Sum 2015 Family Law Notes Comprehensive 57 pages PDF

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FAMILY LAW AND FAMILY LAWYERS..................................................... THE LAWS RELATING TO MARRIAGE:.............................................................. Divorce application.......................................................................... The laws relating to separatio...

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FAMILY LAW AND FAMILY LAWYERS.......................................................4 THE LAWS RELATING TO MARRIAGE:...............................................................4 Divorce application..........................................................................4 The laws relating to separation.......................................................4 Arrangements for children.............................................................................................4 Property settlement.......................................................................................................4 Financial support for family members...........................................................................4

Laws regulating family behaviour....................................................4 Laws protecting the welfare of children..........................................4 No fault” system...............................................................................4 Arrangements for children...............................................................4 Arrangements for children born of surrogacy/ adoption arrangements 5 Financial issues.................................................................................5 Application for domestic violence protection order.........................5 Application for child protection order..............................................5 Federal and State Laws....................................................................5 State Law........................................................................................................................5 Federal and State Courts/ Tribunals..............................................................................5 State Courts/ Tribunals..................................................................................................5

PRINCIPLES OF FAMILY COURTS (FAMILY COURT AND FEDERAL CIRCUIT COURT OF AUSTRALIA) 43 Principles to be applied by courts...............................................5 FCOA’s exclusive jurisdiction.............................................................5 Magistrates Court............................................................................5 Transfers...........................................................................................5 Prompt Action..................................................................................5 Child in need of protection...............................................................6 Parenting proceedings in family court v child protection proceedings in a children’s court

Family Courts....................................................................................6 In relation to children’s issues:......................................................................................6 Requirements for application of “matrimonial cause”..................................................6 Requirements for commencing an application..............................................................6 Financial.........................................................................................................................6

LEGAL AID..............................................................................................6 THREE TESTS FOR MERIT.............................................................................6 TYPES OF LEGAL AID FUNDING......................................................................7 What do Family Law Lawyers do?...................................................7 Best Practice Guidelines...................................................................7 MARRIAGE.............................................................................................7 UNION BETWEEN MAN/WOMAN.................................................................7 ELEMENTS OF MARRIAGE.............................................................................7 SEX-CHANGE CASES....................................................................................7 Corbett v Corbett (English case).......................................................7 Re Kevin (Australian Case)................................................................8 MARRIAGE AS CONTRACT............................................................................8 DE-FACTO COUPLE.....................................................................................8 CHANGES IN SOCIETY..................................................................................8 Proposed Amendments....................................................................9 Arguments For/Against Same sex marriage....................................9 9, Registration of Relationships.......................................................9 10, Divorce.......................................................................................9 Consortium Vitae...........................................................................................................9 Separation......................................................................................................................9

RESUMPTION OF COHABITATION.................................................................10 COUNSELLING..........................................................................................10 FAMILY...................................................................................................10 WHO IS A PARENT (PARENTING ORDER)........................................................11 FAMILY DISPUTE RESOLUTION.............................................................11 EVOLUTION OF ROLE OF FAMILY DISPUTE RESOLUTION...................................11 SPECTRUM OF FAMILY DISPUTE RESOLUTION................................................11 FAMILY MEDIATION AND RELATIONSHIP CENTRES..........................................11 DISPUTE RESOLUTION FORUMS..................................................................11 KEY PRINCIPLES REGARDING FDR................................................................12 Family Law Rules 2004 (Cth) 1.04 Main purpose of Rules.............12 MEDIATION.............................................................................................12 TYPES OF MEDIATION...............................................................................12 1 Facilitative...................................................................................12 2 Advisory Mediation.....................................................................12 Child Focused Mediation................................................................12 Child inclusive mediation...............................................................13 Advantages and disadvantages of this process for children........................................13

Contact Centers..............................................................................13 Court ordered dispute resolution processes...................................13 COLLABORATIVE LAW................................................................................13 LESS ADVERSARIAL TRIALS.........................................................................13 LEGAL OBLIGATIONS IN FAMILY DISPUTE RESOLUTION........................14

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Family Laws....................................................................................14 Obligations on Laywers..................................................................14 FDRP assessing whether a party can participate in dispute resolution PROPERTY AND FINANCIAL ISSUES...............................................................14 FCA Pre-action procedures in financial cases.................................14

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1. Invite the other parties to participate in dispute resolution...................................14 2. Agree on a dispute resolution service and attend the service................................14 3. Written notice of issues and future intentions........................................................15 4. Replying to the notice of claim................................................................................15 5. Taking other action..................................................................................................15

Disclosures.....................................................................................15 Parenting Issues and orders...........................................................15 Is it appropriate to have FDR?.......................................................15 Issuance of certificate-s60I..........................................................................................16

Providers........................................................................................16 Parenting issues s60I(8)-different types of certificates...............................................16

CONFIDENTIALITY AND ADMISSIBILITY..........................................................16 Parenting Plan at the end of mediation is valid.............................16 Concerns about family dispute Resolution.....................................16 Mediation v FDR.............................................................................16 THE APPROACH OF THE COURT IN PARENTING CASES.........................17 FAMILY LAW A CT.....................................................................................17 Family Law Reform Act 1995.........................................................17 SHARED PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY) ACT 2006 (CTH)...................................17 Concerns when 2006 amendments being considered...................17 Some of the concerns that led to 2011 amendments....................17 Some of the key changes in 2011...................................................17 Terminology changes.....................................................................17 Pre-filing dispute resolution...........................................................18 The court’s power to make a parenting order...............................18 What issues parenting orders may deal with...............................18 Who can apply for a parenting order?...........................................18 Which children...............................................................................18 Connection to Australia and which court.......................................18 Which court to file:......................................................................................................18

