The short answer is No! Under the Family Law Act the court has the power to deal with property, maintenance and parenting issues for both married couples and also people in de facto relationships. This includes same sex couples. This is true provided that it is established that a de facto relationship exists. This is…
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Myths in Family Law – It must be someone’s fault
It is a common myth among many Australians that: Someone is to blame for a relationship breakdown; and Identifying who the guilty party will influence the outcome of the property settlements or parenting access. Prior to 1975 in Australia that was the legal reality. If a married person wanted to get a divorce he or…
Accountants: Your Role in Your Client’s Divorce
When a couple decide to separate, their accountant – and resolving their financial affairs – is critical to the process, particularly if the couple own and operate a business. The Wonderley & Hall Family Law team strive to maintain involvement, as appropriate, with our clients’ accountants during family law matters, because we understand the important…
What is “bird-nest” co-parenting?
The breakdown of relationships where children are present provides a great deal of challenges for those involved. One of the more unusual solutions, aimed at providing the maximum stability for the children is “bird-nest” co-parenting. But what does that mean? Most people are familiar with the idea of shared parenting arrangements that result in children…
The property settlement process: Part 3
In the first two parts of our property settlement process article we dealt with the identification of the net asset pool and the assessment of contributions each party made to the relationship. In this third and final part we will discuss the assessment of future needs and the division of assets. It’s important to remember…