01 September, 2021

FCFCOA Practice Direction – Revocation of Practice Directions and Information Notices

The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia has developed new rules of court for all proceedings in the Court with effect from 1 September 2021. Various new Practice Directions and Information Notices have been issued to accompany the new rules. This Practice Direction formally revokes a number of outdated or superseded Practice Directions and Information Notices issued by the Family Court of Australia or Federal Circuit Court of Australia prior to the commencement of the operation of the Court on 1 September 2021.

Central Migration Docket

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The Central Migration Docket (CMD) operates in Division 2 of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (the Court) and is a way to ensure the efficient and centralised case management of migration applications on a national basis before they are allocated to a judge.

After a migration application has been accepted for filing, it is assigned to the CMD. The matter remains in the CMD and is case managed by a migration judicial registrar until it is allocated to a judge who will hear and determine the case, and deliver judgment.

The CMD enables interlocutory and case management work to be done by a judicial registrar, rather than a judge, which then provides more time for the judges to hear and determine migration cases.

The CMD allows the Court to put measures in place to ensure judicial resources can be allocated to the locations that may be experiencing higher levels of migration filings or pending cases. The CMD also enables the Court to identify cases requiring expedition and cohorts of similar cases so as to manage those identified cases appropriately on a national basis.

Related information

01 September, 2021

FCFCOA Practice Direction – Transitional Arrangements

The Chief Justice/Chief Judge of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia has made new rules of court for all proceedings in the Court with effect from 1 September 2021. The new rules apply to all proceedings in the Court commenced before 1 September 2021 but not finally determined before that date in accordance with the transitional arrangements described at Part 2 of this PD. The Court retains the discretion to dispense with compliance with any provision of the new rules at all times, including where application of the new rules would operate unfairly or cause injustice.

06 May, 2024

The Courts and your privacy

In most circumstances, courts and their decisions are accessible to members of the public. This policy of 'open justice' is reflected in section 97 of the Family Law Act 1975, which provides that all proceedings should be heard in open unless a court decides otherwise. The principle of open justice is fundamental to ensuring that courts remain transparent and accountable for their decisions.

01 September, 2021

Preparing an affidavit

This fact sheet explains what an affidavit is and when you need to file one in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (the Court). It also gives basic information about what you can and cannot include in an affidavit.

Migration: Interpreter services

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Attending hearings

If you need an interpreter to understand what is being said at a court hearing, you can arrange for any interpreter that you or your witnesses may require. In some circumstances, the Court will arrange an interpreter for you.

Communicating with registry staff

If you need an interpreter to communicate with registry staff, you can call 131 450 (the Translating & Interpreting Service) and speak to an interpreter.

Translating documents - Accredited translations

All documents must be prepared in English. If you want to rely on a document that is in a language other than English, it must be translated into English by a qualified and certified translator.

The National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) NAATI is the national standards and certifying authority for translators and interpreters in Australia. When using a private translator (or interpreter), look for NAATI certification.

The following services might be helpful to you:

Language services

National

Find an interpreter or translator

Online database of the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters Ltd (NAATI), listing all certified translators and interpreters in Australia.
Phone: 1300 557 470

Translating and Interpreting Service

Interpreting service provided by the Department of Home Affairs.

Free Translating Service

The Free Translating Service is provided by the Australian Government for people settling permanently in Australia to support participation in employment, education and community engagement. Permanent residents and some temporary or provisional visa holders can have up to ten eligible documents translated, into English, within the first two years of their eligible visa grant date. Eligible documents include identity and relationship documents, facilitation documents such as driver’s licences, education documents and employment-related documents.

For more information, go to the Free Translating Service website. The website is available in a range of community languages.

New South Wales

Legal Aid NSW

Northern Territory

Legal aid information in other languages

South Australia

Interpreting and Translating Centre

Victoria

Speak to us in your language

Get help in your own language

Related information:
FCFCOA Practice Direction: Working with interpreters
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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.