Family Law Advice Toolkit
The purpose of the Family Law Advice Toolkit is to provide lawyers with easy access to a collection of useful resources for clients seeking family law advice. The tool kit should not be relied on as legal advice. It is recommended that lawyers provide advice specific to a client’s particular situation. At the time of writing, the information provided is correct but may be subject to change
What's in the toolkit?
A set of frequently used, must have, publications and referral documents for family lawyers to access when giving advice.
The publications are grouped by topic. Most are available in PDF form, ready to print or email to the client.
Advice
- How to work with an interpreter (Multicultural NSW)
- Quick guide to using interpreters in legal settings (Women's Legal NSW)
Applying for Legal Aid
- Means Test Indicator
- Legal Aid NSW Application form (fillable PDF)
- Legal Aid NSW Application form (PDF print)
Marriage and De Facto Relationships
- What happens when your relationship ends
- De Facto relationships and family law
- Know Your Rights (amica)
Mediation and FDR
- Compulsory Family Dispute Resolution – court procedures and requirements (Federal Circuit Court)
- Family mediation and dispute resolution (Family Relationships Online website)
- Family Dispute Resolution conferences at Legal Aid NSW
Children
Parenting Matters
- Parenting orders - what you need to know (Attorney-General's Department handbook)
- My ex is not following court orders about our children. What can I do?
- My ex-partner has taken our children without my permission. What can I do?
- Early Intervention Unit factsheet 4: I have a recovery order – what now?
- Early Intervention Unit factsheet 5: Changing your child’s name by court order
- Early Intervention Unit factsheet 6: Working effectively with your lawyer
- Early Intervention Unit factsheet 7: My court documents are ready – what next?
- Early Intervention Unit factsheet 8: What you need to know about interim hearings
- Early Intervention Unit factsheet 9: What you need to know about final hearings
- Early Intervention Unit factsheet 12: How Do I Prepare A Case Outline?
- Early Intervention Unit factsheet 13: How Do I Write a Parenting Affidavit?
- Early Intervention Unit factsheet 14: Family law process – Children
Relocation and overseas travel with children
- Early Intervention Unit factsheet 1: How do I put my child on the Family Law Watchlist?
- Early Intervention Unit factsheet 2: How do I remove my child’s name from the Family Law Watchlist?
- Early Intervention Unit factsheet 3: Travelling with my child overseas
- Early Intervention Unit factsheet 11: Family Law and Forced Marriage in NSW
- AFP Family Law Kit (Australian Federal Police)
- Relocation and travel (Federal Circuit Court)
Child support
- Child Support Service - a service for people with child support problems
- Apply for child support online (Services Australia)
- Child Support Estimator (Services Australia)
- Child Support factsheet 1: Taking action to get child support
- Child Support factsheet 2: Taking action to dispute paternity
- Child Support factsheet 3: Applying for leave to change your assessment
- Child Support factsheet 4: Applying for a stay order
- Child Support factsheet 5: Going to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal
- Objecting to a Child Support decision form (Services Australia)
- Application to change your assessment - special circumstances form (Services Australia)
- Statutory Declaration - you are a parent of the children named form (Services Australia)
Care and protection
- Being a guardian for a child or young person - facts for carers
- Easy English factsheets for parents dealing with the child protection system (The Bumpy Road)
Adoption
- Are there plans for your child to be adopted?
- When kids in care are adopted
- Are there court proceedings for the adoption of your child?
- Notice of appearance – precedent Supreme Court form (to be filed by birth parent)
Grandparents
Divorce
- How do I apply for a Divorce? (Federal Circuit Court)
- Have you been married for less than 2 years? (Federal Circuit Court)
- Application for Divorce Kit (Family Court of Australia)
"Do your own divorce" Early Intervention Unit Divorce factsheets
- Divorce factsheet 1: Applying for divorce
- Divorce factsheet 2: Serving your divorce documents
- Divorce factsheet 3: Separation under the same roof
- Divorce factsheet 4: How to use the Commonwealth Courts Portal
- Divorce factsheet 5: Serving divorce documents when your spouse is in prison
Property
- Property and Financial Agreements and Consent Orders - What You Need to Know (Attorney-General's Department handbook)
- Eligibility – Commonwealth Property Mediation Pilot
- Family Law Property Mediation Pilot factsheet
- Family Law Property Settlements Workbook (Shoalcoast Community Legal Centre Inc)
- Money and property (Family Relationships Online)
- De facto property regime FAQs (Attorney-General's Department)
- Superannuation splitting (Family Court of Australia)
- Superannuation information kit (Federal Circuit Court)
Money
- Early Intervention Unit factsheet 10: Financial issues after separation
- Work and Development Orders: Can't pay your fines?
- Are you being squeezed for a debt?
- Divorce and separation financial checklist (Moneysmart)
- Managing your money (Moneysmart)
- Keeping track and lost super (Moneysmart)
Support Services and Domestic Violence
- Family Law Early Intervention Unit
- Domestic Violence Unit
- So you want the violence to stop – Advice about domestic violence and help at court
- Family Advocacy and Support Services – legal help and support for families
- Do you need support for your family law problem? Support for Women
- Do you need support for your family law problem? Support for men
- Are you experiencing domestic violence?
- Are you applying for an AVO? Information for persons in need of protection
- Charmed and Dangerous: A Woman's Guide to Reclaiming a Healthy Relationship
- Charmed and Dangerous Factsheet 1: Understanding Domestic and Family Violence
- Charmed and Dangerous Factsheet 2: Strangulation and suffocation
- Charmed and Dangerous Factsheet 3: The effects of domestic violence on children
- Charmed and Dangerous Factsheet 4: Preparing to leave
- Advice about your visa if you've been hurt or harmed by your partner
- Domestic Violence Unit Spyware tipsheet
- Domestic Violence Unit Passwords checklist
- Domestic Violence and Renting: Know your rights (Women's Legal Service NSW)
- Family Violence Law Help website (National Legal Aid)
Do It Yourself Kits and Court Documents
Family Court
- Court forms (Family Court of Australia)
- Do It Yourself Kits (Family Court of Australia)
- Application for Consent Orders DIY Kit (Family Court of Australia)
- Application for Consent Orders Proposed Orders Template (Family Court of Australia)
Federal Circuit Court
- How do I apply for parenting orders? (Federal Circuit Court)
- How do I apply for property and financial orders? (Federal Circuit Court)
- How do I access orders? (Federal Circuit Court)
- Court forms (Federal Circuit Court)
- Do It Yourself Kits (Federal Circuit Court)
- Initiating Application kit (Federal Circuit Court)
- Affidavit (Federal Circuit Court)
- Response (Federal Circuit Court)
- Financial Statement (Federal Circuit Court)