Proceedings....................................................................................18 PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY.........................................................................18 Where no court order made...........................................................18 Where court order and day to day/long-term decisions................18 Major long-term issues..................................................................19 s61DA:Whether the presumption of equal shared parental responsibility applies? 19 Orders for sole parental responsibility...........................................19 Mohammed Salah and Gastana...................................................................................19

Ceasing of parent’s parental responsibility....................................19 The 2011 Amendments..................................................................19 HOW FAMILY COURTS MAKE DECISIONS..............................................19 S60B OBJECTS AND PRINCIPLES..................................................................19 KEY PRINCIPLES THAT ARE IN COMMON BETWEEN S60B AND THE CROC...........19 Objects and Principles....................................................................19 S60CA CHILD’S BEST INTERESTS PARAMOUNT...............................................19 Determing what are in child’s best interests..................................19 s60CC(2): Best Interest Factors: The primary considerations........20 Unacceptable risk test.................................................................................................20 Presumptive Approach................................................................................................20

s60CC(3) Additional considerations are:........................................20 S61DA PRESUMPTION OF EQUAL SHARED PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY................20

65DAA Equal time..........................................................................21 PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY WORKFLOW.........................................................21 How do the sections work together?.............................................21 ‘Meaningful Relationship’..............................................................21 Section 65DAA................................................................................21 Goode and Goode meaning of “consider”.....................................22 “Reasonably practicable”: s65DAA(5)............................................22 MRR v GR (2010) FLC 93-424.......................................................................................22

What is “substantial and significant” time?..................................22 KML and RAE................................................................................................................22 Eddington and Eddington.............................................................................................22

LOCATION AND RECOVERY ORDERS.............................................................22 PARENTING PLANS...................................................................................23 CONSENT ORDERS....................................................................................23 Where an order proposes that children will live with a non-parent23 FAMILY VIOLENCE AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE......................................23 AMENDMENTS 1995................................................................................23 AMENDMENTS 2006................................................................................23 2011 AMENDMENTS TO THE FLA...............................................................23 Aims of amendments.....................................................................23 PARENTING ORDERS.................................................................................23

Section 60B Objects and Principles................................................24 Section 60CA..................................................................................24 Primary Considerations................................................................................................24

S60CC(3) “Friendly parent provision”.............................................24 DEFINITIONS OF FAMILY VIOLENCE (OLD AND NEW)......................................24 RISK OF FAMILY VIOLENCE..........................................................................25 Increased notification requirements..............................................25 Extended notification requirements...............................................25 Principles for conducting children’s proceedings...........................25 OBLIGATION OF ADVISORS S 60D FLA........................................................25 Division II Family Violence..............................................................25 Removal of s117AB........................................................................25 Family Dispute Resolution...........................................................................................25

The presumption............................................................................25 Goode and Goode........................................................................................................25 Examples of where presumption did not apply...........................................................25

Unacceptable risk test....................................................................25 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE UNDER STATE LEGISLATION................................26 Basic concepts................................................................................26 Cycle of Violence............................................................................26 OBJECTS AND PRINCIPLES OF THE ACT.........................................................26 THE AGGRIEVED AND RESPONDENT.............................................................26 1989 definition of “domestic violence”..........................................26 2012 definition of “domestic violence”..........................................26 Comparison 1989 v 2012...............................................................27 FRAMEWORK – SECTION 37 THE 3 STEPS:...................................................27 Step 1 – The parties must be in a “relevant relationship”.............27 Step 2 – The R has committed DV against the aggrieved..............27 Step 3: The protection order is necessary or desirable to protect the aggrieved Who may apply for order?...........................................................................................27 Who can a domestic violence order protect...............................................................27 Relevant sections (Print all these)...............................................................................28

CHILD PROTECTION..............................................................................28 DEFINITION OF FAMILY VIOLENCE.................................................................28 When considering parenting cases including issues of child abuse28 NB GO THROUGH THE FLOWCHART APPROACH!!!........................28 KEY CASES..............................................................................................28 M v M.............................................................................................28 Unacceptable risk test:................................................................................................28

Briginshaw v Briginshaw................................................................28 Statutory Test...............................................................................................................29

Re W (Sex Abuse: Standard of Proof).............................................29 Criticisms of Re W - Standard of Proof........................................................................29

Johnson and Page..........................................................................29 Napier and Hepburn.......................................................................29 Unacceptable Risk........................................................................................................29

Amador v Amador..........................................................................29 Re David.........................................................................................30 Notice of Abuse..............................................................................30 Harridge v Harridge.......................................................................30 Fan and Napoli...............................................................................30 THE MAGELLAN PROGRAM........................................................................31 Program – Principles......................................................................31 Likely Orders...................................................................................31 CHILD PROTECTION UNDER CHILD PROTECTION ACT 1999 (QLD).........31 Child Protection Law vs Family Law...............................................31 What is child protection law?........................................................31 BASIC CONCEPTS AND KEY TERMS...............................................................31 Section 9: harm definition..............................................................31 Unacceptable risk...........................................................................31 Custody and Guardianshp..............................................................31 CHILDREN’S COURT PROCESS......