The key objectives of this list are:

• to efficiently deal with applications on a national basis in a timely, cost effective and safe way for all litigants
• for applications to be given a first return date within 14 days of filing
• to ensure compliance with court orders by all parties
• to impose appropriate penalties or sanctions where a contravention has been proved and where a party has failed to demonstrate they had a reasonable excuse for non-compliance with court orders
• to proactively facilitate the resolution of underlying issues in disputes that lead to the filing of such applications
• to triage appropriate matters to dispute resolution, and
• to be responsive to a party's wishes to resolve matters without recourse to additional litigation.

1. Prior to filing, parties are expected to have complied with the Court's pre-action procedures where it is safe to do so. Refer to the Court's Central Practice Direction – Family Law Case Management for more information.
   • Prepare the following documents:
   • Application – Contravention
   • an Affidavit stating facts in support of the orders sought in the application
   • a copy of the order, bond, agreement or undertaking that is alleged to have been contravened
   • where required, a section 60I certificate, unless an exemption is sought.
2. In the affidavit include:
   • details of the acts or omissions which the applicant alleges the respondent has done to contravene the order, bond, agreement or undertaking (if there is more than one act or omission alleged, include details of each alleged act or omission)
   • evidence that the respondent is aware of the contravened orders (for example, the orders were made by consent of both parties, or at a hearing where the respondent was present)
   • evidence that the respondent had no reasonable excuse to contravene the order, bond, agreement or undertaking, and
   • if it is an application for a contravention of a parenting order – state whether a court has previously found that the respondent contravened the primary order without reasonable excuse and the details of any finding made.
3. File your application by emailing the above documents to contraventionlist@fcfcoa.gov.au.

Once received, applications will be considered by a contravention registrar within 14 days of being lodged for filing. If the application is deficient or non-compliant with the relevant Rules of the Court, the contravention registrar may decline to accept the application for filing.

The National Contravention List will operate nationally and will be conducted electronically. Applications that are accepted for filing will be given a first return date before a contravention judicial registrar as near as practicable to 14 days after the date of filing or, if the application is filed in proceedings that are listed for final hearing within eight weeks from the date of filing, the application will be listed to the judge or a senior judicial registrar for hearing.

If the application is accepted for filing and listed before a contravention registrar, there are a number of options that the contravention judicial registrar may consider. These are outlined in detail in the Family Law Practice Direction – National Contravention List.

Applications that start a proceeding include; initiating application, contravention, contempt and enforcement hearing.

An application starting a proceeding must be served by personal service by a person who is not a party to the proceedings and who is over the age of 18 years. For example, the application may be served by the party’s lawyer, a process server, or another person who is not a party to the proceeding.

Personal service means, the server must give a copy of the documents to the person to be served. You may arrange for a process server (for a fee). To find a professional process server, search for ‘process server near me’ with your preferred internet search engine.

Which documents must be served?

• Initiating application
• Genuine steps certificate
• Affidavit, if filed
• A copy of any family violence order affecting the parties
• Marriage, families and separation brochure 
• If parenting orders are sought:
  • Notice of child abuse, family violence or risk (mandatory) 
  • Parenting questionnaire
• If financial orders are sought:
  • Financial statement - if the Applicant is aware that the Financial statement will not make full and frank disclosure they must also file an affidavit providing further particulars
  • Financial questionnaire
  • Undertaking as to disclosure should be filed with the application, but must be filed prior to the first court date.

What does the person serving the documents have to do?

The person serving the document must identify the person being served and provide a copy of the document to the person served. If the person to be served refuses to take a copy of the document, the person serving it may put it down in the presence of the person to be served and tell the person what it is.

The court requires proof of service by the first court event. If you are unable to serve the documents see Cannot serve the court documents. If service is effected late (ie. within seven days prior to the court event or three days if it is an application in a case), service documents must still be filed with the court. Any issues in relation to the late service of documents, if raised, will be dealt with at the court event.

You can also serve an application on the respondent's or other parties' lawyer if they are willing to accept service.

Excluding applications starting proceedings and subpoenas requiring the attendance of a person, all other court documents including responses and supplementary documents can be served by ordinary service.

