The Family Law Act provides a pathway that we, as family lawyers, follow with respect to the advice that we provide about what care arrangements might be in a child’s best interests. Naturally, there are significant variables with respect to what may or may not work for a particular...

I met with a new client this week who had serious concerns about the safety of the children, whilst they were in the other parents’ care. When I asked why they had not sought ‘protective’ Orders from the Court, with respect to the ongoing care arrangements for the children,...

‘Magellan’ is an interagency collaborative model of case management in the Family Court of Australia for cases where serious allegations are raised about sexual or physical abuse of children in post-separation parenting matters.   The Magellan Program is designed to ensure that these cases involving vulnerable children are dealt...

Do I have to tell my co-parent when I am taking my child to the GP? Often we have clients complain that their co-parent wants them to share very basic and mundane matters about the child whilst in their care. On the other side, are the parents who complain that...

Following separation, parties are often interested in, or may be ordered by a court to, participate in various courses to assist in their co parenting relationship and their parenting of children following separation. Below are some of the options with respect to those courses. Each of the courses below...

In this day and age, many intended parents are looking at ways that they might be able to parent a child. Thankfully, altruistic surrogacy is available to these intended parents in Queensland. The purpose of this blog is to outline the steps that need to be undertaken in order...

A research study in 2010 by Humphreys and Kiraly, found that while brain development begins in utero, it is only 25% of its adult size at birth; yet by 3 years it is 90% of its adult size. We know that the child’s cognitive, behavioural and emotional development is...

What happens at my first appointment? You have taken the step to make an appointment with a family lawyer, but what will that appointment really be about and what should you expect? FIVE things to be prepared for: 1.       There will be a lot of questions. In helping you...

What is a Family Report? If there is a dispute as to what parenting arrangements are appropriate for children, it is likely that your lawyer, or the Court, will recommend that a Family Report be prepared. A Family Report is designed to assist the Court in “sifting through” each...

Being such a multi cultural island nation as ours, it is no wonder our Courts are regularly being asked to decide on whether it is in a child’s best interest to relocate to another Country or interstate. For the Court, relocation cases are the most difficult. In part, because...