Step-parent adoption is the process by which a person becomes the legal adoptive parent of their spouse’s child. It is quite common for a person to re-partner or remarry after separating or divorcing from their previous spouse. When they have children from a prior relationship, the new partner, whether they are a de facto or …
Remarriage and parenting orders need to be considered together once you have tied the knot a second time. Many couples remarry after divorce, often starting another family with stepparents, step-siblings and half-siblings. After a divorce, many parents have parenting orders made either after a court hearing or by consent to make living arrangements for their …
Major long-term issues are the big decisions that parents have to make about their children’s lives. All types of parents make all types of decisions for and about their children every day, but Australian family law legislation recognises that some decisions about bigger issues are more important than others. This becomes especially clear when parents …
A parenting plan is a written, signed and dated agreement between two former spouses regarding the care, welfare and development of their child. Parenting plans are one of the options for separated couples when they agree on parenting arrangements. They are different from consent orders and parenting orders as parenting plans are not enforceable by …
Stability and routine are important in a child’s life, especially a young child, but sometimes the court decides that a big change is necessary, such as changing the child’s primary carer. The primary carer is the person with whom the child spends the most time. Most often, this is a parent. The primary carer may …
Getting a name change after divorce reverses the tradition of a married couple having the same name. For many people, this is a significant part of the separation process. Making a surname change after marriage has long been customary for one or both spouses. Women especially tend to be known by their husband’s surname after …
As a divorced parent enrolling a child at school, there are several things to be aware of that you would not have had to think about while married or in a relationship. When parents separate or divorce, their child’s education can be affected as schools rely on the cooperation of parents to provide children with …
What To Do: Divorced Parent Enrolling A Child At School Read More »
In parenting matters in family law, the court will often appoint an independent children’s lawyer to represent the best interests of the children. Each parent knows what they want and what they believe to be the best thing for their children and themselves. They each participate in the court case and have a lawyer representing …
Many court cases feature a family report. This is a document written by a professional for the purposes of helping the judge determine the best outcome of the family dispute and the best interests of the children involved. Who Writes The Family Report Family reports are written by family consultants. A family consultant is …
Parental Alienation Parental alienation is the term used to describe when one parent deliberately damages the relationship between the other parent and their child. High-conflict situations can be hard on the children involved, and although some maintain a strong connection with both of their parents, in other cases a child may prefer spending time with …
