DIY divorce website saves those at breaking point

A new do-it-yourself divorce website is attracting hundreds daily with special coronavirus Family Court lists.

 

COVID-19 and the recession are fuelling demand for family law services, with a new do-it-yourself separation website attracting hundreds of new cases daily and special coronavirus Family Court lists established.

National Legal Aid, representing legal aid commissions, the nation’s largest providers of family law assistance, told The Australian the pandemic and related joblessness were “putting relationships through the wringer”.

A $3m website, amica.gov.au, launched by the NLA only a few weeks ago to help separating couples reach parenting and property agreements, has struck an immediate chord, with 360 Australians signing up each day.

National Legal Aid director Gabrielle Canny.

The Family Court and Federal Circuit Court have meanwhile set up court lists dedicated to “dealing exclusively with urgent family law disputes that have arisen as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic”.

“This situation will only worsen,” NLA director Gabrielle Canny said. “We expect to see increased numbers of family law problems as a direct result of the pandemic and the economic downturn that accompanies it.”

She urged couples intending to separate to try the amica website, to see if it could guide them to a less costly, less stressful agreement, than arguing through lawyers.

“The pandemic has had terrible impacts on many Australians in many ways, and it’s going to raise many family law problems,” she said. “COVID-19 and the economic downturn will push a significant number of relationships to breaking point.

“We estimate that amica will eventually assist 10,000 to 20,000 Australians per year. It will reduce pressures on courts and will ultimately save the community tens of millions of dollars per year.

“Family law disputes hurt a lot of people and that’s why we must consider fresh approaches. There are almost 50,000 divorces each year in Australia and there’s a growing community demand for innovative solutions to longstanding family law problems.”

A recent Relationships Australia survey found 42 per cent of couples believed their relationship had been negatively impacted by issues arising from the pandemic.

To avoid further clogging up the courts, and to reduce the stress and cost of separations, the NLA believes online resolution is the future, at least in cases involving couples who are still talking to one another.

The system uses artificial intelligence and smart technology, analysing asset and income information, as well as data on settlement outcomes in like situations, to guide couples to agreements that can then be ratified by the courts, if they wish. “It encourages them to log on rather than lawyer up,” Ms Canny said.

One man, who did not wish to be named but recently used the website with his partner of 16 years, said it was “brilliant” and saved the couple tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees.

“It helped us start the conversation about what we owed, what our assets were and who contributed what to the relationship,” he said. “It helped us focus and it was good to have that focus.”

The website service is free until January 1, when a fee of $165 to $440 per couple will apply to dispute resolution.