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How do I...?

Divorce

  • Apply for a Divorce
  • Register for the Commonwealth Courts Portal and eFile an application for divorce
  • File further documents to support my application for divorce
  • Serve a Divorce
  • Prove I am divorced

Commonwealth Courts Portal

  • Register for the Commonwealth Courts Portal
  • Electronically file
  • Navigate the Commonwealth Courst Portal

Applications and orders

  • Apply for parenting orders
  • Apply for property and financial orders
  • Apply for Consent Orders
  • Accessing orders

Service

  • Serve court documents

Breaches and non-compliance

  • Apply to the court when parenting orders have been breached or not complied with

For Lawyers

  • How do I register and manage my law firm on the Portal?
  • How do I request access to a law firms files
  • How do I navigate through the Portal?

Fact sheets

  • Applying to the Court for orders
  • Before you file – pre-action procedure for financial cases
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  • Children and international travel after family separation
  • Court Fees
  • Compliance with parenting orders
  • Do you have fears for your safety when attending court
  • Exposure to family violence and its effect on children
  • Separation and stress
  • Going to Court – tips for your court hearing
  • Legal words used in court
  • Marriage, families and separation
  • Parental conflict and its effect on children
  • Preparing an affidavit

How do I...?

Divorce

  • Apply for a Divorce
  • File further documents to support my application for divorce
  • Serve a Divorce
  • Prove I am divorced

Commonwealth Courts Portal

  • Register for the Commonwealth Courts Portal
  • Electronically file
  • Navigating through the Commonwealth Courts Portal

Applications and Orders

  • Apply for parenting orders
  • Apply for property and financial orders
  • Accessing orders

Service

  • Serve family law documents

Breaches and non-compliance

  • Apply to the court when parenting orders have been breached or not complied with

For Lawyers

  • How do I register and manage my law firm on the Portal?
  • How do I request access to a law firms files
  • Navigating through the Commonwealth Courts Portal

Fact sheets

  • Applying to the Court for orders
  • Are you having trouble serving your divorce application
  • Child support applications
  • Court Fees
  • Compliance with parenting orders
  • Do you have fears for your safety when attending court
  • Dispute resolution in family law proceedings
  • Enforcement hearings
  • Exposure to family violence and its effect on children
  • General Federal Law Matters
  • Separation and stress
  • First court event – helpful information
  • Legal words used in court
  • Marriage, families and separation
  • Parental conflict and its effect on children
  • Preparing an affidavit
  • Preparing an affidavit (general federal law)

 

How do I...?

Divorce

  • Apply for a Divorce
  • Register for the Commonwealth Courts Portal and eFile an application for divorce
  • File further documents to support my application for divorce
  • Serve a Divorce
  • Prove I am divorced

Commonwealth Courts Portal

  • Register for the Commonwealth Courts Portal
  • Electronically file
  • Navigate the Commonwealth Courst Portal

Applications and orders

  • Apply for parenting orders
  • Apply for property and financial orders
  • Apply for Consent Orders
  • Accessing orders

Service

  • Serve court documents

Breaches and non-compliance

  • Apply to the court when parenting orders have been breached or not complied with

For Lawyers

  • How do I register and manage my law firm on the Portal?
  • How do I request access to a law firms files
  • How do I navigate through the Portal?

Fact sheets

  • Applying to the Court for orders
  • Before you file – pre-action procedure for financial cases
  • Before you file – pre-action procedure for parenting cases
  • Children and international travel after family separation
  • Court Fees
  • Compliance with parenting orders
  • Do you have fears for your safety when attending court
  • Exposure to family violence and its effect on children
  • Separation and stress
  • Going to Court – tips for your court hearing
  • Legal words used in court
  • Marriage, families and separation
  • Parental conflict and its effect on children
  • Preparing an affidavit
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Practice Directions

    Rules & Legislation

  • Acts
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  • By Year
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Practice Directions

2021

  • Joint Practice Direction 1 of 2021 - The COVID-19 List
    Last updated on Jan 15, 2021

2020

  • Joint Practice Direction 2 of 2020 - Special Measures in Response to COVID-19 (Update 3 August 2020)
    Last updated on Aug 03, 2020
  • Joint Practice Direction 1 of 2020 - Core Principles in the Case Management of Family Law Matters
    Last updated on Jan 28, 2020

2019

  • Practice Direction: No. 1 of 2019 - Applications for leave to appeal
    Last updated on Apr 03, 2019

2017

  • Practice Direction: No. 1 of 2017 - Conduct of appeals
    Last updated on Dec 22, 2016
  • Practice Direction: No. 2 of 2017 - Digital Court File
    Last updated on Sep 21, 2017

2015

  • No. 1 of 2015 - Revocation of Directions Relevant to Appeals
    Last updated on Sep 17, 2015

2009

  • No. 3 of 2009 - Revocation of Children’s Cases Program and Child-related proceedings (Division 12A) Practice Directions
    Last updated on Feb 27, 2009
  • No. 2 of 2009 - Revocation of Trial of Initiating Application and Response to Initiating Application
    Last updated on Feb 27, 2009
  • No. 1 of 2009 - Revocation of Case Management Directions
    Last updated on Feb 27, 2009

2007

  • No. 1 of 2007 - Revocation of out of date practice directions
    Last updated on Aug 02, 2007

2006

  • No. 1 of 2006 - Family Law Amendment (Shared Parental Responsibility) Act 2006 Transition Directions
    Last updated on May 12, 2006

