Resources

This Central Practice Direction outlines the core principles applicable to family law proceedings and establishes a consistent national case management system in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia from 1 September 2021.

This Central Practice Direction applies to all general federal law proceedings commenced in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia from 1 September 2021. It does not apply to migration or family law proceedings.

This Central Practice Direction applies to all migration proceedings commenced in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia from 1 September 2021. It does not otherwise apply to general federal law proceedings.

This Practice Direction applies to proceedings in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia to which any of the following legislation applies: Corporations Act 2001; Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001; or Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006.

This Practice Direction applies to all family law proceedings seeking a divorce order; the extension or reduction of the period at the expiration of which the divorce order will take effect pursuant to section 55 of the Family Law Act 1975; and an application for rescission of a divorce order pursuant to sections 57 and 58 of the Family Law Act.

This Practice Direction applies to all family law applications filed in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia relating to a child undertaking a major medical procedure.

This Practice Direction establishes a National Contravention List which applies to any Application – Contravention filed either pursuant to Part VII Division 13A or Part XIIIA of the Family Law Act 1975 in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia from 1 September 2021.

This Practice Direction applies to urgent or priority family law applications filed in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia which are filed as a direct result of, or in significant connection to, COVID-19. It expands the fast-tracked list in the Court (the National COVID-19 List) which deals with urgent or priority applications related to COVID-19 on a national basis.

This Practice Direction applies to all family law applications and proceedings filed in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia for an order that a marriage is a nullity; and a declaration as to the validity of a marriage, divorce or annulment of a marriage.

This Practice Direction sets out the procedure for all family law proceedings seeking parenting orders or any other order under Part VII of the Family Law Act 1975, save and except for surrogacy proceedings, passport proceedings, medical procedure proceedings or child maintenance proceedings.

This Practice Direction applies to family law applications seeking orders relating solely to a passport filed in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, including applications for orders to obtain or renew a passport; applications for orders for the delivery of a passport under section 67ZD of the Family Law Act 1975; and applications for injunctions related to passports under sections 68B or 114 of the Family Law Act.

This Practice Direction applies to family law applications filed in the Brisbane, Parramatta, Adelaide and Melbourne registries of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. It applies to all proceedings that are defined as a Priority Property Pool under $500,000.

This Practice Direction applies to applications for parenting orders filed in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia in relation to a child born under a surrogacy arrangement, whether such arrangement is recognised under the laws of a State of Australia or otherwise. It does not apply to surrogacy proceedings where final parenting orders under Part VII of the Family Law Act 1975 have already been made in relation to the child.

This Practice Direction applies to family law proceedings under the Trans-Tasman Proceedings Act 2010 filed in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. The Trans-Tasman Proceedings Act 2010 does not apply to family law proceedings in respect of an application made under the Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction signed at The Hague on 25 October 1980; and relating to the status or property of a person who is not fully able to manage his or her own affairs.

This Practice Direction sets out the procedure for all family law appeals and applications for leave to appeal from a judgment of a judge of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia exercising the original jurisdiction of the Court; a single judge of a Supreme Court of a State or Territory exercising the original jurisdiction of the Court; or a family law Magistrate of Western Australia.