Dealing with the breakdown of a significant relationship is rarely easy. It is an emotional time, often compounded by significant financial anxiety. One of the most sensitive and frequently asked questions we encounter relates to money or assets passed down from parents or relatives: “Will my ex-partner get half of my inheritance?”
In the Australian family law system, there is a strong emphasis on keeping families out of the courtroom. For most separating couples, the law requires a genuine effort to resolve disputes through Family Dispute Resolution (FDR), commonly known as mediation, before an application for parenting orders can even be filed.
In the modern age, our social media profiles often serve as a digital diary of our lives. From celebratory Instagram stories to frustrated late-night Facebook posts, we are constantly sharing fragments of our reality with the world. However, when you are involved in a parenting dispute, these fragments can be gathered, scrutinised, and presented as evidence in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (FCFCOA).
The Australian Federal Police (“AFP”) are responsible for the administration of the Family Law Watchlist (“the Watchlist”). The Watchlist, formerly known as the Airport Watchlist, is a national register which lists the names of children who are not permitted to leave Australia by any departure point, including airport and seaport. If an attempt is made to remove a child from Australia an alert is triggered with the AFP who will intervene to prevent that child’s removal form the country.
