Your Children and Parenting Arrangements
At Collective Family Law Group on the Gold Coast, the advice that we give clients concerning parenting arrangements and custody of your children are pursuant to The Family Law Act 1975, which is ultimately focused on ensuring the best interests of the children are met.
Before considering going to Court for matters in relation to children, parties need to attempt to reach an agreement through negotiations and mediation. If there is an urgent matter, there are cases where mediation is exempt. If parenting arrangements can be agreed on by the parents, Collective Family Law Group can then formalise the agreement reached with Consent Orders that are filed in the Family Court. Consent Orders are the only way to make parenting agreed arrangements legally binding on both parties.
If a parenting arrangement can’t be reached between separated parents, our Gold Coast, family lawyers can advise you about the next possible steps. This advice will vary depending on your situation.
Compulsory family dispute resolution on the Gold Coast
The legal system favours parenting arrangements that the parents agree. If you and the other parent can reach an agreement without the need of attending Court, this is the best possible outcome.
Parents are required to attend Family Dispute Resolution (FDR) and are further required to make a genuine attempt to resolve outstanding issues regarding child custody before making an application to the Court. There are limited exceptions to this rule where parties do not have to attempt FDR before filing in court.
As a children & family law firm, Collective Family Law Group on the Gold Coast, can arrange private Family Dispute Resolution mediations for our clients. These mediations can be attended by yourself and one of our lawyers for added legal support, or you can attend independently.
After attempting FDR, if there remain outstanding issues, our family lawyers can further negotiate on your behalf. If necessary, we file an application and attend Court on your behalf to assist you in getting the best possible outcome for your children.
