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The Federal Circuit Court case of Ralton v Ralton was heard back in 2016, but its message still rings true today, being that serious breaches of court orders can have grave consequences.

As you would expect, separation is often a difficult time for people and can cause great emotional distress. A common side effect of this is a breakdown in communication and high-conflict situations. In today’s technological world, people have access to new and innovative smartphone apps that could offer a solution. These apps are designed to ease tension between parties by simplifying communication methods and focusing on only what needs to be discussed for the benefit of children. Three examples of these useful communication apps are OurFamilyWizard, 2houses and MyMob.

You may have heard about alternative dispute resolution and think that the only “alternative” to court is mediation, though there are other processes available for parties in a family law dispute to consider and Arbitration is one of them.

In the recent High Court decision of Masson v Parsons, the Court considered the legal definition of “parent;” namely, it held that a sperm donor might be recognised as the legal parent of a child born of their genetic material, via artificial insemination.

There is a lot of discussion, and upset, about the delay seen every day in the Family and Federal Circuit Courts. It can take up to two years for a matter to reach completion in the Court if it isn’t settled between the parties. This can be a stressful experience for families going through a separation, which is then compounded by the fees associated with a lengthy Court process.

Family Law continues to be a subject of scrutiny within Australia. The resources of the Family and Federal Circuit Court have declined, divorce rates continue to increase and a pause button is placed on the lives of families across Australia. So if this is a problem here, are efficient methods being incorporated elsewhere? The answer is yes. One of particular success is Collaborative Family Law.

Parents have the freedom to move their children after separation, subject to the consent of the other parent. However, more often than not, the other parent does not consent.This has become an increasing issue, reflected in a recent publication by researcher Roger Webb (2016), finding that moving as a child is directly correlated with an increase in negative outcomes like criminality, psychological issues, drug use, etc. With this new information coming to light and parents naturally desiring to protect and spend time with their child or children, cases involving relocation have flooded the courts.One of the most recent relocation cases is Wendland & Wendland [2017]. In this matter, the mother worked in the Australian Defence Force and had to relocate...

Commencing 1 July 2019 small businesses will be required to report through Single Touch Payroll their tax and superannuation information to the ATO if they have 19 employees or less.

As we continue to see changing attitudes in society towards couples living together and a reluctance to get married, it begs the question what happens to couples living together in a relationship if it doesn’t work out?

10 September 2019 will mark an important date in the way hearings are conducted in family law proceedings. On 10 March 2019 the Family Law Act 1975 incorporated section 102NA banning personal cross-examination in Family Law proceedings if allegations of family violence have been raised. This means that self-represented litigants will no longer be able to personally examine their ex-partner.