News and media centre

As part of the 2023-24 Federal Government Budget released last night, the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 1) and the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2) (the Courts) have been provided funding for two key measures: the national expansion of the highly successful pilot dealing with financial disputes between parents with smaller amounts of assets of under $500,000 (known as the Priority Property Pools under $500,000 or PPP500), and; to employ mediators and Court Child Experts to provide dispute resolution services for Hague Child Abduction Convention cases.

The purpose of this update is to focus on the benefits of having a tailored case management approach, including the Evatt List. This update also provides answers to a number of frequently asked questions that the Courts have received. Practitioners are encouraged to review the previous update which was released in February 2023 that focuses on risk and includes links to the Lighthouse Webinar, detailing the Evatt List case management pathway.

On Monday 3 April 2023, the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 1 and Division 2) will host an event to officially open new court facilities in Launceston.

At the Australian Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Awards held on Friday 31 March 2023, the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 1 and Division 2) received national recognition for the Courts’ innovative and ground-breaking integration of safe dispute resolution into the family law system, winning the Courts and Tribunals - Alternative Dispute Resolution Group of the Year.

The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia - Division 2 (the Court), is pleased to announce the commencement of a Specialist Indigenous List (SIL) operating from Lismore registry in NSW.  A welcome ceremony involving key local Indigenous legal support services was hosted by the Court in Lismore today to mark the commencement of the List and expansion of local support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families who are involved in family law proceedings.

The purpose of this update is to focus on the key benefits of screening, provide frequently asked questions and answers the Courts have received, and advise where to go for further information, resources and training.

Two senior New Zealand Family Court judges and representatives from the New Zealand Ministry of Justice are visiting the Federal Circuit and family Court of Australia this week, to share ideas and discuss initiatives that address issues of family violence, risk screening and safety measures in family law cases.

The FCFCOA hosted a successful public launch of the Lighthouse initiative in Sydney on Monday 5 December 2022. A media package can be viewed from the Courts' YouTube channel.

The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 1) and (Division 2) (the Courts) are pleased to welcome seven judicial appointments announced today by the Attorney-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, the Honourable Mark Dreyfus KC MP.

The Albanese Government has amended the law to make it clear that allegations of family and domestic violence can be considered before return orders are made for children under the Hague Convention.

From January 2023, parties wishing to commence family law proceedings in circuit locations will be able to choose their first return dates before a Judicial Registrar directly on the Commonwealth Courts Portal.

Today, the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (the Courts) officially launch their world-leading family violence and safety initiative known as

On Monday, 28 November 2022 a number of amendments to the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Family Law) Rules 2021 will commence.

The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 1) and the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2) (the Courts) are delighted to provide this last update with the commencement of the expansion of the Lighthouse model and the Evatt List from this Monday 28 November 2022.

Webinars are scheduled for 22 and 24 November that are designed to inform the family law profession about the how the expanded Lighthouse model and associated case management processes will work.