• Lighthouse information sheet for parties - risk screening

    Lighthouse is an innovative approach taken by the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia to screen for risk, with a primary focus on improving outcomes for families.

  • Updates to family violence plan and principles

    This week the Courts have published the updated Family Violence Plan and Family Violence Best Practice Principles. Both documents have been updated on the advice of the Courts’ Family Violence Committee. They set out the Courts’ commitment to identifying and managing family violence, the actions the Courts will take, and practical guidance to assist court users, legal practitioners and other stakeholders to understand how family violence is managed by the Courts. The Family Violence Plan…

  • FCFCOA Practice Direction: Working with interpreters

    This Practice Direction applies to all proceedings commenced on or after 1 December 2025 in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 1) and the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2) (the Courts). This Practice Direction also applies to any proceedings commenced prior to this date unless unfair or impractical do to so.

  • Family Law: Litigation guardians

    This page explains litigation guardians, including when a person needs a litigation guardian, who can be a litigation guardian and how they are appointed.

  • Family Law Practice Direction: Defaulters' List

    The purpose of the List is to ensure compliance with the relevant Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Family Law) Rules 2021 (Family Law Rules) and any case management orders and directions made by a Registrar in family law or child support proceedings, in accordance with the overarching purpose of family law practice and procedure. The Defaulters’ List will initially be piloted in the Sydney Registry of the Courts with a view to expansion if successful.

  • Admiralty: I want to apply

    This page explains how to apply to the Court under the Admiralty Act.

  • Media release: Chief Justice Alstergren AO shines light on family violence at National Family Law Conference, Adelaide

    The Chief Justice (Division 1) and Chief Judge (Division 2) of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, the Hon Will Alstergren AO, together with the Commonwealth Attorney-General the Hon Mark Dreyfus, will deliver the State of the National address at the opening of the 19th National Family Law Conference in Adelaide on Monday 15 August.

  • Lighthouse information sheet for non-parent parties – risk screening

    A non-parent party to the proceedings may include but is not limited to grandparents, aunts/uncles, elder siblings or kinship carers of the child/ren.
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