News

Proving a De facto relationship in the Family Courts

When the Federal government introduced the Family Law Amendment (De Facto Financial Matters and other Measures) Act 2008 (Cth) it signified an important recognition of the rights of de facto spouses in the Family Law jurisdiction.

The Relevance of Domestic Abuse in Family Law Matters

Domestic abuse has seen a great deal of attention in the news lately. In a 2007 study, the Australian Institute of Family Studies observed that domestic abuse is alleged in roughly 60% of the Family Law cases brought before the Courts.[1] Consequently, domestic abuse is somewhat of a pertinent issue in the Family Law jurisdiction and one that requires careful consideration in practice so that legal practitioners may best promote the welfare of all parties to proceedings.

Divorcing in Australia: All about Irretrievable breakdown and Separation

It was recently reported in the Canberra City News that a couple would divorce one another if the Federal Parliament was to pass any amendment to the Marriage Act 1961 (Cth) recognizing marriage equality. However, it unlikely that this couple would be granted a divorce by the Family Court of Australia, and this article explains why that may be the case.