FAQs

It’s important to note down your separation date as you’ll need this for your divorce application if married. If you’re in a de facto relationship, there are relevant timeframes for property settlements.

We recommend that you start to organise and gather documents on all of your financial, as well as your non-financial matters. This includes parenting.

Seeking early advice from an experienced family lawyer will likely save you a great deal of time and money in the long run.

Meeting with a family lawyer early in your separation journey will help you understand the process of divorce, property settlement and parenting arrangements. This will arm you with an understanding of different options open to you, such as mediation, which can help you resolve family law matters.

This is a difficult question as there are many things to consider. Several steps are involved, including disclosing your assets and liabilities. Once these have been dealt with, you can negotiate an agreement. Once agreed, this agreement can be filed in the Court and finalised in approximately six weeks.

In some cases, you may need to file your matter in Court for determination by a judge. We would strongly encourage you to seek legal advice.

When making decisions about children, the guiding principle is that parents focus on what’s in their child’s best interests. Your child’s best interests are met by having a meaningful relationship with both parents – as long as they’re protected from harm.

There are several things to consider when making these decisions. A family lawyer can help you understand arrangements after separation.

You must have been separated from your spouse for at least 12 months before you can apply for a divorce. The 12-month period is calculated from the date of separation until the date the Application for Divorce is filed. You can be separated and still live under the same roof. Once filed in Court, it takes approximately three months to process.

Definitely not! Whether your matter is filed in Court is largely dependent on several factors. As the law now requires parties to make genuine attempts to resolve family law matters, including mediation, Court may be the last resort.

Our family lawyers predominantly support individuals in Newcastle, the Hunter, the Central Coast and Sydney – both in-person and virtually. However, we also work with clients outside of these regions.