Legislation and Decisions
Introduction
Family Court Acts, Legislation, Decisions, Family Courts Rules - what do these terms mean and do you really need to know about them? Well, you don't need to be an expert on these things, but it can be helpful to understand some basics about the laws that are in place to protect you and your family, and the processes you need to follow.
The Family Court deals with proceedings under various Acts (legislation) relating to families. This link will take you to a list of these Acts and brief explanations of what each piece of legislation is concerned with. You can also access the Government legislation site from here, which has full details on each Act.
Ever wondered what a court decision 'looks like'? Copies of previous Family Court decisions can be accessed via this link. Reading these will make you more aware of the sort of things a Judge considers in relation to a family matter. For example, if you are considering adopting a child, reading an example of a Court decision on an adoption application may be of value to you.
The Family Courts Rules set out the process and procedures for everything that happens in the Family Court. Things like what forms to use for proceedings under various family law Acts, what documents must be filed, issuing witness summonses and much, much more . . .
