Australia has a system of “no fault divorce”, which means that the Court does not consider the reasons behind the breakdown of a marriage, only the fact that the marriage has broken down irretrievably. To apply for a divorce in Australia you must be separated from your spouse for a period of at least 12… Read More
The issue of travelling overseas with a child can become a major problem for separated parents, especially when one parent does not provide their consent for overseas travel, or refuses to sign a Passport Application. In the absence of Court Orders, either parent is technically able to travel with their child wherever they want. If… Read More
It is not uncommon for people to refer to their pets (sometimes called ‘fur-babies’) as children. Many couples, especially those without children, view themselves as their pets’ parents. In many ways this is logical… similarly to children, pets require care and supervision – we send them off to puppy pre-school and pet-sitters. It may then… Read More
In today’s society the concept of ‘nuclear family’ is almost foreign; in fact most families are closer to that depicted in the popular sitcom ‘Modern Family’. This has caused the law to adapt to cases outside the traditional family. In a recent case Justice Dessau stated: ‘This Court deals with a full spectrum of families:… Read More
When a child is born they must be given a name which is registered. Following divorce or separation, an issue often arises as to the surname the children of that marriage or partnership are to be known by. This is particularly the case where a parent wishes to revert back to their maiden name or… Read More