If the person to be served has an address for service noted on the application, you can serve them by:

• Delivering it to the address in a sealed envelope addressed to the person or posting the documents in a sealed envelope to the address for service.
• By email if they have provided an email at the address for service on the application.
• Or by personal service (by a person who is not a party to the proceedings and who is over the age of 18 years) as outlined in Application starting a proceeding.

If the person to be served does not have an address for service you can deliver or post the documents in a sealed envelope to their last known address or place of business, or send the documents to their last known email address.

The Court requires proof of service. See What happens after the documents have been served? below.

There are three different types of subpoena:

1. a subpoena for production
2. a subpoena to give evidence (requires attendance at court), and
3. a subpoena for production and to give evidence.

The rules for service are different for each type of subpoena. If the subpoena is not served correctly (or conduct money is not provided when required) the named person does not have to comply with the subpoena.

For information about subpoena service and requirements for conduct money, see Subpoena: Information for a person requesting the issue of a subpoena

Special service on a person with a disability

The document must be served:

1. on the person’s case guardian
2. on the person’s guardian appointed under a State or Territory law, or
3. if there is no one under paragraph (a) or (b) – on an adult who has the care of the person.

Special service on a prisoner

The document must be served on the person in charge of the prison.

If the respondent is not in Australia the method of service will depend on whether the country is a party to the Hague Convention. See the Attorney-General's Department website for information about serving legal documents across international borders.

If the country is a party to the Hague Convention, service may be possible by arrangement with the Attorney-General's Department. If the country is not a party to the Hague Convention, you should obtain legal advice in relation to filing an application to dispense with service or substituted service. See Cannot serve the court documents below for more information.

If you are unable to effect service in a way required by the court rules, even after you have taken all reasonable steps to, you can apply to the Court for an order for:

• service with conditions (which allows you to serve court documents on a third person who the court is satisfied will bring the court documents to the attention of the person to be served; or allows you to serve by post rather than service by hand);
  or
• dispensation of service (which allows the court to dispense with the requirement of service) - please note dispensation of service will only be granted in exceptional circumstances.

You will need to take all reasonable steps to serve the documents and refer to these steps in an affidavit supporting your application. If you need help to complete this type of application or are unsure whether you are eligible to file this application you should obtain legal advice. A lawyer can help you understand your rights and responsibilities before you apply.

To apply for an order seeking to dispense with service or for substituted service, you can seek the orders within the application or file an application in a proceeding with a supporting affidavit setting out why the court should make the service order.

How do I file an application in a proceeding seeking an order for service with conditions or to dispense with service?

You must file an Application in a proceeding. There are two options when eFiling an Application in a proceeding:

• Guided – uses the online interactive application form together with uploading supporting documents
• Unguided – complete an online form and upload the application and supporting documents.

If you are not registered on the Commonwealth Courts Portal or you are registered but do not have access to your file electronically, see How do I eFile? for help with registration or How do I access my orders for a step by step guide to accessing your file electronically. Each party should have their own portal registration.

 Once you are registered or linked go to step 1.

1. Select your file number from the Available Files tab.
2. Select File a New Application.
3. Confirm you are filing on your own behalf and that you have read obligations.
4. Select Application in a Proceeding then select Continue.
5. Choose the Guided or Unguided option – see information above.
6. Enter a Title and a Description then select Create.
7. Complete Step 1, Part A, B and C - on completion each Part should show a green tick.
8. Complete the Affidavit form, scan and save the document on your computer drive as a PDF where you will be able to find it easily.
9. Upload the affidavit at Step 2. You can file any further affidavits as an additional document.
10. Complete Step 3. Statement of Truth and Save.
11. Submit the application. You can open a preview of the document before you print.

If for any reason you cannot eFile the application, follow the instructions on the Application in a proceeding and file it together with the supporting Affidavit the original plus a copy at a court registry.

An Application in a proceeding requires the manual allocation of a court date which will be processed within 3 working days. You can log into the portal to check the allocated date at any time. You can also select the envelope button (see above) to be notified by email of any activity on your file.

There is no court fee associated with filing an application in a proceeding seeking an order for substituted service or to dispense with service.