A Conciliation Conference provides an opportunity for parties to work with a Judicial Registrar to make a genuine effort to settle their dispute. With that in mind, you should take a spirit of compromise into the conference and adopt a practical approach. Reaching an agreement with your former partner will save the need for further court events, including a trial.
A conciliator is an independent person that assists parties to resolve financial issues arising from separation or divorce. During proceedings involving financial or property matters, parties may be directed to participate in a Conciliation Conference in order to try and resolve disputes.
Conciliation Conferences within the Court are conducted by a registrar. At the conference, the Registrar will look at the case from both sides and help you explore options for settling your case without any further legal action.
A registrar cannot give legal advice, however they can talk with you about the legal principles that are applied when deciding cases. Agreements reached at a Conciliation Conference can be formalised by the Registrar and made into binding court orders.
Prior to making an order of a Conciliation Conference, a registrar will assist you to ensure all information necessary for you to make decisions at the conference (e.g. valuations and disclosures) is available prior to the conference.
For more information see the factsheet Conciliation Conference.
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.
This Practice Direction sets out the procedure for all family law proceedings with respect to child support and/or child maintenance (including overseas child maintenance) and child support appeal.
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 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 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 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 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 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.
The Courts acknowledge the traditional owners and custodians of country throughout Australia and acknowledges their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to the people, the cultures and the elders, past, present and emerging.