2004

  • No. 9 of 2004 - Victorian and Queensland Registries: Medical Procedure Applications
    Last updated on Mar 17, 2004
  • No. 5 of 2004 - Revocation of Practice Directions - Family Law Rules 2004 and Review
    Last updated on Mar 17, 2004

2003

  • No. 6 of 2003 - Divorce Applications to be Filed in Federal Magistrates Court
    Last updated on Nov 13, 2003
  • No. 5 of 2003 - Revocation of Practice Direction No 2 of 2002
    Last updated on Nov 03, 2003

2002

  • No. 5 of 2002 - Revocation of Practice Directions No. 3 and No. 4 of 2001
    Last updated on Oct 14, 2002

2001

  • No. 6 of 2001 - Full Court Sittings - Western Australia
    Last updated on Dec 04, 2001
  • No. 5 of 2001 - Standard Form of Words for Opening and Closing The Family Court of Australia
    Last updated on Oct 23, 2001

1995

  • No. 2 of 1995 - Federal Proceedings (Costs) Act 1981
    Last updated on Feb 07, 1995

1990

  • No. 2 of 1990 - Injunctions
    Last updated on Feb 08, 1990

Archived Practice Directions

  • ARCHIVED PRACTICE DIRECTION - Joint Practice Direction 3 of 2020 - The COVID-19 List
    Last updated on Apr 28, 2020
  • ARCHIVED PRACTICE DIRECTION 2 of 2020 - Electronic Filing, Annexures to Affidavits and Viewing of Subpoenas
    Last updated on Mar 19, 2020
  • REVOKED PRACTICE DIRECTION - No. 1 of 2002 - Australian Capital Territory - Court Robes
    Last updated on May 27, 2002
  • REVOKED PRACTICE DIRECTION - No. 7 of 2004 - Appeals - Family Law Rules 2004
    Last updated on Mar 17, 2004
  • ARCHIVED PRACTICE DIRECTION 2 of 2020 - Electronic Filing, Annexures to Affidavits and Viewing of Subpoenas
    Last updated on Mar 19, 2020
  • ARCHIVED PRACTICE DIRECTION - Joint Practice Direction 3 of 2020 - The COVID-19 List
    Last updated on Apr 28, 2020
  • Joint Practice Direction 1 of 2020 - Core Principles in the Case Management of Family Law Matters
    Last updated on Jan 28, 2020
  • Joint Practice Direction 1 of 2021 - The COVID-19 List
    Last updated on Jan 15, 2021
  • Joint Practice Direction 2 of 2020 - Special Measures in Response to COVID-19 (Update 3 August 2020)
    Last updated on Aug 03, 2020
  • No. 1 of 2006 - Family Law Amendment (Shared Parental Responsibility) Act 2006 Transition Directions
    Last updated on May 12, 2006
  • No. 1 of 2007 - Revocation of out of date practice directions
    Last updated on Aug 02, 2007
  • No. 1 of 2009 - Revocation of Case Management Directions
    Last updated on Feb 27, 2009
  • No. 1 of 2015 - Revocation of Directions Relevant to Appeals
    Last updated on Sep 17, 2015
  • No. 2 of 1990 - Injunctions
    Last updated on Feb 08, 1990
  • No. 2 of 1995 - Federal Proceedings (Costs) Act 1981
    Last updated on Feb 07, 1995
  • No. 2 of 2009 - Revocation of Trial of Initiating Application and Response to Initiating Application
    Last updated on Feb 27, 2009
  • No. 3 of 2009 - Revocation of Children’s Cases Program and Child-related proceedings (Division 12A) Practice Directions
    Last updated on Feb 27, 2009
  • No. 5 of 2001 - Standard Form of Words for Opening and Closing The Family Court of Australia
    Last updated on Oct 23, 2001
  • No. 5 of 2002 - Revocation of Practice Directions No. 3 and No. 4 of 2001
    Last updated on Oct 14, 2002
  • No. 5 of 2003 - Revocation of Practice Direction No 2 of 2002
    Last updated on Nov 03, 2003
  • No. 5 of 2004 - Revocation of Practice Directions - Family Law Rules 2004 and Review
    Last updated on Mar 17, 2004
  • No. 6 of 2001 - Full Court Sittings - Western Australia
    Last updated on Dec 04, 2001
  • No. 6 of 2003 - Divorce Applications to be Filed in Federal Magistrates Court
    Last updated on Nov 13, 2003
  • No. 9 of 2004 - Victorian and Queensland Registries: Medical Procedure Applications
    Last updated on Mar 17, 2004
  • Practice Direction: No. 1 of 2017 - Conduct of appeals
    Last updated on Dec 22, 2016
  • Practice Direction: No. 1 of 2019 - Applications for leave to appeal
    Last updated on Apr 03, 2019
  • Practice Direction: No. 2 of 2017 - Digital Court File
    Last updated on Sep 21, 2017
  • REVOKED PRACTICE DIRECTION - No. 1 of 2002 - Australian Capital Territory - Court Robes
    Last updated on May 27, 2002
  • REVOKED PRACTICE DIRECTION - No. 7 of 2004 - Appeals - Family Law Rules 2004
    Last updated on Mar 17, 2004
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The Family Court of Australia acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians of country throughout Australia and acknowledges their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to the people, the cultures and the elders, past, present and emerging.

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The Family Court of Australia acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians of country throughout Australia and acknowledges their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to the people, the cultures and the elders, past, present and emerging.

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