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Parenting Plan  A parenting plan is a written agreement that confirms the parenting arrangements for the child. A parenting plan must: Be in writing; and   Be made between the parents of a child; and  Be signed by the parents of the child; and  Be dated; and  Deal with a relevant...

Criteria that must be met for a protection order to be made? Pursuant to Section 37 of the Domestic and Family Violence Protection Act 2012 (“the Act”) a court may make a protection order if the court is satisfied that: A relevant relationship exists between the aggrieved and the respondent;...

You’ve likely heard the terms ‘emotional abuse’, ‘coercive control’ and ‘psychological violence’. We hear these sayings all too frequently in the news, usually associated with a domestic violence-related murder. But what do these terms actually mean? What behaviour constitutes ‘emotional/psychological violence’ and ‘coercive control’? How can we identify whether we’re...

Lisa Foley and Deborah Awyzio presented for TV Education Network, a portal for Continuing Professional Development (CPD)  on 25 November 2020. The webinar was recorded and on the topic of preparing for mediation with practical tips and resources to maximise the chance of reaching a settlement. Deborah spoke of the...

  Coercive Control has been described as a form of intimate terrorism, but is it illegal in Australia? What is Coercive Control? Coercive control is the term given to a series of behaviours abusers use to dominate, manipulate and micro-manage every aspect of their victim’s life. Behaviours may include restricting...

If you have reached a stage with your ex where you have not been able to come to an agreement about how to divide your assets, and you have tried to resolve the matter by mediation, you are probably now considering going to court. If you haven’t been told already,...

Does the Magistrates Court have the power to grant a permanent stay of proceedings due to an abuse of process? In a recent appeal to a decision made by the Southport Magistrates Court, the District Court of Queensland discussed whether Magistrates Courts have the power to stay applications made under...

Superannuation payment splits pursuant to financial agreements when parties have been separated for less than 12 months and the member’s total withdrawal value exceeds the low rate cap amount that financial year Each financial year, the Australian Taxation Office sets a ‘low rate cap amount’ which is a limit on...