Separation Lawyers Brisbane, Sydney & Melbourne
Splitting up, while hard on parents, is even harder on kids.
Arrangements between parents following a separation can be difficult and stressful. In many relationships that break down there has been a history of domestic violence.
One of the most important decisions separating parents must make is where the children will live and how much time they should spend with the other parent. Most separating parents are able to reach an agreement about their kids, sometimes with the assistance of a Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner (or mediator).
It’s essential that you obtain advice as soon as possible either before or after separation from an experienced specialist family lawyer so that you are aware of your rights, entitlements and obligations, and ensure that your kid’s best interests are protected. Obtaining good quality legal advice will often put you in a stronger negotiating position. It is important to get good legal advice before you go to family dispute resolution, so you know what the likely outcomes might be, and what are realistic options for you and your kids.
We are very experienced and highly skilled in helping parents to navigate parenting matters. We listen to your goals, wishes and concerns. We place high importance on assisting clients to reduce conflict and maintain respect in the co-parenting relationship after separation. Most likely you will need to have a co-parenting relationship with the other parent for many years. Parenting doesn’t cease for most people when their kids get to primary school, or high school or even when they turn 18. Parenting is a life long commitment you make to your kids.
We look at practical ways to reduce the conflict for your kids and to help you focus to put their needs first. This might include referring you to a counsellor to help you deal with the impact of separation both on you and on your kids.
In advising clients, we sometimes seek the assistance of counsellors, psychologists and social workers who can act as experts in the Family Law Courts if required. We can advise you on how to best utilise the skills of these professionals.
In most cases we encourage parents to stay out of the court system because it is not only stressful for the parents, it often impacts badly upon the welfare of the children. If the matter can’t be resolved out of court, then we will advocate strongly on your behalf and often engage other experts such as barristers to assist. All our team are skilled advocates who are capable of effectively presenting and arguing a case in court.
If the case proceeds to a trial the judge will make a decision often with the assistance of a family report or an independent children’s lawyer, who is appointed to represent the best interests of the children. However, in most cases judges won’t see or meet your children. Agreements reached by parents often will last the test of time better than those imposed by courts. Parents after all know their kids. Judges don’t, but try to do their best. For those reasons, it is usually preferable for parents to reach agreement between themselves. We can assist you with that process in making informed choices, and then properly formalising any agreement reached.
In making a decision, the judge needs to take into account a range of factors, which are set out in the Family Law Act. Those factors are explained in the attached brochure.
We can also advise you regarding other aspects of the care of the children including:
- Urgent applications, including child abduction
- International child abduction, including bringing or defending applications under the 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention and the 1996 Hague Child Protection Convention
- Child protection
- Relocation (nationally and internationally)
- Recovery orders and location applications
- Time spent with grandparents and relatives
- Child support
- Adoption, including international, step-parent and relative adoption
For international matters, we work closely with overseas colleagues in a team approach to make sure that our clients receive clear, consistent, child focussed advice.
If you reach an agreement with the other parent of your child, it is important that it is properly documented. We can explain the options available to you including parenting plans, court orders and/or child support agreements.
Often the devil is in the detail. We focus on both what can go right and trying to avoid what can go wrong. It is important to get the detail right- while remaining focussed on the deal- so that you and your children have a practical outcome that works.
