Reflections on family law with Justice Altobelli

Family lawyers are highly skilled professionals who must possess an in-depth knowledge of the law, court processes, the complexity and impact of family violence in all its guises, child development and safety needs, as well as keen advocacy skills, sophisticated negotiation and mediation skills. Bu…

Court Child Experts

In a model that is internationally unique, Registrars of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia work alongside highly skilled experts in children’s best interests. Over 100 Court Child Experts (CCEs) work closely with Registrars in the provision of key early reports identifying risks and…

Dispute resolution

Dispute resolution is not a single event. It’s a process that begins as soon as a Registrar of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia first engages with a matter. It’s a process that has begun before the parties even come to the court. Resolutionists are those expert lawyers who look for…

Case management

The overwhelming majority of matters before the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia do not proceed to trial, or are resolved by agreement with the assistance of Registrars. Many parties to proceedings will not see a Judge and appearances before Registrars will be their only experience of …

Safe outcomes for children and families

A very significant proportion of the matters before the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia involve allegations of family violence and other risk factors including child abuse, drug and alcohol misuse and mental health which compromises the safety of a child. The Courts provide a number o…

Trauma informed practice

Working in family law inevitably involves working with vulnerable parties at a particularly difficult time in their lives. Families in the family law system often have traumatic histories as a result of exposure to family violence, drug and alcohol abuse, systemic racism and inter-generational trau…

Who's who and what they can do

Senior Judicial Registrars, Judicial Registrars, Deputy Registrars, delegations, directions and determinations. With almost 150 registrars working across 15 Registries of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, some legal practitioners might not be completely clear on who does what in th…

The impacts of family violence

Good family lawyers know there is so much more to practice than just knowing the law. Understanding the needs of children and the impact of conflict on them is key to effective, compassionate, advocacy and resolution. Understanding the impact of family violence on victims - and on practitioners sit…

Introducing Best Practice: Family law tips by Registrars for Practitioners

A brief trailer introducing this series from the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia.