February
Big change to divorce law puts a price on violence
Robert McClelland, one of the country’s most senior judges, says expensive assets could be helpful in curbing domestic violence rates.
July 2023
In the Forrest family empire, it’s all a matter of trust
Andrew and Nicola Forrest’s sprawling private empire was incorrectly applying a key clause of the Corporations Act for years. So who’s in charge now?
February 2023
Time’s up for ‘equal rights’ in court custody battles
The government has called time on the “shared responsibility” test for child custody battles.
March 2022
Family courts win big in budget with cash to combat domestic violence
There is an extra $88 million to expand a program that has been hailed as a “game-changer” in efforts to stem family violence.
December 2021
‘Pack your toothbrush’: Vasta case puts judge immunity in the dock
Even the presiding judge has described the false imprisonment claim against Judge Salvatore Vasta as ‘unusual’.
Judge sued over jail ‘mistake’
A judge who wrongly jailed a family law litigant for contempt behaved like a character from Alice in Wonderland, a court has heard.
October 2021
Eleven new judges for merged Family Court
The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia now has 104 judges as it undergoes ‘significant reform and modernisation’.
Coffee catch-ups put judges at risk of bias: High Court
A Family Court judge who had coffees, drinks and text and phone conversations with a barrister involved in one of his cases has fallen afoul of rules banning judicial bias.
September 2021
How divorcing couples hide (and find) family assets
Burying cash under a watchdog’s kennel, sending money offshore and overpaying credit cards are among the strategies warring partners use.
August 2021
Video ‘reality check’ for family law litigants
Every new litigant will have to watch a video as part of a revamp of the family law system
The listed company disrupting family law
Bad marriages and Australian Rules football have proven a successful mix for AF Legal – and its shareholders.
Why law firm IPOs are a bad idea
The listing of a commercial law firm can enrich a select few, but at what long-term cost?
July 2021
Judge resigns over ‘sexualised’ conduct
A Federal Circuit Court judge has resigned, heading off a likely parliamentary inquiry that could have led to his dismissal.
June 2021
Why lawyers say you need a prenup for your pets
Breaking up is hard to do and even more so when a beloved pet is involved. To ease the heartache, law firms are offering prenup agreements for pets.