Family Law Forms

Each state and territory has its own application form and process for a step-parent or relative to legally adopt a...

Australians wishing to adopt a child from overseas apply to their state or territory central authority to commence the...

The NSW Children's Court Care and Protection List hears applications by Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) for...

The Family Division of the VIC Children's Court hears child protection cases brought by Department of Families,...

The QLD Childrens Court hears child protection applications by Department of Child Safety, Seniors and Disability...

An application filed in the Children's Court of Western Australia under the Children and Community Services Act 2004 to...

The ACT Childrens Court (within the Magistrates Court) hears applications by Child and Youth Protection Services (CYPS)...

The process by which the Chief Executive or Minister for Child Protection applies to the SA Youth Court for care and...

The process by which the Secretary of the Department for Education, Children and Young People applies to the Tasmanian...

The process by which the NT Department of Children and Families applies to the NT Local Court (Family Matters Division,...

An application filed in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia by a parent seeking court orders to allow...

Apply for an administrative assessment of child support payments between separated parents.

Apply for a review of child support assessment in special circumstances such as a change in income or living...

Get a child support assessment if you have children under 18 (or under 19 in full-time secondary school). The...

Apply to Services Australia (Child Support) to assess how much child support one parent must pay to the other after...

If your circumstances mean the standard formula gives an unfair result — e.g. high private school fees, extra costs for...

If you disagree with a Services Australia child support decision — assessment, change of assessment, parentage, or care...

A complaint is different to an objection — use a complaint when you are unhappy with the way Services Australia handled...

Registers a child on the AFP Family Law Watch List so that departure from Australia can be monitored and prevented at...

Apply for court orders about children's living arrangements, time with each parent, and parental responsibility.

Apply urgently for a Recovery Order if the other parent has not returned your child as required by a court order or...

Apply for the return of a child who has been wrongfully taken to or retained in another Hague Convention country.

When agreement is impossible — file an Initiating Application. This commences contested family law proceedings and lets...

Mandatory if you allege any of: family violence, child abuse, risk of family violence, risk of child abuse,...

A separation triggers a long admin tail of beneficiary changes. Anything that names your spouse will, by default, still...

A legally binding written contract between de facto partners (same-sex or opposite-sex) that sets out how property,...

The court application filed in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia by a de facto partner seeking orders...

After 12 months of separation you can apply for a divorce order. Australia is a no-fault jurisdiction — you do NOT have...

Joint accounts can be drained by either party in minutes. The rule from family lawyers everywhere: take half (or what...

Formal notice that must be lodged with your celebrant at least 1 month before your wedding ceremony.

A request made to the FCFCOA (or Family Court of WA) to appoint an Independent Children's Lawyer to represent a child's...

The formal process for Australians to adopt a child from an overseas country, coordinated between the Commonwealth...

You will need legal advice for nearly every step of the separation. Most family lawyers offer a free or fixed-fee...

A court order under s.67J of the Family Law Act 1975 requiring a person or agency (including police) to disclose to the...

Lodge a Notice of Intended Marriage with your authorised marriage celebrant — the legal first step to getting married...

A court application asking the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia to declare a marriage void or invalid...

For any parenting dispute you must attempt Family Dispute Resolution (FDR) and obtain a Section 60I Certificate before...

A protection/intervention order is a state criminal-civil matter — a Parenting Order is a federal family-law matter...

The form and process by which a grandparent, other relative, or kinship carer applies to the Federal Circuit and Family...

Register an agreed parenting or property arrangement as legally binding court orders without a hearing.

Apply to the court for a property settlement if you and your former partner cannot agree on how to divide assets.

If you and your spouse can agree on property division, lodge it as Consent Orders — the court rubber-stamps the...

A Binding Financial Agreement is a private contract made under the Family Law Act ss 90C/90D (married) or 90UC/90UD (de...

Super is matrimonial property and can be split between separating couples. Done either by Consent Orders, Court Orders,...

Transfers of real estate or vehicles between spouses under family law orders are EXEMPT from stamp/transfer duty in...

Allows two adults in a domestic or personal relationship to formally register that relationship with their state BDM...

The date of separation triggers nearly every later step — divorce eligibility (12 months separated), property pool...

Apply for a divorce order. You must have been separated for at least 12 months.

Attend Family Dispute Resolution — required before applying to court for parenting orders. Helps families reach...

Apply for a divorce (dissolution of marriage) in Australia. You must have been separated for at least 12 months. As at...

Spousal maintenance is income support paid by one spouse to the other after separation. Available where one spouse...

A court application made by intended parents to transfer legal parenthood from the birth surrogate to themselves...

Separation changes how you and your spouse are taxed: family tax benefit thresholds, Medicare Levy Surcharge, private...