Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia

Lighthouse is a world-first family violence and safety initiative of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. The program's impact and potential has been recognised internationally. The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia encourages practitioners to speak with their clients about Lighthouse. This includes explaining what it is, what the benefits are, and what clients should expect. Practitioners are referred to the Family Law Practice Direction – Parenting proceedings, a few key provisions of which are as follows: Contact details: Practitioners should note that in instances where the personal email address of a client is not provided, practitioners will be contacted to provide their clients’ email for the secure link to the Family DOORS Triage questionnaire to be provided. Please ensure that you provide accurate details so that the confidential risk screening process can be offered at the earliest opportunity. Lawyers are encouraged to speak with their client about the importance of completing the questionnaire in a timely matter to ensure the smooth running of their matter and to reiterate that under Part IIA of the Family Law Act 1975 the information provided during the risk screening process is strictly confidential and cannot be used as evidence in their matter.   Screening for risk: Each eligible party will be invited to fill out a brief questionnaire. In doing so, there are a few key things clients should be aware of:   - The Lighthouse risk screening questionnaire is confidential and secure; - Nothing said in the questionnaire can be used as evidence in their case; - The questionnaire is online, and can be accessed via a computer, tablet or smart phone; - Once they receive a link to the questionnaire, parties have 10 days to complete it. Completing the questionnaire takes about 15-20 minutes. For more information relevant to Lighthouse and information on the triage process see https://lnkd.in/dQbP3UZF

The Courts have issued a practice and procedure update about Applications for Review in family law. Please be advised that an Application for Review filed on or after 15 November 2024 may not be able to be heard prior to the commencement of the Court shutdown period, being close of business, Tuesday 24 December 2024. Hearing dates will be allocated having regard to urgency considerations and the overall business of each court. Practitioners should carefully consider the utility and merit of an Application for Review before it is made. In financial year 2023-24, only 2.5% of all final order applications and interim applications finalised by Registrars were reviewed, and of those, only 1 in 10 were upheld or partially upheld. Read the full practice and procedure update here: https://lnkd.in/g4pVkQdu #fcfcoa #familylaw #auslaw

From today, Monday 11 November 2024, each of the following virtual Court events in the New South Wales registries, including Albury and Lismore, and the Australian Capital Territory, will be conducted using the Webex platform: Family Law Registrars: - First return lists before Judicial Registrars - Directions hearings and Mentions before Judicial Registrars - Interim defended hearings before Senior Judicial Registrars that are conducted electronically - Dispute resolution conferences that are conducted electronically Family Law Judges: - Interim defended hearings that are conducted electronically - Defended hearings that are conducted electronically - General Federal Law hearings before Judges that are conducted electronically Read the full update and find more information about these changes here: https://lnkd.in/gxQh4_PD #fcfcoa #familylaw #auslaw #federallaw #noticetotheprofession

An update is coming to the way some virtual Court events will be conducted in the Courts.   In an effort to streamline the virtual Court process, starting Monday 11 November 2024, each of the following virtual Court events in the New South Wales registries, including Albury and Lismore, and the Australian Capital Territory, will be conducted using the Webex platform:   Family Law Registrars: - First return lists before Judicial Registrars - Directions hearings and Mentions before Judicial Registrars - Interim defended hearings before Senior Judicial Registrars that are conducted electronically - Dispute resolution conferences that are conducted electronically Family Law Judges: - Interim defended hearings that are conducted electronically - Defended hearings that are conducted electronically - General Federal Law hearings before Judges that are conducted electronically   To prepare for the upcoming changes, practitioners are encouraged to access the following resources.   For information relevant to connecting to, participating and engaging in Webex virtual Court hearings please see: https://lnkd.in/gYvvRApr For information relevant to participating in virtual Court hearings, including Court etiquette: https://lnkd.in/gijwKcCv   For practitioners and parties to familiarise themselves with a Webex meeting prior to their virtual Court event please see: https://lnkd.in/dFNM9ve   #fcfcoa #familylaw #auslaw #federallaw #noticetotheprofession 

