Family Dispute Resolution: Certificates now required

Family Dispute Resolution: Certificates now required

Family Dispute Resolution

New regulations have been made which will govern the introduction of compulsory dispute resolution in parenting cases and the accreditation of family dispute resolution practitioners.

The Family Law Amendment Regulations 2007 (No 1) amend the Family Law Regulations 1984 to reflect changes introduced by the Family Law Amendment (Shared Parental Responsibility) Act 2006. In particular the Regulations:

· Establish the Family Dispute Resolution Register;

· Introduce interim Accreditation Rules for family dispute resolution practitioners;

· Prescribe information to be given to people prior to family dispute resolution;

· Prescribe information to be provided by legal practitioners and courts under the Act; and

· Prescribe matters for the purpose of section 60I of the Family Law Act, which requires that a certificate from a family dispute resolution practitioner be filed with an application for an order under Part VII of the Act.

Members are reminded that from 1 July, courts will not be able to hear an application for a parenting order in a new case unless the person seeking the order first obtains a certificate from a registered family dispute resolution practitioner. There are some exceptions, such as in cases of family violence or child abuse.

All family dispute resolution practitioners must be included on a new family dispute resolution register in order to issue valid certificates.

Source: Family Law Section, Law Council of Australia

Request an Appointment
Fill in the form below to find out if you have a claim.
Request an Appointment - Stephen Page
Things to Read, Watch & Listen

Why is male fertility declining? Experts weigh in

Male fertility decline has become one of the most important and unsettling questions in reproductive medicine. There appears to have been a clear decline in sperm quality over the past 50 years, but the difficult truth is that there is no single, settled explanation. That was one of the central messages delivered by United States… Read More »Why is male fertility declining? Experts weigh in

Trump’s New Order Threatens Foreign Surrogacy Babies

Two new executive orders issued by President Trump have created serious uncertainty for foreign intended parents pursuing surrogacy in the United States. For Australians, the concern is immediate and practical: will intended parents be able to travel to the United States for the birth of their child, and will that child be recognised as a… Read More »Trump’s New Order Threatens Foreign Surrogacy Babies

Parental leave surrogacy: what surrogates and parents can claim

Parental leave is one of those practical issues that can be overlooked in the excitement and complexity of a surrogacy arrangement. Yet it matters enormously. Time away from work is needed for the birth, recovery, bonding, medical appointments, travel and the first intense weeks of caring for a newborn. For surrogates, intended parents and a… Read More »Parental leave surrogacy: what surrogates and parents can claim

Family Law Section Law Council of Australia Award
Member of Queensland law society
Family law Practitioners Association
International Academy of Family Lawyers - IAFL
Mediator Standards Board