Blog

It is no secret that mental health issues are prevalent in the Family Court system. This is not only as a result of domestic violence, but a variety of factors including social isolation, loneliness, severe or long-term stress and high-conflict arguments between parents and children, all of which can occur...

The recent Australian election included a lot of discussion about a ‘death tax’. This led to a lot of debate and confusion. So, you might wonder, if you die, does your estate have to pay an extra tax? The short answer is ‘no’. Death taxes, sometimes called inheritance taxes, are...

How do I Choose my Family Lawyer? Separation can be one of the most stressful and emotionally charged experiences in your life, where you will need to think clearly and make big decisions about your future (and in some cases the future of your children). It’s not something that you...

Ever thought “I just want my divorce done!” or “separating through lawyers is expensive”?Well guess what – we are here to challenge those misconceptions!If you, or a couple you know, is ready to settle their separation in a weekend – we want to hear from you!We want to give you...

Most couples don’t plan for divorce, but the fact is, one in three marriages in Australia end. It’s a financial stress that most people aren’t prepared for, but when it does happen they want the process dealt with swiftly. There are no winners in a marriage breakdown, but you do...

When you are in your mid-20s you start to wish that they taught you in high school how to cook proper food and do your taxes. Home economics obviously wasn’t taught at my school and tax really has nothing to do with Maths. Surprise, surprise that bit of an Arts...

A Parent’s Guide to Child Support After separation, people often find themselves in tricky situations regarding how much to pay to their ex-partner for the support and upkeep of their children. These payments, known as ‘child support’, are generally ongoing, periodic payments made by one parent to the other, purely...

... and what is full and frank disclosure?

With the advent of new technology, our laws and legislation have had to catch up with circumstances where sperm can be collected from a deceased person for the purpose of posthumous insemination.

…In a Stage of Infacy The news in Canberra recently has been rife with talk of reforms to the care and protection system (as well as the federal election) and access to information records. Of particular significance is an ACT Court of Appeal decision that overturned the decision of the...

Agitation by the legal profession and other groups to prevent perpetrators of violence who are representing themselves in court proceedings from cross-examinin the other party has lead to legislative reform.

Last week we farewelled Denis Farrar, the Farrar in Farrar Gesini Dunn. He has been a lawyer since 1976 (that’s 43 years) and with FGD since its inception in 1995. In terms of the work he did, Denis practiced at the pinnacle of the legal profession. He was a formidable...

The Family Court – A parent’s perspective I try to encourage my clients to avoid Court whenever possible. The majority of family law matters settle by agreement, but for an unlucky few, going to Court is unavoidable. I recently talked to some of my clients who have been through the...