You might be wondering about your options after a breakup, or if you are going through a divorce. Divorce cases are one of the most common types of cases that come before family court in Sydney. The Australian law states that all divorce applications must be filed with the Family Court of Australia. Divorce proceedings can take anywhere from 6 months to 2 years depending on how complex they are and what needs to happen during this time frame. All divorces require some form of evidence, including financial information for both spouses and any children involved. There may also be issues related to property settlement and asset distribution if there is a significant difference between spouses’ incomes or their respective contributions to the marriage estate. Other factors such as whether or not one spouse has been violent towards another will affect the outcome of proceedings too. As you can see, there are many things which will affect what will occur in family court in Sydney, and as such, you should be made aware of them.
Here is what you can expect from family court in Sydney.
Divorce
Divorce is one of the most common reasons to visit family court in Sydney. Divorce rates have steadily increased in the past century and are now up to around 50% now! That means 1 in 2 marriages will dissolve at some point! This is obviously a very high number, and it is easy to see why family court in Sydney would be filled with people having disputes related to divorce. For many dissolutions of relationships there are often complexities which accompany them. These can be disputes relating to asset distribution, property settlement or child custody. Lawyers would be required for these situations, and sometimes the case will need to be taken further.
Property and asset settlement
A part of the divorce process is property and asset distribution and settlement. It is obvious to see how this can regularly end in disputes, as no one wants to give away their assets. These would be one of the biggest reasons for couples to go to family court in Sydney. Family court in Sydney would typically have the couples argue their cases and have the properties and assets fairly distributed there. This way, the magistrate will be able to make ruling decisions which the couples have to abide by, and thus the disputes will be settled. Property and asset settlement can be resolved through mediation and should be to avoid significant costs and time spent on the dispute, however sometimes it will need to go to before a magistrate to be settled as the two parties cannot decide on a decision.
Name changes
Family court in Sydney will also handle smaller matters such as name changes. Name changes are a legally binding decision in which you are able to change your name for a number of reasons. It is possible to do so as an adult (over 18), or with your parent’s permission if you are a juvenile. A family court in Sydney will make the decision official, and you will have an official name change subsequently.
This is a complex legal area that can be difficult to navigate. If you’re dealing with divorce, property and asset settlement, or name changes as the result of your relationship breakdown then it’s important to understand what you can expect from family court in Sydney. Family court in Sydney will be involved in many different matters, however it can often be expensive and timely, and should be avoided if possible.
