL (Nicholas Cage), Sage Moonblood (Sylvester Stallone), North (Kanye...
Christmas Parenting Arrangements
Christmas Parenting Arrangements When negotiating parenting arrangements a lot of parents agree to share time in the school holidays but forget to specifically negotiate special holidays such as...
My ex won’t sign divorce papers – what should I do?
Since the Family Law Act (FLA) came into operation, divorce has been a relatively straight forward process. Sometimes, however, one of the parties might refuse to sign divorce papers. It is...
Joint Custody – What Is Shared Parenting?
After parents separate, they need to find a new way of parenting that works for them and their children. Some divorced/separated couples continue to share parenting, while others choose to continue...
Intervention Orders, Restraining Orders and AVOs: Same But Different
Are intervention orders the same as restraining orders? The Magistrates Court of Victoria would seem to suggest that the answer is ‘yes’. In fact the Magistrates Court of Victoria points out that...
Alimony in Australia?; Spousal Support and Spousal Maintenance – The Deception of American Television
The Influence of American Culture on Australian Family Law The notion of alimony in Australia is another example of the Americanisation (or ‘Americanization‘) of our culture. Alimony vs. Spousal...