The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia is seeking Indigenous Family Liaison Officers to join our team in various locations throughout Australia. The Indigenous Family Liaison Officers provide in-Court support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people faced with family breakdown and/or who are accessing various services provided by the Court. The role specifically supports Judges and Judicial Registrars who run Specialist Indigenous Lists or hear a high proportion of matters involving Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander litigants. Indigenous Family Liaison Officers will need to take a positive and collaborative approach to enhance cultural development within the pre-existing Court structure and Case Management pathway. The position may include opportunities to support the Court, acting as a collaborative and supportive point for conveying cultural change as required. More detailed information about the important role of Indigenous Family Liaison Officers can be found here: https://lnkd.in/ger_jdwE The Indigenous Family Liaison Officer role is fundamentally a support role to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families through the Court system. For more information about this position, and to apply, please visit: https://lnkd.in/gAKvA_tb Artwork credit: Jedess Hudson, "Life's Connection #fcfcoa #IFLO #familylaw #auslaw #werehiring #opportunity #workwithus

On 11 October 2024, Judge Murdoch gave the keynote address ‘Perspectives from the Bench: Coercive Control in the FCFCOA’, at the 2024 Queensland Law Society Family and Criminal Law Conference. Over 200 solicitors and barristers attended from across Queensland. The conference theme was Family, Criminal and Domestic Violence. Judge Murdoch spoke about how the lens through which a judge views coercive and controlling behaviour and the mandated judicial fact-finding process in the family law jurisdiction is vastly different to that undertaken in criminal matters, even though the behaviours and impact it has on families does not differ. #fcfcoa #familylaw #auslaw #qls

The Chief Justice has issued Family Law Practice Direction – Defaulters’ List. The purpose of the Defaulters’ List is to ensure compliance with the rules of court, and any case management orders and directions made by a Registrar in family law or child support proceedings. The Defaulters’ List is intended to further the overarching purpose of family law practice and procedure. The full practice and procedure update can be found here: https://lnkd.in/gwGzr-Gy #fcfcoa #familylaw #practicedirection #auslaw

Judge D Humphreys represented the FCFCOA at the 37th LAWASIA (The Law Association for Asia and the Pacific) annual conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia between 13 and 15 October 2024. The theme of the conference was ’Navigating the Legal landscape in the Digital Age’. Judge Humphreys addressed a session entitled “Justice Reimagined: the role of technology in the legal profession and beyond’. The session focused on the challenges and dangers posed by artificial intelligence and tools such as ChatGPT in generating legal argument and submissions. #fcfcoa #auslaw #LawAsia

Lighthouse is a world-first family violence and safety initiative of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (FCFCOA). Since 2022 Lighthouse has been expanded to 15 family law registries around Australia. The primary focus of Lighthouse is risk screening for risks including family violence and other safety issues. This allows the Courts to ensure that parties are supported and that court resources are targeted to where they are most needed. As part of Lighthouse, parties first complete the Family DOORS Triage questionnaire, which involves providing only yes/no answers. A specialised team is then able to identify the level of risk and the most appropriate case management pathway. Parties are also provided with information and referrals based on their identified needs and circumstances.  Cases that have the highest identified level of risk are placed on the specialised court list - the Evatt List. Other cases are considered for alternative case management pathways, including dispute resolution if appropriate. For more detailed information relating to Lighthouse, please see: https://lnkd.in/dJrtmD-E #fcfcoa #familylaw #auslaw #lighthouse

The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia is seeking to fill multiple new roles across Australia. The Court is eager to engage highly skilled applicants who are enthusiastic and motivated to work within a dynamic, innovative new structure. We are seeking to fill multiple roles in the following areas in the migration practice area. This recruitment is an exciting opportunity to be involved in, and influence, important migration-related case management reforms that will improve access to justice and reduce delays. For more information and to apply see: https://lnkd.in/gRwJAxE7 #fcfcoa #migrationlaw #auslaw #werehiring #opportunity #workwithus